An Aussie Compass Update

By Rob Sykes

I put a Silva compass on the boat some years ago and have been questioning whether it made my sailing worse or better.  I have pondered discarding it. Either way, I realised that I was often reading it incorrectly partly because I sail in lumpy water and it is easy to miss a shift (hence the compass) and because I could not see the arrow head of the green and red markers at either side of the card.  I engraved a H (for header) at the point of each arrow with a soldering iron and then filled in the groove with white paint.  Easy to see.

Perhaps some of the lesser sighted could benefit.

More on compasses can be read here.

Ian Bruce 1933 - 2016

By Doug

Only a genius could take this Bruce Kirby sketch and turn it into a worldwide phenomenon. Ian Bruce was that person, and within three years his company Performance Sailcraft was making Lasers in eight countries.

As luck would have it, I learned to sail in Montreal and was briefly a member at Point Claire Yacht Club, home of the Laser. But I left for Sydney in 1971, just before Lasers were introduced. It did not take long for them reach the Aussie shores and dominate both in numbers and talent.

Sydney Harbor was full of Lasers and the Manly hydrofoil ferry had to weave through a fleet. It was quite a sight to have a hydrofoil come straight at you before turning away!

Many years later I moved back to Montreal and remember Ian showing up for a local regatta with Laser number 100,000. We all just shook our heads in amazement. 

The way that Ian designed the Laser and its manufacturing process was pure genius. The two-piece mast made it easy to store and transport. The loose-foot and mast sleeve were also new. And at a time when boats were still made of wood, it was the first time I saw a fiberglass deck and hull glued to make a finished boat. And it was Ian who insisted that the Laser be held to a strict one-design so that is was the best sailor who would win.

Ian passed away this week after a courageous  battle with cancer. Some will remember him as the winner of two Prince of Wales Trophies, the world championship for the International 14. Others will remember him as an Olympic sailor in both the Finn and Star classes. Others will remember him as a award-winning industrial designer. I'll remember Ian as a passionate gentleman who put Canadian sailing on the map.

Update: Bruce Kirby recounts the birth of the Laser
              Olympic sailor Ian Bruce designed the popular Laser 

MK II Sail - Downwind Feedback

By Roberto, Wavedancer, and Brett

Here's an update from Roberto who has been testing the new sail on Lake Garda:

The MK II in the foreground was slower.

My personal experience is still doubtful. I like the new sail upwind in 6-16 knots and downwind in the range 8-16.  But I found it awful downwind below 5-6. Downwind and in very light air experienced two problems:

• The leech remains closed as shown in the picture.
• There is too much draft forward in the sail, just close to the mast.

You can reduce this draft by pulling hard on the vang to bend the mast but this makes the first problem worse. My outhaul in the photo is too loose but pulling it only makes it worse. The sailor with the older sail was definitely faster.

On the same topic, here's a question from Wavedancer and a reply from Brett: 

I am still wondering about the fold (top to bottom) near the luff downwind in light air (~5 mph). Should I try to get rid of it by putting on a lot of vang, or just let it be? Wavedancer

Just make sure you have your Cunningham set-up to be VERY loose for downwind. Even if you have to go forwards and push the sail up the mast. Don't use vang to remove it otherwise you are over-vanged downwind and will suffer. Brett

Brett Beyer’s Personal Experience With the MK II Sail - an update...

Brett has just won the Aussie Laser Masters, again, beating 38 competitors (and discarding a 1st). While his speed downwind was good, he feels that his speed upwind was not. Here's his report.

By Brett Beyer

I used a brand new MarkII sail at the AUS Master Nationals. About half the fleet used the old cut sail, including some very competitive sailors. I’ve seen the sail in use many times line up against the old cut sail but this was the first time I’ve had the opportunity of using it myself.

Upon first impression, as expected, was the sail has very nice shape and produced more power (but more weather helm) than the old sail. This suited the flatter water and light breezes very nicely. The deeper head and firm leech really provides great feedback and feel. This was very nice upwind, on reaches and downwind. In fact, downwind is where sailors that struggle to precisely set-up correct vang will mostly benefit. It is simply easier to get right downwind and on reaches.

This is all very positive so far and is an easy decision in such conditions. It is when the breeze picks up along with the chop that things can begin to change around.

With most of our races sailed in choppy 8 – 15 knots, I found the sail too ‘sticky’ upwind and couldn’t release the power easily enough. This is usually done with either downhaul and/or vang, but this sail suffered when I pulled any of these systems on. Also, simply getting the sheet tension correct upwind took so much attention away from my sailing that it was difficult to have anything left over for tactics or technique. Any upwind speed advantage I used to have was no longer there with the new sail. At best, I could only stay with the top guys upwind and made all my gains downwind mostly due to technique and not the sail.

