DX 15 at Stewartby

[Steve Sawford]

Many Thanks to our Sprint 15 committee and all sailors for allowing Ray and myself to race the DX 15 for the winter TTs, We are gathering valuable data for a py number . Our results are removed at the end for the main results.

The photos on the Sewartby web site are great, even with light winds we had a great day
Every time I sail the Dx it draws interest and Questions to what this new boat is.They are shocked when I tell them its a 20 year old Dart 15.
I belive this is good for the future of the class and will draw new and young people in to the fleet.I have sailed and raced Dart 15s for 20 years and loved every second . The Dx is not to replace or be sailed by every one its just another way to enjoy our sailing amongst our friends.

[Robert]

Sailing in standard and sport rig alongside the DX makes perfect sense to me. I can now take part in something new. Recently I tried yoga classes to try and keep supple and to help my balance to sail a 300. What I actually found was that it relaxed me more than I really needed and I got less out of life than I had previously. Now I just rely on sailing to liven me up and keep me moderately active.

The Sprint 15 is a great boat in both standard and sport modes. I like to sail sport mode when I am feeling on top of my game and the conditions warrant the extra effort involved (both in sailing and in setting up). In both modes I can sail against my friends at locations that I like and I look forward to this and when I want to simplify things, nothing else changes except the rig. More recently I have taken to una rig because it is simpler and much easier to think about technique and tactics, rather than just "survive". It's a personal thing but that's where I am at, presently.

At Chelmarsh there is a new vogue for Laser and Solo sailors to take up the new RS100. I am delighted about this because it means that there are more single-handed RS sailors to try and beat in pursuit races at my club. This is satisfying and I don't need to change my boat to race against these similar competitors.

If our class were to continue to include the DX Rig, our choice would be improved and the boat should appeal to even more people. This would include newcomers as well as old friends who might want a change. I believe that this widens the appeal of the boat in the same way that RS is a brand that people look towards for fast sailing in a particular model that suits them. They also attend large events where the different versions are sailed - they get together, in other words.

Whilst many of us might wish the class to remain "pure", it is probably wise to keep its appeal as universal as can reasonably be. This is the way that larger producers are staying buoyant and we probably need to hold on to a similar idea of "brand loyalty".

I'm not sure that I want the extra challenge that the DX offers, but I am happy to race against people who do. I also feel certain that una rig racing will continue to provide the keen edge that most of us enjoy for a long time to come.

[Jaycb]

Hi Robert,
One thing I just can't understand about una-rigging is how on earth anyone manages to tack! Do you alter the rake of the mast when sailing una-rig to make tacking easier or is it just down to technique?

[Robin Newbold]

I keep mast rake the same, less change = less hassle. Just carry enough speed before the tack, so you get round. Like riding a bike over a small hill, you must be going fast enough at the bottom to be able to coast over it. Windier weather, the hill gets a bit bigger and more speed is required to get over it.

[Robert]

I agree with Robin - and this is the basic fact that I still get wrong! In light winds, stay on the old side of the tramp as long as you can and if necessary spend more effort on hitting the new side of the sail to flip the battens than on fiddling with the tiller. If there is enough wind and your main-sheet isn't too tight, you can just release the traveller some, instead of the sheet. You will accelerate better this way but not if you've hit a header. In stronger winds, the traveller method can work well too, but mind you don't get gusted if the main is fairly tight! Most important though is just what Robin has written: make sure you have enough speed for the tack, usually by bearing away a fraction - you'll know when you do it.

[mr.magoo]

I absolutely love my 15 and generally sail in Sport mode single handed and 2 up in the North Sea.

I love the flexibility the boat offers and in particular not haveing to rely on crew.

I think that the DX rig is a great development and adds even greater flexibility to the boat. In addition, it makes the boat look completely different and more modern that I feel will attract new sailors to the class.

Can't wait to get my hands on a DX sail (as soon as I can delicately extract the relevant money from the joint account without her indoors being aware!!)
Adrian (Mr.Magoo 1874)

[Robin Newbold]

In advance, sorry if some of this is a bit basic, but as I'm writing something, might as well say as much as I can. And it might not all be correct, just what I understand to be correct.

The jib helps push the bows around once head to wind, by backing and pushing the bows out of the no go zone, and provides a little more forward speed pre-tack, which does help, yes.

Go into the tack with enough speed, push the tiller smoothly (remember white flat things in water = brake if not inline with the movement of the boat, which will slow you down if you hack at it) and keep it over until out the other side of the tack - it's easy for people to accidentally straighten up mid-tack when swinging the tiller behind the mainsheet, which stuffs it right up and you end up in irons.

When the bows pass into the wind, sheet out a little, which will allow for the loss of boat speed, and stop the leech hooking and sail stalling when on new tack. Also makes it easier to pop the battens across. In light winds you may need to give them some encouragement by grabbing the mainsheet falls and give them a pump, they will probably pop across ok in stronger winds.

