Liberty Testing
5th August 2015
Messed today's race up big style............
Wasn't sure where the start line was, then missed a buoy.
Did a 360 but didn't realise you should go back around the buoy, so I got disqualified.
Apart from that, things went OK. Mark couldn't make it today, so Nick & I took the plunged and went for it anyway.
And I made it out & safely back in one piece without any mishaps.
20th May 2015
4 weeks ago, was the first time out on the water for 2015. All went well, baring a couple of teething problems which we are still finding.
Last week, was my first real race against another Liberty, I'm grateful Carl jumped in the club Liberty and gave me a good race.
With very light winds, I made a bad start, about 1 minute, 20 seconds after the start, I passed the line! (Not good.) Slowly catching up, should had gone wide around the last buoy and cut up windward of Carl but he was starboard of me and took me for a tour of swarkestone.
All good practise and knowing where I made mistakes helps, without people having to point them out to me.
As for today, crazy winds.
Reefed, went out 45 minutes before the start, coping OK'ish, although stressful and not a pleasent. cold and showery.
Then one of the wires snapped off the power button, so lost all electrics. Had to sail back in on just the steering with the sails set where they were.
Fun...... Not.
Took me three attempts and a couple of scary moments when Dreamcatcher healed right over.
But managed to get in.
Will be an easy fix for Mark to carry out so plan to be back out next Wednesday, hopefully in a tad less wind but more than last week.
Rather grateful that I DNC's after watching the others race. Or should I say, "Survive."
November 2014
This season was mainly just testing and getting used to sailing solo.
I've still a lot to learn but considering I've only had a few months sailing with a working system, I haven't done bad.
Came 2nd overall in a 8 week Menagerie series at Swarkestone SC run on a Wednesday afternoon as part of Sailability. I missed 2 of the races, so had to carry 1 DNC, got a 3rd and mostly 2nds but won the last race, so I'm quite pleased how the season has gone.
Roll on Easter 2015. :)
I miss being free on the water.
September 2014
We have made positive progress over the season this year. After a winter of head scratching and tool throwing Mark & Adrian came up with a joystick control system with twin motors, one for each sail. The next problem was where to fix the joystick in the correct position, this was getting us frustrated but David came to the rescue and calmed everything down so we finally got the position right so I can just rest my arm on the padding of my seat and move my arm slightly back and forth to drive the motors forward and back to move the sails in and out.
I found that on starboard tack, I was falling over, away from my joystick control, so we have had to purchase a upper body side support to fit on my seat. This stops me from falling too far over and my hand coming away from the control.
We also found that we had to beef up the foot steering system, because I was breaking the welds on the first system when trying to push the rudders to turn.
After a few weeks, I was starting to get used to the boat and the system.
Since the start of September, I have been entering the weekly race at Swarkestone SC against other boats, this is calculated on the Portsmouth yardstick, (eg. handicap) so although I have been over the line by minutes, after the calculation, I have had a 3rd and a 2nd, which considering I have only had 2 races, isn't too bad.
I am making mistakes each week, but I am aware of them straight away and this is a big learning curve for me but one that I am happy to undertake.
The winch system performs better in a stiff breeze when there is enough wind to take the slack up on the rope, when sheeting out the sails. In a very light wind, the rope get tangled up around the winch which is frustrating and once tangled there is nothing I can do while races so this slows me down.
Over all, so far, I am very happy with the progress and the system. Hopefully we can get the club Liberty out more often so I can have some boat on boat racing, to judge how I am doing a bit easier.
A few photographs are on Liberty Photographs 2014.
September 2013
We have made slow but positive progress over the winter months.
We launch Dreamcatcher on 28th August with the latest system that we designed. After a nervous pre launch, once I was sat in her, all my worries disappeared while Mark was sweating, rigging the boat and got himself into a state.
Once I had left the staging, I found Dreamcatcher to pick up speed, in a light breeze.
The foot steering works like a dream, very positive and responsive.
Sailing on port tack wasn't a problem, my elbow supported me as my joystick control is on my left.