Brett in the middle - downwind speed was good.

The perplexing thing for me was that some of those ahead of me were using the new cut sail and seemed to make it work upwind. So whilst I was coming first across the line, I was quite disappointed with my performance upwind. After 3 days of racing I had made up my mind to definitely not use the new sail for Worlds, preferring instead to rely on the predictable performance of the old sail.

On the last day of racing, I had my only upwind where I felt the speed was superior. This, in similar conditions with similar set-up. So why? It seems the sail, with its firmer leeches and better quality cloth needs more ‘break-in’ time than the old cut sail. This was the general agreement amongst those that have used the sail far more than I have.

So, what sail for the Worlds?

• Answer 1: Old sail if you can’t get enough training time with the new sail.
• Answer 2: Old sail if you are already comfortable with your speed/height/versatility upwind and wave catching downwind.
• Answer 3. New sail if you think wind will be lighter, water flatter and you have good sheet tension skills.
• Answer 4. New sail if you can get to use it in training for more than 1 week.
• Answer 5. New sail if you expect good winds (14kts+) and have good upwind technical skills and fitness.

Florida Masters Week - Part 3

by Doug

The first video from Florida was with Al Clark, former Master World Champion, about how he won the Master Midwinters in full rigs. The second video was with Peter Shope, current Grand Master World Champion, about how he won Midweek Madness in full rigs.

Now, we talk with a woman who beat all the guys to win the radial Midwinters. And when Al switched to radials for Midweek Madness, she tied with him only to lose on handicap because she's younger (age is factored, but not gender!!)

Christine Neville is a great sailor who trains with Peter Shope, so it's perhaps not surprising to hear the similarities about how they sail: pressure first and then direction, judging shifts without a compass, etc.

I love this sport because we can ask women their age and weight without getting decked. Christine graciously told me that she is 5' 10" and weights 155 pounds. We do not sail in the same fleet, but I occasionally have seen her racing. Her technique is very smooth and polished.

A Real Canadian Breakfast

By Doug

The sailors arriving at the Florida Masters were treated to a real Canadian breakfast - pancakes and sausages with real maple syrup. Well done!!!

Florida Masters Week - Part 2

By Doug

Peter Shope won the second event called Midweek Madness. Peter is the current Laser Grand Master World Champion and he describes how he wins events.

Notice how flat Peter sails in lighter conditions... very fast!

Florida Masters Week - Part 1

by Pam

I received an email from Doug with stuff to add to the blog. I guess we'll have to fill in the blanks.  I do know that Doug is one pooped boy.  He even retired from the last race today because of an injury that is so bad he couldn't pull on any controls.  If he doesn't bounce back, he may call it quits, skip the last event and head home early.

In the meantime, Al Clark, won the first event in the full rig fleet and he is now competing in the second event in the Radial and I believe he is winning that too. Quite the switch hitter so Doug is obviously interested in what he has to say.

Where It All Began

by Pam 

Oops! Yes, our site was down for a day. The site somehow stopped updating on various blog rolls and was stuck at a post 2 months ago.  A little messing about behind the scenes and and we got the dreaded 404 error.  Maybe the updating is fixed ... maybe not.  For now, we're back up and running!

 

Tillerman, of the ever so popular Proper Course blog, once told us that he was asked which came first, Proper Course or Improper Course. This gave us a good laugh. There are many excellent sailing blogs out there with lots of great information but we only link to one blog on our site, Proper Course, and we clearly state that it is the “blueprint for our blog - but way better.”

We tend to use people’s real names, pick sides and jump into the middle of Laser politics, and even hang our dirty laundry out for the world to see. We are improper. However, we attempt to redeem ourselves by only pointing to Proper Course. There you will find the jumping off point to all the great sailing blogs as well as a blogger who has been doing it the right way for a very long time. Proper Course is the yang to our yin. We are grateful that Tillerman was such a good sport about us sort of stealing his blog name.

The Improper Course blog officially began 4 years ago during the Florida Masters’ Week on February 12, 2012. Doug was away (like he is now) and I was at home alone and bored (like I am now). His first post was his lessons learned at the 2012 Florida Laser Masters Championship. He said he was doing ‘horrible’ with a 9th place and had ‘tipped more than anyone.’ There were 42 competitors. By the third event that week, he finished 1st. One of my first posts was Masters Week - The Rest of the Story.

