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Thanks for your input John.


From Graham's article I think the key point seems to be that as the boat speed approaches hull speed the water flow has a greater vertical component for the wings to work with. Presumably water which has passed under the rocker accelerates back and up towards the bottom of the transom?


I suppose this effect might be more pronounced on boats with more rocker?

Anybody able to offer any advice?

I would be grateful for any advice the foilerati are able to provide!

My new boat (a Big Issue 2) has a foiling rudder which is not a t foil. The wings are at the bottom of the rudder blade. As I understand it the t-foil rudder is particularly effective because it utilises the water flow coming up off the bottom of the hull.
Is there a major differential in terms of foil performance? If so might it be worth getting the rudder modified and repositioning the wings?
I haven't used the foiling rudder yet. Still getting used to sailing the boat with the dagger rudder.

N3517 is now based on the Thames at Twickenham Yacht Club.
Having not been used very much recently she needs a bit of a tidy up but is basically in very good condition.

I already love sailing the older design, so I am very excited at the prospect of a much racier boat. I moved to 12s from an Enterprise having seen how the 12s could keep moving in very light breeze. I am sure Carbon Paw Print will be brilliant in light conditions on the river.

I would like to travel to a few events, but I have a slight problem as my hybrid car is not approved for towing so my insurance would be invalid. Maybe I can find a lightweight crew who has a car with a towbar!

My involvement with the class started with a Tigress (N3143 Catatonic). Having decided that I don't like spending my time looking after wooden boats I then picked up a Paper Dart (N2903 Maxim). Even with baggy old sails the Paper Dart has proved to be very competitive on the river.

However, deep down I have always wanted a more modern boat. So I am acquiring N3517 (Carbon Paw Print). Looking forward to having a much lighter boat to haul up the slipway.
I will need to be careful using a foiling rudder on the Thames, but after many years sailing on our reach I hopefully know where most of the shallow spots are!

Despite the horrible weather forecast all 7 of the TYC N12 fleet took part in the Open Meeting on Sunday.

The prevailing wind direction was northerly, but on the water burgees were spinning all over the place. With tall trees on the northern bank of the Thames, a northerly wind provides the most difficult sailing conditions on our reach. At one point during the first race the torrential rain made it very difficult to see, and those who were not in wetsuits got drenched.

Sailing was extremely competitive throughout the event with the lead changing frequently during the races. A diverse range of designs headed the fleet, with a Cheshire Cat a Paper Dart and a double bottomed Final Chapter taking turns to briefly lead. As ever the key to staying ahead was avoiding the many holes and capitalising on advantageous lifts.

Pip Deverson sailed her Cheshire Cat extremely well in the challenging conditions and with two first places won the Thames Challenge trophy. She admitted that she was keen to win the two first races so that she did not have to venture out again in the rain after lunch.

At one point several years ago the Twickenham N12 fleet was down to just 2 boats, so it is very encouraging that we now have 7 boats in regular use. Single handed N12 sailing is a particular Twickenham speciality which works extremely well in light winds.

The Twickenham YC National 12 fleet is very healthy at present. We have a fleet of 7 boats comprising a couple of double bottoms, a couple of Design 8s, two Paper Darts and a Cheshire Cat.
At last years Open Meeting all 7 boats took part, but sadly we had no visitors. It would be great to have some visitors this year!
For those who are not aware the main trophy, the Thames Challenge is a very impressive lump of Silver first sailed for here in 1936.

I learned to sail in an Enterprise and enjoyed the experience.

I made the move to a National 12 because in light winds on our section of the tidal Thames N12s are able to make progress when the Enterprises are not moving.

The N12 is a more 'lively' boat than the Enterprise and requires a higher level of skill as they are more tippy than the relatively stable Enteprise hull.

I have sailed my 12s single handed a lot. I have not had to make any modifications to the boats, just to my sailing technique.

Tie the jib sheets together into a loop so that it is easy to grab them when you tack. Sheet in and cleat the jib early (after you go head to wind) before you roll the boat out of the tack.

I find having the dangly pole cleat on the foredeck is not a problem. All of my other controls are led back to cleats on the thwart.

In very light winds I sail reclining on the thwart so that I can watch the burgee but keep the boat heeled slightly to leeward.

Andy,

I am in Twickenham and have a trailer you can borrow.

Alistair

Had my first brief sail in Maxim yesterday. In 2/3 knots of breeze she made progress against quite a significant stream, in spite of the 26 year old sails.

Everything works nicely. However the kicker arrangement is horrible (adjusting directly from a cleat on the lower cascade blocks) so that will be changing.

Surprised to discover there is only one position for the highfield lever, but rig tension was spot on when shrouds were tensioned. Always seen highfield levers with multiple positions before.

First race on Sunday morning. I should have some better sails by then.

Thanks David. It is amazing to be able to obtain this kind of boat history. David Croft also remembers David Collyer (Collier?) from Upper Thames as the first owner.

She is certainly in very good condition for her age. I put the mast up this afternoon and using some advice from David Croft got the mast ram working nicely.

Having 2901 in the same dinghy park proved useful. I have been able to copy the mast foot position, mast rake etc.

Two TYC 12 owners have offered me sets of sails. I am hoping to get her on the water at some point this week,

It seems appropriate that she has returned to the Thames.

Thanks Dave I have emailed you. It would be great to learn a bit about the history of the boat.

She has a Thames registration sticker from 1981 on the forward bulkhead. The last 10 years have been spent at various clubs in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

A few years after selling 3143 Catatonic, my Tigress I have acquired another 12, a Paper Dart called Maxim. She appears to be basically sound, but is in need of better sails, new ropes, footstraps etc.

I have been borrowing another Paper Dart 2901 and found her very quick on the Thames, so I am hoping that after a bit of renovation Maxim will be just as quick.

The first job is sorting out an under the foredeck mast ram which appears to have got a bit stuck. Without realising what I was doing I pulled on a control line (with the rig down) and found it was connected to a mast ram. The ram pushed out so I now need to either remove it or free it up so that I can step the mast properly.