New snuffer idea.

First I have not seen this boat in person, and it is currently being tested at the Australian Nationals.
[img]https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net...57206a8818435f55dadb08cf&oe=5521BC22[/img]
Thoughts?

That is an interesting idea. Structurally, that's not a great place to have a gigantic hole but if it was built strong enough without being over minimum weight it would be pretty neat to operate.

It's not a modification that you could retrofit without adding weight to a boat that's already at (or above) minimum, though.

One other minor drawback...distance racing or other forms of racing/sailing where you need to hoist on a port tack.

Seems like lot of water could wind up in there, how does it drain?

Seems like it could gain a lot of water weight in short steep chop (Corpus Christy). Looks like an idea better left on the drawing board.

Looks like a pitchpole waiting to happen. Perhaps this boat is fully foiling?

How so?

From what I understand the spin retrieval line comes out under the tramp and also serves as the drain for the water.

This is a non foiling F18 being raced at Australian Nationals.

These boats are really hard to pitchpole.

The boats were about 5 kilos over min weight, which was about normal for the fleet as most boats were over by 3-8 kilos. the heaviest boat in the fleet comes in at 196.8kg!!!

blowing 15-20 with driving rain, the forecast is for solid rain until tomorrow afternoon.

Sounds to me like the scales are out if all the boats are over

I wouldn't be very happy if my new boat was 5kg overweight!

I can see how hoisting it over starboard would be quite smooth, but what about dousing over port?
Wouldn't the sail be literally pulled over the jib/forestay?
Or is there a similar hole in the other hull?
Going upwind the extra weight of the wet sail could be beneficial though.

Any ideas if this is even class legal?

I haven't re-read the rules with this in mind but I can't think of anything that would prohibit using this kind of snuffer. Honestly, the snuffers we all use now require some degree of dragging the kite across the forestay and bridle. It probably makes that a little worse but it's probably do-able.

It's not like the snuffers we use do anything to keep water off the spinnaker either.

i dont agree

water flys up my bows and i can sink my bows into the water up to the front beam ... that would fill that snuffer

my snuffer never gets that type/amount of water being thrown on it

I guess results may vary on that. I've had to park out and wrap a bungee around the bag to keep the spinnaker from being washed out the back on an early SNU because the water was so rough. That was on Lake Superior, and the only time I'd had to do that. It's pretty common for my bag to have water sitting in it when I pull the spinnaker out on the beach though. A spinnaker in good racing shape, the fabric won't hold any water. It goes up, and one flap or shudder later it's dry. That doesn't mean it doesn't carry water when its wrinkled up in a tube or bag though.

Rich posted this on Facebook and I commented on it. I see dousing on port as being very difficult. I'm not sure how wise it is to have the retrieval point behind the bridle and forestay either. The other thing is Marstrom played with, and I think some of the early Hobie Tigers came with a composite tube. I'm not sure if it was killed off because of usability, windage, weight, or what.


I see pro's and cons to this. I like innovation and new things being tried though. Even if this isn't a great idea, it might spawn one from it's less than stellar performance. Or it might be the cat's butt. I don't know It's interesting.

To keep the spinnaker from coming out the back of the bag, cross the back of the bag opening with a piece of webbing with a grommet in the middle. Run your snuffer line through that grommet. It will keep from escaping out the back of the bag and keep you from pulling it too far.

I don't have that snuffer or boat anymore. It was an early snu on my FXone. Yeah, that would've fixed it.

for sure, i get plenty of "run-off" in the belly of my bag, i was just saying that I can see lots of water being sprayed or jammed up that hull tube, where as i don't see any getting in the front of my snuffer ring.

In the end a good try but not successful with the main issue water filling the kite and not being able to hoist the spinnaker in a timely manner. both boat used conventional snuffers during the series.

Last day of the Oz national series, Jason Waterhouse and Brett Goodall appear to have a commanding lead though Brett Burville on the windrush edge is a few points behind. 20 knots forecast for today which will favor the Windrush.

Neat!
thanks for the updates

what are you flipping these days?

I'm still selling Goodall boats, just haven't sold anything in a while. I've pretty well got everyone in my area that is going to hop on a C2 or a Viper, on one. I sold the FXone shortly after getting my first Viper back in 2010

that's what i thought