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Topic: New Buzz Owner |
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Mike 908 |
Posted: 28-Apr-08 15:56 |
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Hi, we've just bought 908 and are venturing into a brave new world!
We're fairly novice sailors, so this will be a bit of a step up from the Topaz and Lasers we've been mucking around in... current guess is no kite for this season anyway!
We're also a long way North, and don't expect to be able to join the racing season any time soon. It looks like we'll have some fun, not least since most of you seem to sail on lakes. The North Sea is not often described as 'mill-pond'. Anyone any comments as to how the Buzz handles in bigger seas but not too strong a wind?
Mike |
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Stu B |
Posted: 29-Apr-08 13:08 |
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Hi.
The Buzz is very good on the sea, it copes well with the waves and is quite strong so doesn't break very often with the extra forces from the waves, ie - when a wave is mis-judged causing rapid slowing of the boat!!
Let us know how you get on . . .
Stuart and Zoe
Buzz 763 |
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Annie |
Posted: 29-Apr-08 19:06 |
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Hi
The fleet of Buzzes at Downs sailing club sail on the sea from April to the end of December. We go out in raging seas and strong winds and always have great fun - nearly had them air bourne. So I would say she handles very well, you'll probably find the kite will help make the Buzz more stable when going down wind and gybing, therefore you may want to think about using it. Sometimes when the sea is rough you have to make sure you gybe before a big wave or after it in case it knocks you over. |
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Mike 908 |
Posted: 19-Aug-08 17:18 |
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Hi all
Had some fun out in force 4/5; copes well with strong winds even for newbies. Had one terrible day when she capsized on first tack, and kept going over when we tried to right her. Finally towed back ashore after the boom came off, to discover that the Buzz didn't perform well with a hull full of water. Must remember the bung...
Then a few weeks later, light wind but big swell. Buzz took the swell in her stride, but as we returned to shore the wind died to zero. The swell was bringing us in, and I was looking forward to jumping off and turning the bow into the surf - previously I'd happily 'surfed' in with an onshore wind keeping us ahead of the breakers. However, at about 2 metres depth, a huge roller broke over the stern. We were flipped over and the mast broke in two places, with damage to the boom as well.
Thankfully my little crew (had 9 year old daughter with me) was fine, though upset, and it looks like new spars will come up from W&W next week, thanks to insurance.
Just desperate to get back out again... |
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dt |
Posted: 20-Aug-08 10:18 |
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We had a similar capsize experience.
When you get on the board and pull something like a Laser up it just slews round head to wind, sits there and it's all easy.
The Buzz doesn't seem to do this, and in addition comes up full of water, so it's a bit lively and often wants to go straight over again in heavy wind.
Any advice? (apart from the obvious "don't capsize" - thanks Pete) |
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paolomoncia |
Posted: 21-Aug-08 09:27 |
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Make sure jib and main are uncleated and release kicker.
I usually right the boat while the other one is inside, holding to toestraps, so s/he can help keeping the boat upright while I get in. For this having "righting lines" (see the ISO tweaks section) may be of great help!
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Mike 908 |
Posted: 22-Aug-08 18:17 |
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The righting lines look interesting - but we seem to be missing holes for them, as the Buzz doesn't use wings like the ISO. I've been on an Omega in strong winds, and a righting line attached inside the boat was a big help.
I should have been slightly clearer with the multiple capsize: I'd left the bung on land, so the interior of the hull was filling up with water. Bit of a herald of free enterprise as we tried to right it.
Uncleating I'd sussed, but didn't realise the kicker might be another help. And I'm going to try crew at toestraps to come up with the boat, as this seems to be well recommended. |
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Mike 908 |
Posted: 13-Sep-08 12:40 |
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Now got my replacement spars and its all rigged up. One or two differences: colour changes to the rigging (an improved main halyard is part of the reason for this) and a slightly higher position for the Cunningham cleat/pulley which should also be an improvement.
The kicker strap on the boom is shorter, which has caused slight difficulty. W&W are helping me with this.
Which is the point at which to say how helpful Andy has been at Wet and Windy. He has been great at extended phone calls talking me through the minutiae of rigging, etc, and W&W have an after-sales service to be proud of. Thanks, guys!
Hoping to get 908 on the water tomorrow: winds look good, if a bit light, but the question will be the swell - we've had some big stuff here most of the summer - part of the reason I broke the spars earlier, so I'm not going to take risks in big surf. |
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Mike 908 |
Posted: 23-Sep-08 16:23 |
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Buzz 908 lives!
Surf was too big on the 14th, but on the 21st we got out on a lovely afternoon. The sun shone, the surf was flat, the wind was a pleasant 3, maybe 3/4, great! Went out with another relative novice, so we left the kite (just as well given some unpredictable gusts). Learning how to reboard after falling off while wired up! And getting better at responding to gusts while helming. We managed to recover from a partial capsize by getting helm over the side to bring her back up before the mast hit the water.
This is sailing. I love my Buzz! |
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Mark Wilson |
Posted: 24-Sep-08 12:29 |
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Hi Mike
Good to hear how you are getting on and glad you are enjoying it so much - they are great boats (we love ours too) - you'll soon feel confident enough to take it out in a good ol' blow if you keep practising. Remember correct tuning/rigging does make a lot of difference to controlability, especially in gusts and higher winds so if you have any problems either refer to the website or ask questions via this forum - someone is bound to reply.
Happy sailing.
Jane |
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Mike 908 |
Posted: 29-Sep-08 15:51 |
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Hi Mark
Thanks, I've done a fair bit of reading on the forum, which has been really helpful.
Yesterday was another gorgeous day, and I went out with one of the esperienced sailors in our club, who went on trapeze. He was quite impressed by my recovery when I teabagged him...
The big news: we got the kite up! Fantastic!! Felt like we were flying!
Inevitably, we capsized when the kite went up at first, but I managed to downhaul it into the sock while underwater, which I was pleased about, and then we got going.
Quite a bit of water in the hull when we got ashore: I'm suspicious about the dagger board casing, so I'll need to have a look at that. Any suggestions for home repairs of cracks?
Mike |
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Stu B |
Posted: 29-Sep-08 18:20 |
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I normally seal the joint at the top of the casing with Sikaflex, i normally do this as routine when changing the fluffy stuff around the casing, it's probably awkward to do with this in place.
Other places to check for leaks is for any evidence of small cracks along the gunwale joint, transom joint and spinnaker pole exit.
Stuart.
Buzz 1079. |
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