The first time I ever heard Doug’s name, I was told a story about how just after he won the Masters Worlds, he was on the docks of his home club showing off his trophy. Meanwhile his Laser was behind him and had untied itself and sailed away. And that is Doug. Just a big doofus who makes mistakes like all of us and yet he somehow manages to do pretty dang well. It’s hard not to feel that if Doug can do it, then so can I.

I found that Doug was more than willing to share everything he knew with anyone that wanted to know. We had been writing for the Butterfly Fleet 20 blog but it was hard to justify adding Doug’s favorite subject, all things Laser, to a Butterfly blog. I found ways to add it but eventually decided to do a spin off blog and moved the Laser focused posts and started Improper Course. That way I could also publish all his Worlds Journals which I found fun to read. And the rest is history. Literally, his story.

Doug likes to refer to the blog as simply being love letters between the two of us. It sort of is. It is our common ground and we do speak a different love language than most. My second post was a Valentine’s Day poem that I wrote since Florida Masters Week means being apart for Valentine's Day. I still wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ode to a Sailor

It’s Valentine’s Day
and my sailor's away.
On, Cupid! On, Donner and ...
er ... oops, wrong red holiday.
I’m just not myself
when my sailor’s away.
But don’t pity me,
for I wouldn’t have it
any other way.
Road trips and regattas,
not chocolates and flowers.
While most women are being adored,
I'll be checking the computer
to see how he scored.
Good news or bad,
either way is okay.
So long as he calls
at the end of the day.
I simply wouldn’t have it
any other way!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Doug was in 4th place at the end of yesterday. Today, he's already moved down to 6th. That man just does not listen to me. I specifically told him to move up and not down. Oh well. He's having a great time I'm sure. Yesterday was light and today was supposed to be heavy. Doug is using the old sail and many are using the new sail. Will be interesting to see if the results show one sail to be better than the other.  

Brett Beyer’s Personal Experience With the MK II Sail

by Doug

Brett in Kingston winning his 11th Masters World Championship

I mentioned to Pam that I wanted to try to make it to the Florida Masters week in February. Her knee jerk response was ‘then you better buy that new sail now and start using it and not waste the opportunity.’ Oh, the joys of being married to a sailor. Even a self-described ‘batshit crazy, menopausal’ wife seems to remain a sailor first and a wife second. Or maybe I just got lucky.

So, before spending the money, I decided to check with Brett Beyer and get his opinion on the break in time and competitive life of the sail. His reply surprised me. He bought a new Aussie boat and it came with the new sail, and he is currently on the fence about using it in Mexico.

With Brett's permission to share, here are the noteworthy points of our exchange:

Doug: From your experience, how long does it take to break in and how many regattas do you think that it will remain competitive? I noticed that the MK II is being made by both North and Hyde. Do you have a preference?

Brett: Most don’t realise that, at this point in time, there is a third manufacturer. Neil Pryde made in China. The Pryde sail is the only one we have access to in Australia. Time will tell if there is any difference.

I have a new sail supplied with my new boat … I am having second thoughts about which sail to bring over [to Mexico]. I have seen the MK II sail in a breeze and don’t think it is as good as the original. Up to around 15 knots it is an easy decision, but over that, I am not convinced as yet. For sure there are some variations in set-up with the new sail and we’ll have to get used to that in the future.

We have our Aussie National Masters in February and I plan to compete myself and use the new sail. I will decide on which sail to take to Mexico based on that regatta.

… I see the new sail as being pretty good straight out of the bag. The cloth is heavier and the shape better so not much push and shove required for the sail. At the top level, we were upgrading [the original] sails about every 30 sessions, maybe less if it those outings were generally windy. I can only imagine the new sail to have better life with the upgraded cloth quality and thickness.

Doug: … [Do] you mean that over 15 knots the original sail may be better? I would have expected the opposite.

So if Mexico is under 15 knots you'll probably use the MK II, and over 15 knots (which many expect) you're still undecided?

Brett: Yes old sail may be better over 15 knots. The Cunningham doesn’t work on new sail as effectively so the concern is how to reduce power on new sail. Vang on and ease/play sheet seems to be only option and this adds another dimension to upwind. Whilst I'm quite happy to play the sheet to balance power, I know many Masters will not/cannot.

And if Mexico has swell, then this becomes even more critical and I’m not sure with my 88kg and ability that this is the best option. …

Doug: … why is the MK II better under 15 knots?

Brett: The new sail has straighter and firmer leech and better shape at top 1/3rd of the sail. This produces more power, and theoretically, more speed. But only if you can manage that power. With good technique.....good fitness......or enough lard, it seems you can manage this extra power up to around 15 knots.

Stay tuned ...