I have just uploaded 2 files to Junk Info - Public Domain Info - Slieve.

They are called -

Universal Round and Broadseam Calculator.xls

C and SJ Appendix 3 12-05-12a.pdf

The appendix explains how to use the calculator which has been simplified so that entering only 3 dimensions will calculate all the information required to build a cambered panel where both battens are the same length.

Some of the sections that have already been posted should be updated very soon.

Cheers, Slieve

I've just received another mail from Frank to say that he has had his second race with his new rig. The race ws similar type to the first one, and with a similar result. He won again! I suspect that, if he wins again in the next race they will load his handicap. With his present handicap and the old rig he was always somewhere around last, and everyone was happy with his handicap. People take a different view when you win consistantly. His final comment was "A fun day". Sounds good.

Cheers,   Slieve.

This morning I received a mail from Frank which said –

“Hi Slieve,

Happy Easter.

Just a quick note to say Talulah competed in the first race of the summer series for the Merdian Trophy and I am happy to say we won. I had the Commodore on board as his boat was not ready and he wanted to see how she sailed. He was impressed as to how light she was on the tiller and the gentle gibes etc, all the things we take for granted.”

I’ve just phoned him, and apparently it was a handicap race with all sizes of boats from dinghies to much bigger. Conditions were medium to light and talking through the details it seems that Talulah sailed a genuine race and despite one tactical decision which might not have been the best they still won on handicap. Apparently when challenged by other boats they were well able to show good performance and raise the eyebrows of the other skippers.

It sounds good.

But why so secretive, Slieve?   Simply because I know very little myself, and was planning to get more information the next time the owner phoned.

Some 15 year’s ago I noticed a boat being built in a local boatyard on the River Thames. I thought it was a Badger design so went back and met the owner, Frank Sporik. We got talking and I told him about Badger, and he changed his rig plans to Junk. Frank races his boat ‘Talulah’ at his club on the Thames near Greenwich on a regular basis, often single handed but was fed up finishing last.

Autumn 2010, I got a call from him after being out of contact for years and eventually last spring he had a sail in Poppy. Despite a totally foul bottom and weed trailing of the rudder, he went home with a big grin muttering something like, ‘I’ve got to have one’. Now, one year later he phoned to report he had just had his first sail with his new single masted split rig, and was a ‘Happy Bunny’. Obviously in between we were in regular phone and e-mail contact as he built the rig, sewing his own sails, but otherwise I know very little. I knew the design was based on the Mouette, or better known as ‘Erik the Red’, so I’ve just Goggled the Eventide Owners Association and come up with –

　http://www.eventides.org.uk/moupic.htm

I’m waiting to hear how he gets on with the club racing again. If you look up Frank on the membership list you will see that his details are few and wrong.

All I know is that during the first sail conditions were light at F1 to F3, but he reckoned he was 1.5 kts faster than before and tacking through a very close angle. The boat was perfectly balanced and for the first time he felt confident enough to sail back onto his berth, dropping panel by panel to slow down. So you see, there was little to report. Helping Frank over the phone to build his rig helped me realise what information is required by someone with no previous sail-making experience.

Cheers, Slieve

Slieve McGalliard wrote:In due course. As I hear more, you'll hear.