Sailing on starboard proved to be more difficult to keep myself sat up and have my hands on the joystick. A couple of times, I had to point her nose into the wind and try to sit myself back up, before setting off again.
Goosewinging down wind was remarkablly easy and simple to keep going, unlike the 303, the Liberty keeps its course without consent correction.
I have just ordered some Thoracic supports to fit in my seat. We attempted using foam supports down my side but velcro just refuses to stick to the foam, so this was a none starter.
The joystick is mounted on a uPVC bracket with one screw into the seat arm, so easily detached for when being hoisted in & out of the boat.
Waterproofing the joystick proved more difficult. At the moment, we have a rubber glove over the box with the stick in the thumb of the glove, tied on with string. Not idea but works for now as it is still in it's early stages of testing.
Unfortunately, this season has mostly been lost and practically .only a few more weeks of sailing before the weather turns cold. I don't really want to get trussed up like a stuffed chicken to sail, limiting my movements, until I am used to my boat.
Please view video links on About Me page.
May 2012
We have made slow but positive progress over the winter months. Mark and his brother has redesigned the electric winches for both sheets, and I picked up a nice, dinky motor which will manage the jib sheet and mounts directly under the fore-deck.
Once we have the brackets made to enable quick release of the motor, I will hopefully be testing the Mk II system in light wins and if all goes to plan, my weekly training will start. I am so looking forward to getting back on the water without many hic-ups as last year was very frustrating and disappointing for everybody involved.
September 2011
Ebay comes up with some goods..........
After searching for weeks for non adsorbent foam block, which could be cut down to be used for seat padding, I found a company selling the foam which is used for flight cases and camera cases to hold equipment in place.
I'll use it to hold my backside in place as we have made it so I just fit in it.
Unfortunately, I am still looking for the right sized 24 volt motor with brake which can be used for the jib sheet. Ebay doesn't seem to have many 24 volt motors on at the moment that would be suitable but I'll keep searching.
We have also re-designed the sheet run which feeds the sheet to the pulley situated on the motor. This is yet to b fully rigged up and tested.
-----------------------------
Wednesday 10th August 2011.
After a frustrating few weeks of redesigning the winch drums and fitting retractable dog lead mechanism to our designs, we try fitting the jib sheet motor in place unfortunately, the housing that held the motor and the recoiler would not fit under the foredeck and the ratchet idea that Keith had incorporated just let the sheet run out, as if having an unbraked motor.
While we were fitting the motors in to Dreamcatcher and testing them, something in the magic box of electronics went awry, both motors stopped working. Power was getting to the controller and the jib sheet LED. Further investigation is needed by Malcolm, the REMAP electronics God.
So all in all, a frustrating afternoon. Although, hopefully we have padded my seat out to stop me sliding from side to side. Yet another ebay purchase.
While having lunch outside the club house, we could not believe our eyes. The newest Access 2.3 dingy had broached in the strong gusts and the centreboard had popped up that far, the boat had capsized, hurling the centreboard to the bottom of Swarkestone Lake. I’m pleased to say, the guy was rescued quick and all is OK. Although somebody is going to need to dive down and recover the heavy board.
-----------------------------
On Wednesday 6th July, we launched Dreamcatcher which was rather emotional. The foot tiller system took a little setting up so that I had equal helm on port and starboard.
I sailed across the lake, not wanting to point too high because I felt myself slipping as the boat heeled in the breeze.
The bank was approaching fast so I had to make my first tack.
All good so far, as I sailed on port tack, I managed to slide back over to the left, to used the sheet control easier.
I managed to goose-wing the sails and as I got to the foreshore, I started sheeting in and I jibed. Then I found myself in irons, with sails flapping. I felt the boat sailing sideways so I let the sheets out, which made the mainsheet tangle around the winch drum and jam.
Calmly, I switched to the jib sheet only and managed to get Dreamcatcher into the wind and under sail again.
My shore crew had seen this happen and got into the safety boat, heading towards me as I was sailing back to the launching pontoon.
Although the sheet motor had failed, all in all I had a successful half hour on the water, for my first solo sail.
We will succeed..............
