Hi Sam,
We have one gaint communications problem.
As to spinnakers and ARC boats: Spinnakers and spinnaker poles and all the gear, blocks,ropes, etc, you need to go with it are an option on all ARC boats. Some ARC22s and most RC27s and 30s are sold as non racing boats and the buyers don't want spinnakers, they daysail the boats, so the spinnaker is left as an option. In US Sailing PNs the 21, the 22, the 27 and 30 are all rated with spinnaker.
>All of these boats are designed with spinnakers and sold both with and without spinnakers.
>The old SC20, 1978 thru 1991, had the CB back by the shroud chainplate, same as other 20 ft cats.
The old SC20 boards and the new ARC22 boards are the same size. The SC20 had 275 sqft of sail area on a 33 ft mast and the ARC 22 has 350 sqft of sail area on a 38.5 ft mast. The sail area is up by 27% on the 22 and the boards are located forward just behind the main beam where they are exposed to 27% less side force from the sails. Therefore in effect the 22 boards are downsized 27% per sqft of sail area relative to the old 20 installation. The boards feel the same side force on the 22 as on the 20 even though the 22 sailplan is 27% larger.
SE- Why did you intentionally design many of the Supercat and SC boats "out of trim".
> The SC boats and other centerboard cats, slop rigged, are in trim when they run a normal amount of mast rake like 5 degrees or so. When the top of the mast is raked back an additional 3 to 4ft to trim the boat out with spinnaker and then you sail this larger mast rake to windward, the boat is out of trim.
SE- Which boat are you referring to, The ARC 22,27,30 or the ARC 21?
> Each one of them, Sam. All of these boats have the CB right behind the main beam.
SE- The ARC 17 came out in 2003 and you raced a number of times last year on ARCs.
> An ARC17 was on the water in Mn undergoing development in 2003. I never set foot on the boat until it was in Florida a couple of weeks before the Tradewinds Jan. 2004. I raced/crewed on an RC30 in 2003.
SE- Such a sad story.
> Right, Sam. There was another communications problem. The race comittee held up a race course sign with an L on it. Some sailors in the open class took that to mean sail the long course. As it turned out it ment sail the shorter course.
> Sam, the ARC17 is a beach boat, a beginners boat, a boat without boards. It is not a performance boat. It is a one person boat or a two person boat. It comes unirig or with a self tacking jib. You can even add a spinnaker with launcher to it. It is a totally flexible boat for the beginning beach cat sailor. This is a different approach from anything anyone else builds and hopefully some newcomers to our sport will find this boat attractive and purchase it.
>As to your question about an ARC 20: If you or anyone wants an ARC20, it can be built in a heartbeat. Use the 22 tooling and move the transom forward 2ft. Then you have a 20ft boat built for ocean racing. The tall elliptical bows are forgiving in big waves and or a near pitchpole situation. (Look at the picture of the SC20 during the Steeplechase race. The foredeck is underwater and the boat is ripping. The sailors are in their normal positions. You don't see rear ends and elbows as the sailors scramble for the back of the boat. These guys know that this hull design is not in difficulty at this point.) Building a 20 in the 22 tooling would place the mast 2ft aft of the hull mid point. Again moving the CG further aft and allowing the sailors to apply more horsepower, drive the boat harder, while reaching downwind with chute. In 1980 the SCs had a simple on the water mainsail reefing system that could be employed in 5 minutes. This would allow a high powered boat to depower quickly on the water. A long distance race ocean race winner is sitting on the shelf up there in Mn.
SE Why do you and Aquarius continue to hide from Class competition?
The tooling for the 22, 27 and 30 were all built before there was any of this Formula class stuff. In about 1988 when the 22 was designed, other builders were building boats longer than 20ft. There was the H21 which was 21.5ft long and Stiletto was building a 23ft boat. I did a 22ft boat to sort of split the difference. As it turned out the H21 and Stiletto were slower than some 20ft boats. Only the 22 continued the progression of faster boats as they got larger. The 22 has set the chinning bar. Why won't anyone else step up to the 22. Everyone else, the competition, has retreated.
> As to your last comments: You probably did not know the 17 is a boardless beach cat for the beginning sailor. It is not aimed at performance. It is a simple boat, a very safe boat with tall bows and righting system and the rig is totally flexible to the owners desires. You can buy the boat as a one person boat. If things change and you want to sail with two people, no problem. Add the self tacking jib. When you get good and are feeling your oats, add the spinnaker, no problem again. You don't have to buy a new boat everytime your circumstances change.
Good Sailing, Sam
Bill