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Topic: Will I be Welcome??? |
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ReMBy512 |
Posted: 25-Aug-09 22:52 |
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Hi all,
I have just bought Buzz 512 from Ian Barnett and moved the boat to Draycote Water, swelling the fleet by 33% (there are now 4 Buzz's)!
However, Draycote has a shortage of crews so I intend to sail it solo - at least for a year or 2 until I can get my kids involved! Currently I crew a Fireball, but the Buzz really appealed to me due to its simplicity and I was assured it could be single-handed at the Dinghy shows, where it caught my eye.
I am keen to "adapt" mine to make soloing easier, keeping within the class rules as much as possible (the bugbear being rule 7.4) and would therefore like to make contact with Doug Abrams (Buzz 1026) who has a website on the topic but may have changed email address? Does anyone else have any soloing tips?
I have 3 further immediate needs:
1 - The daggerboard leaks - what is the best way to find the leak?
2 - I would like to go back to the Mk I kicker arrangement, does anyone have some photos they can send me please?
3 - Did the Buzz manual ever make it on the web? I would really appreciate a copy of this too please.
This is my first boat to helm, and asymmetric not like the Fireball, so I am looking forward to the challenges ahead!
I would love to come to the fleet events but the last 2 clash with other commitments, so this may have to wait this year. One day at QMSC may be possible.
Many thanks in advance,
Richard |
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Stu B |
Posted: 26-Aug-09 00:22 |
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Of course you'll be welcome!! However the rules do state that 2 people are required for racing a Buzz at Open meetings. However we would love you to come along and i'm sure we could come to some arrangement to make it possible.
Didn't realise there were 4 Buzzes at Draycote, any chance of an event next year? Do you have a regatta/Handicap open there that we could join in with?
Daggerboard leak - if no damage is apparent then it could leak through the handle holes, my one does at the moment and i intand to repair by filling the holes with epoxy resin and then re drilling slightly smaller.
Changing to the Mk1 arrangment is class legal, i have recently bought Buzz 401 and was looking forward to the Mk1 kicker arrangement, however at some time in its life it has been professionally changed to the Mk2 style, both for kicker set up and jib cleats. I can probably take photos of a MK1 kicker arrangement during the bank holiday weekend at Roadford SC.
Buzz Manual - If you join the Class Association you should now get the Buzz Manual on disc, if there are any specific items you would like photos of then email me, bailey.stu@btinternet.com
We look forward to meeting you at a future event,
Stuart and Zoe
Buzz 1079
Buzz 401 |
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Michael 489 |
Posted: 26-Aug-09 06:40 |
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Hello,
I have a Mk1 and have some pictures already made. Please let me know what you need and I will send them to you. My email is: m.brodkorb@gmx.de.
I have a question, though: What are the exact differences between Mk1 and Mk2 and what is the advantage of the Mk1 Kicker Arrangement? I thought it would be worse as the hook, where the kicker is connected to the mast is higher... I actually was thinking on how to lower this point...
Best Regards,
Michael
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paolomoncia |
Posted: 26-Aug-09 15:32 |
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Hi,
regarding solo tips:
you can bring the trapeze back simply adding two shakcles to the poins where the gennaker sheet blocks (the normal ones, not the ratchet ones). You can pass the elastic in the shackle when solo, and let it return to normal position when you have a crew. Very simple mod, allowed by class rules!
I find very useful to have the jib sheets tightened to the opposite trapeze handle. Will stay close and easy to grab without needing to care of. For this, you probably need longer sheets than with the "close-circuit" arrangement, I usually simply had two short lenghts of rope (40-50 cm each) at each end of the sheet.
Replace tiller extension with a telescopic one... allows you to trapeze flat and enjoy the right breeze.
Something I never tried, but have herad of for soloing other boats, is the addition of a cleat to your harness, so that you can keep an extra rope (usually the main sheet while using the kite) at hand... not sure if it really works.
MkI kicker arrangement: can it be done on 512? I thought MkII started around 497... for it, you need to have two reinforced positions on the deck where the cleats are mounted. Those are present in MkI boats, but are missing in newer boats, so you will need to reinforce the deck underneath the cleats, otherwise the screws will come out under load (that's why no new holes can be drilled in the boat). Reverting to MkI by positioning the deck cleats for the kicker in the same position of old boats is class legal, but I think it could be a bit difficult to do if the position is not already prepared. Sorry I don't have a picture right now to make thigs clear. However, I have always sailed solo with the MkII kicker, so it is feasible.
Paolo
[Edited by paolomoncia on 26-Aug-09 15:33] |
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Sam Spooner |
Posted: 02-Sep-09 13:05 |
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I regulaly single-hand a Spice. The "cleat on the harness" does work, it's is a snap hook (I use a carabina) to snap the fall of the mainsheet into so it doesn't drop into the boat (it's nearly impossible to bend down to pick it upo if you're hooked on). Regarding tiller extensions, I broke mine so I bought a 6ft landing net pole from the angling section at Go Outdoors, for £8 amd a spare uj from Wet and Windy fro £9.95 and made my own.
Cheers
Chas |
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