SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE 2022 MEMBERSHIP
The COVID pandemic has halted our Association's activities for the last two seasons and therefore we have waived the fee for the 2022 season.This offer is open to all SeaSpray sailors and only requires you to complete & submit the online registration form CLICK HERE.
SAILING IN CANADA
Some of you may have received a new online publication called "Sailing in Canada".
When I reviewed it I noticed that our SeaSpray one design class was left out of the One Design list so I emailed the address listed to get us included. I sent a few pictures and a brief note along with the website info and club's where SeaSprays are sailed out of. I was promised the SeaSpray will be included in the one design list and they will use some of the material I sent in to get us some publicity. It can't hurt. If you want to see the publication coming on Feb 2 you can use the link or go through Sail Canada to view.
https://kerrwil.dragonforms.
When I reviewed it I noticed that our SeaSpray one design class was left out of the One Design list so I emailed the address listed to get us included. I sent a few pictures and a brief note along with the website info and club's where SeaSprays are sailed out of. I was promised the SeaSpray will be included in the one design list and they will use some of the material I sent in to get us some publicity. It can't hurt. If you want to see the publication coming on Feb 2 you can use the link or go through Sail Canada to view.
https://kerrwil.dragonforms.
To subscribe to this publication follow the directions on their magazine site. It's free according to what I read. It looks like a good publication that might help us with various topics covered.
SAILS FOR YOUR SEASPRAY
Over the years sails have evolved from the original "Taylor" brand sails. The Taylor sails were made from lightweight Dacron cloth. On many SeaSprays these sails are nearing the end of their useful lives and either need repairs or replacement. Jib leech and batten pockets may be in poor condition most likely due to flogging and will need repair.
At one time, Sobstad sails from Toronto were the sails supplied when you bought new sails, these were better generally in that they were a heavier cloth weight than the Taylor brand. Eventually, some racers went to North brand sails because they were willing to work on shape with many sails sent back for adjustment many times in order to get what the owner thought was the "right" shape.
Your sailmaker can design shape into your sails and some fuller sails have tended to work well in the under 15 knot winds we generally sail/race in. Theories say you should have fuller sails in light winds progressing to as flat as possible in high winds. We have the ability to flatten our sails somewhat but since the extruded mast is fairly stiff there is limited ability to flatten the main by bending the mast. If you are contemplating a new set of sails you first will have to find a sailmaker willing to build a set. From what I have been told the chord camber ratio on the North was around 10:1 or 11:1. The Leitch and McBride sails in the picture above are a little bit flatter around 11:1 to 12:1.
For those of you who want to sail your boat in higher winds and you are in the market for sails, getting a slightly flatter set would help to keep control of the sail rig in higher wind conditions. Catamarans with high aspect sail rigs like the larger Nacras and Hobies, etc. have a chord to camber ratio of 15:1. Bear in mind that flatter sails have a narrower setting of getting the most drive from your rig. It is easier to get into the grove with a lower aspect sail rig than a higher aspect sail rig. The trade off with a fuller more powerful sail rig is that it becomes overpowered quicker in higher winds.
You can flatten as much as possible with your downhaul and outhaul but you can't really bend the extruded mast very much. The extruded mast will bend more if it is rotated as it will bend more sideways than when aligned front to back so allow the rotation rope to let the mast rotate as much as possible when the wind is up. Changing your mast to a tube mast will help as they bend a lot more than the extruded mast. Vangs don't do very much (on SeaSprays) other than keep the boom from lifting on downwind legs.
I know some of you have gotten sails from other sources than those mentioned but I haven't gotten any write ups sent in about the various types. If you want to make your own set check with Sailrite as they have our pattern and can supply a kit for you to sew yourself. Sail dimensions are on the website under the class rules for sailmakers to reference. Sending in your old set may help a sailmaker produce a reasonably good copy but the sailmaker should also have the dimensions reference in the class rules to help.
THE SEARCH FOR 'LIGHT' SPEED
The large block of styrofoam shown in the photo, was removed from each hull of the boat pictured. For a certain production run this was the flotation foam placed inside the hulls of mid 1970's SeaSprays. I think this version was one of the earliest produced boats after the original 3/4" daggerboard slot boats. There were a couple of pleasant surprises with this version of SeaSpray in that the ribs inside were not continuous. The builder left a gap in the ribs at the bottom of the hull to allow water to drain from front to back. The second thing was that the foam was not attached and came out easily once the deck was removed.
At first I thought it wouldn't be necessary to remove these blocks but when I lifted the rear deck to work on the transoms I could see that the styrofoam was partially water logged. Even though they were slightly elevated above the bottom of the hull they still took on a substantial amount of water — I think the weight removed was at least 15 kg. I don't see foam placed inside of Nacra or Hobie hulls. Waterlogged foam creates a safety problem in that a catamaran can be hard to right from a capsize if the boat turtles. Heavy boats are slow when you are sailing in a one-design class!
BITS AND BOBS
If you have comments or questions, remember there are SeaSpray forums to pose questions. We also have a very good website www.canadianseaspray.com for reference and past articles. If you like there is a facebook SeaSpray group to place your photos, comments etc. and projects for all to see. Get involved and participate and chat up other sailors.
Plan a few upgrades or maintenance to your boat. Before the season starts remember to seal up things that could leak, replace or repair broken items, ropes etc.
No regatta info at this time however Newell Sailing Club is planning on having their annual Prairie Wind regatta second full weekend of July this year. There will be SeaSprays sailing at this event so if you want to join in make plans now. Info on their website will likely show up later this year. I don't have anything else in regards to other regattas at this time.
Plan a few upgrades or maintenance to your boat. Before the season starts remember to seal up things that could leak, replace or repair broken items, ropes etc.
No regatta info at this time however Newell Sailing Club is planning on having their annual Prairie Wind regatta second full weekend of July this year. There will be SeaSprays sailing at this event so if you want to join in make plans now. Info on their website will likely show up later this year. I don't have anything else in regards to other regattas at this time.
