Roobarb Canoe

 Had new jib form HD sails. Measures 2.2 as requested, should really have gone for 2.4 which would have matched the main better …. Nice shape , quite full. Tried it first time in 20 ish knots… bit of a hard sail. Thought I might not get back at one point. Very difficult to tack, kept going aground. Mainly me out of practice…. Had compression failure on daggerboard. Which I repaired It failed where I ended the carbon ud. This was mainly a glass biaxial layup so it’s very flexible below the ud…. Thought I had better make a new one for the nationals in Loch Lomond.

  Relaunch of Monkey! Sunday 14 May Got the decals on (from Funky Monkey) and took her out in a nice gentle breeze. Didn't sink and generally all OK   Saturday 20 May Around 20 Knots of breeze, well mannered most of the time but some adjustments needed. Kept luffing up when wind dropped and after tacking. I think it must be unbalanced, jib only 2.1m2. I found in dragonfly with the same daggerboard that 100mm off the bottom worked well. Mast is very soft , perhaps that is also not helping? Chine digging in as well? Work to do: Mast track ate the luff rope so those mast repairs now more urgent (and new bolt rope) I adjusted the kicker but this needs further work Bottom rails of carriage need trimming Dagger board needs shortening Jib track i think needs a stopper as it runs too far out, new jib from HD coming so that will need setting up with that Toe straps are not the right webbing, they are like elastic! Need to source some new material

 Finishing off Monkey…. Well as much as it’s getting before it’s relaunch New shrouds, forestay ext and lowers, cut and shut rudder stock, a bit more rigging.  Seat and carriage back from sprayers and fitted out Trimming foredeck back, real dilemma this. I wanted a long foredeck with the main going right down to it ideally right back to the forward  but it’s a difficult packaging operation. Would work with a gnav but not keen on them. So keeping with a conventional vang and also wanting to be able to run with 150mm to 200mm of board up  Checking daggerboard fits  Still to do…. Mast….   Weight 55Kg, a good result

 2024 Worlds are in Germany as part of Travemunde week. The challenge is to complete Roobard in time, leaving Monkey free for Henry. Henry's not yet sailed a canoe (hes only 14....) but is up for a challenge even if he just races on quiet days. Monkeys seat and carriage is heading for the sprayers next week and im intending to re-launch her April 26th or 29th. There's still a bit to sort out.... rudder, kicking strap, mast, final rigging...... but essentially im now going to be getting her outside and starting on Roobarb.  Taking Friday 14th April as a starting point I have 14 months to put Roobarb together with an intended launch date of June 14th (my birthday). This gives me about a month to iron out any issues before the worlds. There is a bit of a head start already, the stations were machined out and assembled but i do need to set these up correctly before I skin them. The seat and carriage moulds are all sorted out and I have various moulds for the foils. I have secured ...

 And now the rubbing strips…few more to do after Easter 

 Further progress on Monkeys seat and carriage….