With regards to body positioning, in light winds, I stay on the "old" side until the bows have gone through the wind. I also hike out and keep weight back, which allows the boat to pivot around the "old" windward hull, bows out of the water, rather than dragging the bows through the water slowing the turn down. With the bows out of the water, they have a fair amount of windage and push the bows away from the wind (as a replacement for a missing jib), which is good if you have passed through the wind. If in stronger wind, maybe hiking out isnt a great idea unless you're fairly agile and can dive across the boat quickly.

When the battens have been popped, move across the boat smoothly, even more important in light winds, as a nimble gazelle will upset the boat less than a herd of elephants.

Sit on the new side, straighten up when out of the no go zone, and gradually sheet in again, keeping an eye on the tell tales if in light winds so not to over sheet too soon.

If you do find yourself going too slow mid-turn, maybe you caught a wave wrong, got hit by a gust just as you head up, weren't travelling fast enough, or any other reason. If you are head to wind, the boat will soon go backwards, so reverse the rudders, (point the trailing edge of the rudder in the direction you want the sterns to go) sit well back to allow wind to blow on bows, and you should be able to reverse your way onto the new tack. If you are travelling much too slow, you'll stop before head-to-wind and basically heave to. Just bear away, sheet in to get more speed and do it again.

Is there anything I missed or doesn't make sense?

[Robert]

Encyclopaedic, Robin.

[Jaycb]

Thanks for a very well thought out and informative answer Robin. Cheers

[Charles]

Jason

It's all about technique & practice. Those of us who sail on small ponds get lots more practice & so get better at it. We also tend to sail una rig as there isn't enough time to get out on the wire & the PY makes it impossible to trounce the other boats in the handicap fleet! Not having waves definitely helps tacking ability. Though Una rig lacks the jib to push the nose aroud I've always thought that using the jib like this is a double edged sword as you have to free it quickly to stop it from pushing you backwards, while the una rig sailors are already powering forwards.

[Keith Bartlett]

I am posting this message in my role as Secretary of the Sprint 15 Association. I think you all know that your Class Association has been co-operating with Ray Gall and Steve Sawford whilst they have developed the DX rig, and the DX rig has been allowed to be sailed in the current Winter TT series to help generate performance data leading to a sensible PY no.

Your Sprint 15 Association committee has now had to take a formal view on where the future of the DX rig lies, and to this end most of us met up after the recent Draycote TT event to discuss the DX rig. In brief, your committee has decided that the future of the DX rig lies outside of the Sprint 15 Association, to be developed for its own events and to compete in Open Cat events. A more detailed resume of our thinking, included the various for and against points will be published in the next issue of the magazine.

In the meantime your committee has unanimously agreed the following Question and Answer brief, (which we will also have available on our stand at the forthcoming RYA Dinghy Show).

DX rig Q & A put together following a committee meeting on 8th January 2011 at Draycote and as agreed by whole committee on 26/01/2011


Q Has the DX rig been adopted as class legal by the Sprint 15 Association?
A No, it is not class legal and is unlikely to be so for the foreseeable future.

Q I have bought a DX rig, will I be allowed to participate in Sprint 15 Association events such as the TT’s or the
Sprint or Sport Nationals?
A No, not after this winter’s TT series. The above events are solely for the two class legal variants- una rig (or with jib + crew) and with jib and trapeze (Sport mode)

Q Why is the Class Association not supporting what is clearly an attempt to modernize and widen the appeal of the Sprint 15?
A The Class Association believes that the success of the class lies in its simplicity, its very close competition and the ability of all ages and depths of pocket to compete equally.

Q So how will the DX rig will be developed ?
A The Sprint 15 Class Association is happy to see the DX generate its own PY number and to compete in separate events for DX as well as in Open Cat events. The DX could be an exciting development for handicap events.

Q How is an appropriate handicap established?
A In theory there are two ways – by performance results using PY or by formula using SCHRS. However performance results is a chicken and egg situation, so PY usually starts with a recommended number.

Q Who decides the recommended PY number?
A Normally it is the manufacturer, but they are often biased – most want their boat to win big open meetings, but others like Darts 18’s want to it appear fast on paper. In the case of the DX it is best that your Class Association suggests a number to SS Marine.

Q Does that mean that a formula like SCHRS is better?
A Not necessarily – all simple boats lose out because they are not optimized to gain from the formula. All sizes of Darts lose out. The DX loses out slightly less, so that is fairer for use in open handicap events.

I am sure that this posting is going to generate a lot of interest, but will you please note that these are the views of the whole committee and not just myself.

Cheers

Keith Bartlett FREDDIE 1962

[Robin Newbold]

Well, that's disappointing.

[Bob Carter]

Well, that's disappointing.

Hi Robin,
Yes I understand your response as it seems that we are not being progressive by adopting a new development within the Class racing.

