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MODEM WAS 10 RATER NATIONALS GOSPORT July Ist- 4th ESPITE a week’s use of one of the finest sailing waters in_ the country, the entry for the 1957 10-Rater Championship was disappointingly low—in fact, with only eight boats sailing, it was even a stretch to occupy four days with a full round on each day, despite the very light winds experiThe most notable enced. meeting feature of the for that perhaps, was, the first time a National Championship was won by a glass fibre boat. This was E. M. Butterworth’s Scarab, moulded from his Judith, which is a_ slightly modified John Lewis Halceyon design and placed second in the 1955 Championship. The method of moulding was, incidentally, described by the builder in our April, 1957, issue. The rest of the fleet was fairly assorted, ranging from 25-year-old Brooks-designed Divine Lady to the most recently registered, Chad IV, from Lewis’ Hyperion lines. Entrants came from a wide variety of clubs. Generally, the light breeze remained between south and west, but it was extremely variable and there were times when the flags showed 90 degrees difference in direction at the ends of the lake. On the Thursday the last board or two suffered from almost calm conditions, with yachts drifting back to the starting line after travelling three-quarters of the way up the lake; Heading picture shows the winner Scarab, with second placer Gazelle. Centre left: one of the newest boats, Laughing Water. Bottom (left): the shortest boat in the race, Rosette, which suffered from lack of wind, compared with the oldest (right) Divine Lady. Right-hand page, top: Scarab, with folded spinnaker, endeavouring to overhaul Esrrellita. Bottom left: Blue Nymph and Divine Lady, right: Chad N and Estrellita, all almost becalmed 432 SEPTEMBER): 957 the winner had, however. virtually been decided by Wednesday evening and the main tussle was for second and third places, the Fitzjohn boats seeming to like the light airs but the veteran Estrellita not being quite so happy. The shape of the race is clear from the daily score sheet. The problems of the M.Y.A. Committee in determining the venue and duration of this particular event seem more difficult than those of any of the other major regattas. Ten-raters are second only to Marbleheads in popularity, and so far this year entries in all regattas have been a little below normal, but even so, more entrants might have been expected. In 1952, 23 boats sailed for a week at Fleetwood; 1953 saw only 11 for the week at Birkenhead. Dropped to a two-day event at Hove, in 1954, 26 entries were received; over the Whitsun three days at Birkenhead in 1955 there were 17 boats. Extended once more to a week last year, 12 entrants sailed at Fleetwood. If we may reverse an old French canard, we would say that the days allocated/entry ratio seems “the fewer the higher”! | No. Place | 144) | Scarab 1354 Gazelle I z a7) 979 Estrellita … 3 ena E. Butterworth … | Birkenhead … | Danson | T. Fitzjohn ove Laughing Water… ape J. Thomas… … | Bristol Cc. Buckman … | Danson Progressive Score Mon. | Tues. Designer Club Skipper Name Wed. | Thurs. 102 87 ee …. APS eeu 27 12 54 37 83 54 … … | Seabrooke wae eee 44 60 | 76 2 | Fitzjohn… ie 19 32 51 74 a3 a 13 29 51 68 … Lewis : Fitzjohn 4 1474 5 497 Divine Lady oes | Cc. Webb … … | Brighton… … Brooks <.- Jide SOmey—< 20 ... | Sheffield... ... Lewis *e ioe), 12D A ao 48 65 «.. aes sy ... Priest 585 Fie 12 27 37 49 5 ... Cobb a), awe 16 27 36 39 6 | 1477 Chad iV... 7 | 1407 | Blue Nymph | Le Paton. 1390. | Rosette... .. A. Coutts ... 8 Ulster -.. | Ryde a all 2h) Ree Ps R.C.M.S. stalwart A. T. Tamplin tries his A Class R/C yacht against yachting “new boy” Col. H. J. Taplin, whose nippier boat surprised the expert at BRIGHTON This is the season for rallies. There are too many for a monthly magazine like MopDEL MAKER to cover even a part of them in full. Instead we are devoting a few pages this month and in the issues following to Photofeatures of some of the more interesting boats and personalities that our roving camera finds. Many of the same boats and people attend a number of rallies—we shall try to avoid too much duplication. We cannot be everywhere: we are busy at work when everyone else is at play. In many cases we are glad of pictures that readers can send in—so please do not leave it all to us! This month’s includes pictures from Brighton, Barnes and Hull—we did go to the M.P.B.A. R/C event at Brockwell Park, but a defective camera meant sorry, no usable pictures from there! 