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Phil MacFarlane
02-23-2011, 01:53 AM
this is a short video Ronnie made of our first sail on Wafi my new mini transat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BADa3I2UjsA

Rainbow
02-28-2011, 08:18 PM
The Mini looks like a fun ride!

Phil, do you still have Sail a Vie, and is she here on the Bay? I'm considering an Alpha Autopilot for Rainbow and would like to see an installation to make sure I understand what it will take to install--Alpha's website doesn't give clear drawings of the installation bracket, etc.

Any chance I could eyeball yours?

Thanks.
Cliff Shaw
Rainbow
Crowther 10m Catamaran

925-939-2490 / csrgone@astound.net

Phil MacFarlane
02-28-2011, 10:16 PM
Hi Cliff,
Yep still have Sail a Vie. She's in Redwood City. I will be happy to meet you there. I'll call you tomorrow.

ronnie simpson
03-02-2011, 08:30 PM
And video #2...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg-u0N3se6w

Fun boat!

Chai D.M.
03-03-2011, 04:19 PM
looks great. were you going up the bay saturday? I think I saw you out in the
middle.

Phil MacFarlane
03-03-2011, 06:56 PM
We sailed up to Alameda from Redwood City on Sunday. Then over to Oyster Point Monday.
It's a really fun boat but really different. It gets in irons during tacks. It has very poor low speed maneuverability. And at times has huge lee helm. And that eleven foot sprit is sometimes out of control!:o

ronnie simpson
03-04-2011, 09:25 AM
let's just say that learning the tendencies of this boat is, uh, very interesting....

like Phil says, the thing easily goes into irons and can get really stuck there. like a multihull.

the lee helm issue cropped up a few times as well. easing sheets helped a bit, but there was still a lot of lee helm.

the boat is overpowered in 12 knots with the full main and jib. mini sailors often reef in anything more than 10...

the long sprit is going to take some dialing. we need to come up with a reaching strut system, to move the guy's outboard so that we can go pole forward without the pole/ kite falling to leeward.

ummm, there's like a million things that we learned in 3 sails on the boat.

let's just say there's a lot of moments where we look at each other, and then at the boat and go "huh".

but it is an incredibly fun learning experience.

BobJ
03-04-2011, 09:48 AM
It's a small jib right? Don't be too quick to release the sheet on tacks - a brief backwind will help the bow around. Have you tried roll-tacking? (Probably hard to do with that keel.)

Try more rake (lots) to reduce the lee helm - you might need to add a toggle at the top of the headstay. I suspect the daggerboard(s) is a bit too far aft. Is it worse or better with the keel canted? Also, it should get better (less lee helm) in more breeze.

On gybes with the sprit, over ease it to leeward (carefully!) before the gybe and set up the new guy - you need to get it "over center" so there's some leverage on the new gybe.

Many of the Minis have reaching struts (old term) - I think Emma's went into sockets in the side of the hull.

I'm jealous . . .

Critter
03-04-2011, 10:55 AM
Phil, I'll sell you back that old reaching strut that I bought off you at the Sequoia swap meet years ago ...

Chai D.M.
03-04-2011, 10:55 PM
I was out both days don't remember which day thought I saw you.
it takes time to Lear New boat. Git all the information you can from other mini owners
To shorten that time.
vince