We have been a committed one design fleet and our guiding principles over the years to preserve our one design class has been to approve small changes that:
1) have no (or very little) performance effect
2) are of low cost
3) can be easily retrofitted to old boats so no boats become obsolete as a result of the changes.
These rules have kept our class strong yet a little bit flexible as small changes have been allowed (unlike the Dart 18 which has been very strict and not accepted any changes). Clearly the DX sail contravenes the first two of these principles.

If you look round the catamaran sailing scene most of the older classes which had "pin-head" sails came up with square top sails as a conversion kit which were adopted by the class associations. This includes the Hurricane, Tornado, Shearwater, Catapult and many more. In fact the only 2 catamaran fleets of significant size that have not are the Dart 18 and the Sprint 15.

The really interesting question is why the Hurricane (and other pinhead configuration Cats) fleet disappeared so quickly once a new and expensive faster configuration was introduced. Clearly the number of used Hurricanes kicking around is still the same number but the old configuration ones just stopped being used both at Club level and on the circuit and they now have a very low resale value as no one wants them. As soon as you introduce a new variant no one wants the old variant as it is perceived to be out of date. So you think that you are adding a new and exciting variant that may sell 10 or so sails but in doing so you turn off all interest in the standard variant (of which we have some 2000 boats and 300 or so class members). In the Hurricane fleet the travellers quickly dropped from about 30 boats to 5. If you now look at the current 'fleet' to identify the guys who bought the SX conversion and the Square top mainsail they have mostly moved on for lack of decent competition so it ends up a lose/lose option and hardly anyone sails the boat any more. Andy Webb looks the loneliest guy in the whole show at the Dinghy Show each year (Andy is the Hurricane class version of Steve Sawford and he mans the Hurricane stand at Alexandra Palace each year).

So the committee prefer to satisfy the majority of our owners and to preserve the one design objective in the class racing.

Ray and Steve have done a good job on the development of the DX rig and it now performs well. There is no reason why DX configuration will not be accepted in club racing and handicap events but the committee preference is to exclude it from class association traveller events and National Championships.

If you look at other classes the Rooster 8.1 is a modification to the Laser. It has a larger mainsail and new top section of the mast and is particularly suitable for heavyweight helms. It has its own PY handicap and competes in handicap opens but is not allowed in Laser Opens. It has been fairly successful and now has its own Nationals plus, I believe, a few traveller events. This is the path that the committee would prefer to see the DX follow.

Cheers

Bob

PS The reason this debate came up so quickly is that Steve Sawford is planning to exhibit the DX at the Dinghy show in March and it will be next to the standard Sprint 15. We felt that we had to clarify the position before the show for the benefit of existing owners and also potential buyers of the DX rig. The questions and answers help in that respect.

[Steve Willis]

I can see arguments for both sides with regard to the DX so will leave that point alone for the moment other than to say that I applaud those developing and using it with a mind to encouraging expansion of the Sprint 15 'customer base'.

I do however find the suggestion in one of the Q&A items a little difficult to reconcile. It is suggested that the Association recommend a PY for the DX to SS Marine. To date the sails have not been used at more than a couple of events (one being the Seasalter TT in 2010 - where I was CRO for the event).

In the four races at SSC (with F3-F5 winds) the DX in both modes had a positive speed advantage over the una rig but the variation over the 4 races was insufficient to get a clear PY indicator for the DX. My calculations for each race showed a range, although Ray Gall and I came up with some reaosnable indications.

By effectively disowning the DX the Association makes the DX another class rather than another mode of Sprint 15 sailing. Does the Association therefore feel that it has sufficient information or, perhaps, even the right to make recommendation of PY for another class?

I fully support the concept of one design classes having seen how money thrown into high tech kit can totally exclude those without pots of money from the top results. I do believe however that the DX is a sail change not a fundamental departure from the one design concept. It is, in my view, a shame that a chance to make the Sprint 15 more 'sexy' to potential new cat sailors. and Association members, will be lost - possibly to the longer term detriment of our class strength.

We allow una rig and Sport modes now and from a race officer's point of view there is no difference in having 3 PYs racing over 2. I always do lap times for each boat, even in single class racing, to ensure that errors in just ticking off boats on each lap are avoided. Gone are the days of hand calculation of results so it does not add any work.

For me this is a sad start to the year, but then I am not party to all the background discussion that has led to this decision. Meanwhile we continue to grow our Sprint 15 fleet with, I hope, two more boats joining for the new season.

[Steve Willis]

Bob,

Your reply got in while I was writing mine. Thanks for the background on the thinking process - understood.

I do agree with near all that you say. However if the DX is to be marketed as a separate class - based on all Sprint 15 kit except the sail - there is a counter risk that the perception for potential new 'customers' is that the DX class may be the one to choose in preference and the same longer term downfall of the Sprint 15 fleet may apply.