We Are succeding..........
Messed today's race up big style............
Wasn't sure where the start line was, then missed a buoy.
Did a 360 but didn't realise you should go back around the buoy, so I got disqualified.
Apart from that, things went OK. Mark couldn't make it today, so Nick & I took the plunged and went for it anyway.
And I made it out & safely back in one piece without any mishaps.
20th May 2015
4 weeks ago, was the first time out on the water for 2015. All went well, baring a couple of teething problems which we are still finding.
Last week, was my first real race against another Liberty, I'm grateful Carl jumped in the club Liberty and gave me a good race.
With very light winds, I made a bad start, about 1 minute, 20 seconds after the start, I passed the line! (Not good.) Slowly catching up, should had gone wide around the last buoy and cut up windward of Carl but he was starboard of me and took me for a tour of swarkestone.
All good practise and knowing where I made mistakes helps, without people having to point them out to me.
As for today, crazy winds.
Reefed, went out 45 minutes before the start, coping OK'ish, although stressful and not a pleasent. cold and showery.
Then one of the wires snapped off the power button, so lost all electrics. Had to sail back in on just the steering with the sails set where they were.
Fun...... Not.
Took me three attempts and a couple of scary moments when Dreamcatcher healed right over.
But managed to get in.
Will be an easy fix for Mark to carry out so plan to be back out next Wednesday, hopefully in a tad less wind but more than last week.
Rather grateful that I DNC's after watching the others race. Or should I say, "Survive."
November 2014
This season was mainly just testing and getting used to sailing solo.
I've still a lot to learn but considering I've only had a few months sailing with a working system, I haven't done bad.
Came 2nd overall in a 8 week Menagerie series at Swarkestone SC run on a Wednesday afternoon as part of Sailability. I missed 2 of the races, so had to carry 1 DNC, got a 3rd and mostly 2nds but won the last race, so I'm quite pleased how the season has gone.
Roll on Easter 2015. :)
I miss being free on the water.
September 2014
We have made positive progress over the season this year. After a winter of head scratching and tool throwing Mark & Adrian came up with a joystick control system with twin motors, one for each sail. The next problem was where to fix the joystick in the correct position, this was getting us frustrated but David came to the rescue and calmed everything down so we finally got the position right so I can just rest my arm on the padding of my seat and move my arm slightly back and forth to drive the motors forward and back to move the sails in and out.
I found that on starboard tack, I was falling over, away from my joystick control, so we have had to purchase a upper body side support to fit on my seat. This stops me from falling too far over and my hand coming away from the control.
We also found that we had to beef up the foot steering system, because I was breaking the welds on the first system when trying to push the rudders to turn.
After a few weeks, I was starting to get used to the boat and the system.
Since the start of September, I have been entering the weekly race at Swarkestone SC against other boats, this is calculated on the Portsmouth yardstick, (eg. handicap) so although I have been over the line by minutes, after the calculation, I have had a 3rd and a 2nd, which considering I have only had 2 races, isn't too bad.
I am making mistakes each week, but I am aware of them straight away and this is a big learning curve for me but one that I am happy to undertake.
The winch system performs better in a stiff breeze when there is enough wind to take the slack up on the rope, when sheeting out the sails. In a very light wind, the rope get tangled up around the winch which is frustrating and once tangled there is nothing I can do while races so this slows me down.
Over all, so far, I am very happy with the progress and the system. Hopefully we can get the club Liberty out more often so I can have some boat on boat racing, to judge how I am doing a bit easier.
A few photographs are on Liberty Photographs 2014.
September 2013
We have made slow but positive progress over the winter months.
We launch Dreamcatcher on 28th August with the latest system that we designed. After a nervous pre launch, once I was sat in her, all my worries disappeared while Mark was sweating, rigging the boat and got himself into a state.
Once I had left the staging, I found Dreamcatcher to pick up speed, in a light breeze.
The foot steering works like a dream, very positive and responsive.
Sailing on port tack wasn't a problem, my elbow supported me as my joystick control is on my left.
