Which way should my planks go?

an area to discuss dinghy developments
Rupert
Posts: 6255
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Cotswold Water Park

Re: Which way should my planks go?

Post by Rupert »

I've been trying to remember where the Alan Vines link came from. Possibly from talking to one of Murray's children, but I think more likely in an article somewhere, some how.

As you say, his role may have been face saving, or in the earlier stages of decision making, but the implication was he had been part of the lines drawing team. But in that, Greg Gregory wasnt mentioned at all - I'd not come across that link before.
Rupert
Michael Brigg
Posts: 1663
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 7:11 pm
Location: Gosport, UK

Re: Which way should my planks go?

Post by Michael Brigg »

davidh wrote:
MB..... I wasn't agreeing with Charles re the Firefly... I put that in to help position the way the thinking/decision making process was going on at the time.

D
Hi David, I fully understand your comment and what I was trying to infer is that had the class been "improved" it is likely that would have been the death of it. Indeed it is my opinion that ultimately the "improvements" that have been made to the Mirror class, for the same reason will finish it off just as surely as Red Squirrels cannot compete with Grey, unless the habitat is suited to them.

I like to use the so called "Chinese Curses analogy because these so succinctly illustrate the ambiguous nature of success, progressing from mere nuisance to serious threat to Death knell significance.

1.) "May you live in interesting times." The firefly has certainly carried that curse. First surviving a wood shortage by becoming an Olympic class, (itself a potential "3rd order" curse) then riding the wave of post war affluence and the explosion of recreational Sailing, before running firmly aground in the face of technological advances, Fashion and dwindling public interest. Rescued only by finding its niche and sticking to it. Surviving like a 2nd marriage, because it learned from the faults of the first, and has introduced change by slow consensus.

2.) "May you come to the notice of powerful people." Perhaps if the boat had been changed as you suggest by a committee of few, responding to CC's design suggestions, then the class would have made a "wrong turn" becoming a (not very good) performance craft, shackled by its "One design" status, unable to compete with N12 and other class developments. A lucky escape I would say.

3.) "May you have what you wish for." Again, it is the original design quirks that define a dinghy's niche. Change these and you are as doomed as the Dodo, and countless other species that have seen their niche taken by a younger more adaptable competitor. If for example the FF took on a Spinnaker, it would loose the White sails niche, and would not hold a candle to the Fireball, or even a 420, let alone an RS200.

But that's my opinion.

Back to the topic on planking...

From observation I have seen that the outer diagonal planking always slopes from Bow stem down to stern pintle. The middle I believe is horizontal, ( and seems to use lower quality veneer) and the inner layer seems to be somewhat randomly sloping either Bow down to stern or stern down to bow. So Some hulls will have two layers in the same direction.

Horizontal outer planking however means the middle layer must be laid at right angles to the inner layer. Logic suggests that a 3directional laminate will be stronger than one with just 2 directions, to some, perhaps as many as 50% of diagonal hulls, might be constructed in a less stiff lay up.

It this is the case, then perhaps there is some weight in the argument.
Michael Brigg
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