0 » i 434 Te i957 as SEPTEMBER; Taplin at home! Col. and son in more customary guise with the multi-accumulatored fast electric which is their show Piece this season. Taken at BARNES On the left Sallis’s is Arthur C.L. powered Special launch chock- a-block as might be ex- pected(ex stock Arthur?) with accumulators. Coil is ex-fullsize believe it aircraft, or not, as A.T.S. was getting tired of “model-size” On the R.A.F. spark! right a launch BRIGHTON. fine seen We at have mislaid our note on this boat and hope we are not doing someone an in- justice by attributing it to Ivor Morgan of Whit- stable Lower right: A line up of entrants setting in of the the BARNES. believe just Who that round Taken sylvan pond at London the the at would is corner? MORT- LAKE Club’s Open Regatta This one really is Ivor Morgan’s Polyester at speed. As name suggests is a fibre glass hull, the first that Ivor had made. Result is a pretty little craft, powered with a diesel, and goes to show that the fast electric boys have not got it all their own way! 435 f : ea es Ne MODEL MAHER) pALLIN 7th ANNUAL RALLY OF SAILIN 1. Model crew adds realism to S. J. Johnson of Potte Bar’s 48-in. schooner, Flying Cloud 2. Janice was winner of the Barge Race and Tham Barge Medal (6th year running). Seen here with builde J. Starkey of Southend 3. A. K. Williams with his 5l-in. model barque, Star the South 4. Majestic under sail is this 36-in. model of Charles | Royal Yacht (1661 circa) built by G. A. Foot of Islingt 5. Emanjudon, another fine sailing entry in the Bar Race by J. Richards of Grays, Essex re Photos by J. Fisher (Thames Shiplovers) a = 438 SEPTEMBER, HIP SHIP RALLY MODELS 7th JULY 1957 6. The American sloop Rattlesnake (1780) built by C. L. Robinson of Derby, and displayed by Miss Veronica Johnson a Native Class was won by Gay Bao, a Cochin China craft built by W. Gay of Hammersmith S.M.S. 8. Lady Irene sailing fast in high wind. This 3l-in. barque was built by A. Lench of the Hammersmith S.M.S, 9. William Ashburner three mast topsail schooner, winner of the Thames Trophy, Built by R. C. MacCormac 10, D. C. Eyles of the Thames Shiplovers and S.M.S. built Circe, a fine example of a schooner A. O. Pollard, Jnr. (Thames Group M.M.S.) 1957 i MODEL NVARIER) canvas. UCKER’S —pesien ap TALKS DINGHIES prevailing conditions. TOPICAL _—_ BERMUDA Ne several interesting letters to an extent that they can continue to carry their largest on the I subject of sail-plan design. . Wind tunnel experiments, made chiefly to discover suitable aspect ratios for aeroplane wings, long ago showed us that against the wind a ratio of 9 : 1 gave the greatest power for any given area, but before the wind the most efficient ratio was 1:1. Now there are practical reasons that prevent us using an aspect ratio of 9:1 or anything like it, but we have got as far as 4: 1 or even 44: 1. Planing boats, partly because they are designed mainly for speed off the wind, and partly because of their light displacement, never go much above 2 : 1 or 2}: 1 Model yachts are true displacement type vessels but each Class being to a different Rating Rule presents a different problem. In the case of the A-Class, the Rating Rule takes into account both hull measurements and S.A. Hence we get a big displacement hull and a comparatively small S.A. Since there are also limits on the height of both jib and mainsail, our sail-plans have aspect ratios of about 3}: 1, and it is impossible to go higher. In the 10-R Class, the rule rates L.W.L. and S.A., plenty of reserve buoyancy in the ends and a comparatively small S.A. Since there is no limit on the height of the rig, sail plains can be as high as we find it expedient to make them. Conditions in the 6-M Class are much the same as in the A-Class. When, however, we come to the M-Class, we encounter a different problem. This means four or five suits of sails and much sail changing. Compare this with the position in the A-Class where boats are under-canvassed e have received Hence in all winds, including the lightest of airs, for serious competition work, the expert skipper will carry the largest suit of sails that pays under the Because the rule limits suit of sails in half a gale of wind! It is very easy to see which calls for the greater skill and judgment. There is one further point which I did not mention above in connection with the M-Class. The rule permits alternative rigs being registered. It is, there- fore, possible to have two first suits. One of these can be the High Ist Suit for