Sailing on starboard proved to be more difficult to keep myself sat up and have my hands on the joystick. A couple of times, I had to point her nose into the wind and try to sit myself back up, before setting off again.
Goosewinging down wind was remarkablly easy and simple to keep going, unlike the 303, the Liberty keeps its course without consent correction.
I have just ordered some Thoracic supports to fit in my seat. We attempted using foam supports down my side but velcro just refuses to stick to the foam, so this was a none starter.
The joystick is mounted on a uPVC bracket with one screw into the seat arm, so easily detached for when being hoisted in & out of the boat.
Waterproofing the joystick proved more difficult. At the moment, we have a rubber glove over the box with the stick in the thumb of the glove, tied on with string. Not idea but works for now as it is still in it's early stages of testing.
Unfortunately, this season has mostly been lost and practically .only a few more weeks of sailing before the weather turns cold. I don't really want to get trussed up like a stuffed chicken to sail, limiting my movements, until I am used to my boat.
Please view video links on About Me page.
May 2012
We have made slow but positive progress over the winter months. Mark and his brother has redesigned the electric winches for both sheets, and I picked up a nice, dinky motor which will manage the jib sheet and mounts directly under the fore-deck.
Once we have the brackets made to enable quick release of the motor, I will hopefully be testing the Mk II system in light wins and if all goes to plan, my weekly training will start. I am so looking forward to getting back on the water without many hic-ups as last year was very frustrating and disappointing for everybody involved.
September 2011
Ebay comes up with some goods..........
After searching for weeks for non adsorbent foam block, which could be cut down to be used for seat padding, I found a company selling the foam which is used for flight cases and camera cases to hold equipment in place.
I'll use it to hold my backside in place as we have made it so I just fit in it.
Unfortunately, I am still looking for the right sized 24 volt motor with brake which can be used for the jib sheet. Ebay doesn't seem to have many 24 volt motors on at the moment that would be suitable but I'll keep searching.
We have also re-designed the sheet run which feeds the sheet to the pulley situated on the motor. This is yet to b fully rigged up and tested.
-----------------------------
Wednesday 10th August 2011.
After a frustrating few weeks of redesigning the winch drums and fitting retractable dog lead mechanism to our designs, we try fitting the jib sheet motor in place unfortunately, the housing that held the motor and the recoiler would not fit under the foredeck and the ratchet idea that Keith had incorporated just let the sheet run out, as if having an unbraked motor.
While we were fitting the motors in to Dreamcatcher and testing them, something in the magic box of electronics went awry, both motors stopped working. Power was getting to the controller and the jib sheet LED. Further investigation is needed by Malcolm, the REMAP electronics God.
So all in all, a frustrating afternoon. Although, hopefully we have padded my seat out to stop me sliding from side to side. Yet another ebay purchase.
While having lunch outside the club house, we could not believe our eyes. The newest Access 2.3 dingy had broached in the strong gusts and the centreboard had popped up that far, the boat had capsized, hurling the centreboard to the bottom of Swarkestone Lake. I’m pleased to say, the guy was rescued quick and all is OK. Although somebody is going to need to dive down and recover the heavy board.
-----------------------------
On Wednesday 6th July, we launched Dreamcatcher which was rather emotional. The foot tiller system took a little setting up so that I had equal helm on port and starboard.
I sailed across the lake, not wanting to point too high because I felt myself slipping as the boat heeled in the breeze.
The bank was approaching fast so I had to make my first tack.
All good so far, as I sailed on port tack, I managed to slide back over to the left, to used the sheet control easier.
I managed to goose-wing the sails and as I got to the foreshore, I started sheeting in and I jibed. Then I found myself in irons, with sails flapping. I felt the boat sailing sideways so I let the sheets out, which made the mainsheet tangle around the winch drum and jam.
Calmly, I switched to the jib sheet only and managed to get Dreamcatcher into the wind and under sail again.
My shore crew had seen this happen and got into the safety boat, heading towards me as I was sailing back to the launching pontoon.
Although the sheet motor had failed, all in all I had a successful half hour on the water, for my first solo sail.
We will succeed..............
We Are succeding..........