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Oliver Shaw
ModeratorI had rather hoped that one of the top racers would step in here …
In the absence of that, my own amateurish approach would be to try it against the hoisted sail. First, check that the foot of your genoa is not undersize, just in case you ever want to replace it; it would be annoying to then have to move the tracks.
Then hoist the sail, or if necessary a borrowed full size sail in good condition, with the boat ashore and at the right angle for beating to windward, and see how far aft the fairlead needs to be in order to pull the sail as flat as you can. Do this with the fairlead as far outboard as possible, but observing Rule 14.2; no part of the fitting may extend outboard of the projection of the outer surface of the skin of the boat. You will find that the clew of the sail comes almost right up to the fairlead when sheeted at a reasonable (vertical) sheeting angle, with the line of the sheet roughly perpendicular to the luff of the sail; but check the vertical sheeting angle by the way the sail sets; nice open leech but with (ideally) no fluttering, and a good shape to the rest of the sail, with a very shallow aerofoil shape.
Now set the track so that it is physically possible to mount the fairlead perhaps an inch or two further aft than that, so that the sheeting angle with the fairlead right aft is clearly too flat; that will give you ample scope for adjustment aft, and will still leave generous scope for adjustment forward.
Finally, mount the track with that aft point as a marker, parallel to the side of the boat, and ensuring that at any point on the track the entire fitting complies with Rule 14.2 (above).
Then have fun, experimenting with the best setting.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorI don’t think either position of cleat or type of rope is critical.
I would expect to use 4 mm rope of a type which is reasonably flexible; polyester is excellent, and cheap; either braided or 3-strand, your preference (or whatever you happen to have in stock).
Position of the cleat is purely a matter of your personal convenience and preference. You will occasionally want access while helming, without an excursion to reach a long way aft. I think from memory that when I have set up such systems on GP14s I have placed the cleat above a point somewhere within the forward half of the stern deck, but I stress that it is not critical.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorThanks!
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorAs a PS. What is the distinction of categories of people who post on the Forum, and how are they determined?
I ask because as a longtime member of the Association, and a past Committee Member and a past Cruising Rep, amongst other things, I am listed as merely a “Participant”, while Mike – who by his own introduction is a newcomer with his first boat – is listed as a Member.
It is not a major issue, but it would be nice to know how the system works …
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorWelcome aboard, and enjoy your RYA Course!
Keep us posted.
If your interest lies in cruising I am sure that you will find the various cruising events run by the Class Association most enjoyable. Good camaraderie, plenty of very expert advice readily on tap and plenty of enthusiastic support for a relatively inexperienced newcomer, and glorious sailing in some great surroundings.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorSail numbers 12446 through to 12526 were issued in 1983.
According to the potted history of the GP14 hull, your one is the very first Fibredon Mk.IV FRP boat, produced in 1983.
Do check that the number on your sail is actually the registered hull number of the boat, which should be permanently marked somewhere, but on that model I am not sure just where; however immediately abaft the centreboard case would seem to be a good place to start.
Once you are sure of the hull number, the Association can let you have a digitised copy of our records for the boat, which will fill in some of her history for you.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorYes, most certainly two separate lines, and it is well worth colour coding them.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorSorry, I tried to upload two photos but only one has appeared. I now realise why, and think I have discovered how to upload more than one.
Here are three more (I hope!)
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorI agree that this arrangement is inherently unsatisfactory!
I would scrap the existing strap-type jam cleat. Replace with the purpose-designed CL257 auto-release cleat for the downhaul, and as a bonus this will automatically trip if the blade hits the bottom (or an obstruction), thereby protecting the boat from potentially very serious damage. For the uphaul use whatever jammer you prefer, but a small clam cleat has been my choice on all my boats in recent years.
At the same time, check that the blade is as free as possible to move vertically, while having (ideally) zero play laterally; in the first instance this is a matter of making sure that the sliding surfaces are in good condition and not cho9ked with grit, and then carefully adjust the tension of the pivot bolt until the lateral play ONLY JUST disappears. Indeed if it proves absolutely necessary, the barest hint of lateral play may be acceptable if that is the only way to get the blade moving freely vertically.
Photos attached. Email me if you would like more info or additional photos
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorSean,
I spoke with Adam this evening, and he was half tempted; but unfortunately with a combination of family commitments (4 children, all needing a lot of ferrying around for their respective sporting activities) plus an interesting but very demanding job with an immense amount of worldwide travel, he feels that the time is not right. He cannot currently take on additional weekend commitments.
Pity.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorRight; I will contact Adam as soon as I can and ask whether he would be interested.
Would you like to contact me privately, out of the public domain: acapella13934 “AT” talktalk.net, or 0151-724-1127. Then when I have contacted Adam I can let you know the response.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorThe vendor tells me that this boat is still available, offered at the same price that he paid for her as a project boat, £100.
It would appear that a significant amount of work is needed to put her into good condition, but for anyone interested in the origins of the class this is a fairly rare opportunity to acquire such an early boat, which despite the need for work may even be in sailable condition.
But please note my caveats in my original post. I am merely passing on the information, in the hopes that she may be found a good home rather than being scrapped, but I have not inspected her and any potential purchaser should make their own checks.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorCongratulations on graduating to the blunt end of the boat!
If you have no other suitable takers I may just possibly be able to help, albeit indirectly.
Although I am not in the market myself – I have long since retired from racing GP14s, and I live 300 miles away from you – I do have a young (by my standards) friend living in Sevenoaks, who thirty years ago was one of my regular crews for yacht cruising and who also sailed his own dinghy.
I don’t know how much sailing he has done since family responsibilities arrived, and I have not seen him sail a dinghy since he was a boy, but in his younger days he was immensely keen, and I can confirm that at least in a yacht he was very competent – sufficiently so to sail as my first mate when I took a party of school pupils on a week’s cruise in a chartered yacht. Now in his late forties.
Let me know if you would like me to put you in touch, subject of course to him also being interested; but I won’t sound him out until I know whether you are potentially interested.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorGrovelling apologies: I have just re-read your post, and now realise that you referred to the height of frame 1, not to frame 2 …
Before operating keyboard, ensure brain is in gear … … !!
That answers the question as to whether the conversion goes that far forward; it would appear from your query that it does.
Frame 1 is so far forward that the actual load transmitted from the mast to frame 1 will be one of the smaller loads in the distributed load system (and it is of course zero prior to doing the conversion), so you will not need to worry unduly about structural strength at that point, but you will need to ensure that your plinth is reasonably level in order to get the mast track as level as is reasonably possible.
Oliver
Oliver Shaw
ModeratorSorry about the formatting gibberish. What was intended to happen was that the words between the pairs of formatting commends are underlined, for emphasis.
I hope this will enable you to make sense of it!
Oliver
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