use in really light airs, and the other the Low Ist Suit for use in normal weights of. wind. It must be stressed, however, that boats without overhangs cannot be pressed, particularly running before a heavy wind, to the same extent as a boat with overhangs, and too much sail under these conditions may well prevent a boat without overhangs planing, rather than assist her to do so. In other words, too much canvas will slow the boat. The same applies to windward, as an over-pressed boat sails ‘‘on her ear” and consequently sags to leeward as well as not making the same speed through the water. Actually in the change from High Ist to Low Ist Suit, the benefit lies in the reduced aspect ratio. In fact (and this applies to all classes) the height of a sail plan is more punishing than its actual area; yet there is less proportionate reduction in the propelling power of the two plans. The original Bermuda rig, as exemplified in the old Bermuda ‘‘Fitted’? Dinghies, had an aspect ratio of 1] : 1 approximately. This was no higher than that of the ald gaff mainsails. We have gradually made our rigs taller until they have reached ratios of 4:1 or 44:1. Undoubtedly, the high rig is an improvement over the original very low Bermuda, but it appears probable that we have now overshot the mark and made our rigs too high. Ultimately we may find that the best aspect ratio for all-round purposes lies somewhere between 3 : 1 and 3}:1. This applies solely to displacement type yachts (and therefore to all model yachts), Planing boats, such as the “‘Flying Fifteens”, require far lower sail plans, more like 2:1 or 23:1. L.O.A. we get a boat practically without overhangs, and without a forward overhang there is normally very little reserve buoyancy forward. There are, of course, two ways in which we can to a large extend compensate for * * the absence of a forward overhang. One is by the use The Bermuda ‘“‘Fitted’”? Dinghy is a very interesting of a “Duck” type bow, and the other by giving a heavy craft. In the 1880’s or thereabouts, they were very flare to the topsides forward. The latter gives a bow popular in Bermuda but they are purely a local class. of almost launch type, and is exemplified in my Water ° They are open boats of 14 ft. L.O.A., and have fixed Nymph design. Nevertheless, the 800 sq. ins. (actual keels. The boats have always been built of the local S.A.) permitted is fairly large in proportion to the size cedar, which is really a juniper. of the boat. Hence these boats cannot with advantage They carry an immense press of sail which is not be pressed when running to the extent that either an restricted. The mainboom is longer than the boat and A-Class or 10-R can be. This applies even when they the mainsail clew a long way outboard. The tack of the get up and plane, and further it should be remembered mainsail extends below the boom almost to the bottom that running, lower aspect ratios are advantageous. As of the boat. In hoisting the mainsail, the peak is hauled a result, I think the majority of M-Class yachts would up until it is chock-a-block. Then the tack is bowsed do better with lower sail plans. down into the boat with a tackle. The clew is then This position is aggravated in the 36-inch Restricted hauled right out to the end of the boom. Now the boom Class, because the hull is strictly limited, including not instead of having a gooseneck at its inner end, extends only its L.O.A. but also its Beam, Depth and Disforward of the mast, and there is a heel tackle which placement, while the S.A. is not restricted as to either forces the boom aft, thus flattening the sail until it is area or height. Since not only is the L.O.A. small but board-hard. There are no battens in the sail and little the vane gear takes an appreciable part of the available or no roach is given the leach, so that the sails always length, we have either to use a comparatively small area show a hollow leach. The jib is set flying on a long or make our sail plan excessively tall. In the latter bowsprit, and is very large. case it becomes far from easy to obtain sufficient reserve To sit the boat out and also to bail, the crew consists buoyancy forward to prevent the boat burying her head. of six men. All of these are needed when there is any There is another point about this rule which model weight of wind, but in light weather the rules do not yachtsmen generally fail to appreciate. Due to the S.A, prevent some of them diving overboard to lighten the not being measured, the yachts can carry unlimited boat. 464
