update
so i never contacted Roger I may do this when I come back from my hols to HK which should be around Christmas time.
I found a model boat pond nearby which is about 3ft deep and has access from all sides. However the wind has quite a few tricks it plays in this enclosed space.
my frist sail I was in such a hurry I did this with out a jib.
the main was also much too large for keel blub (a roll of pennies)
the boat didnt so much sail as get blown downwind. It would tip over is the sail was close haulled and right its self (just about) if the sail was let out.
It took on a lot of water (entire hull flooded) and I had to get in to fish her out at least once.
second try.
I cut the main down a bit and put extra weight on the keel. same differnece
third try.
I cut the mast shorter when I found out the jib was only supposed to be 305mm + 305mm high
more weight on the keel (one of those lead sea weights for fishing) must be over 7kg or is it 7g, cant remember as the number was filed off.
also I completed the jib and put a bit more draft in the sails by pinching the edges and taping the crease in places.
it sailed but was still letting in some water.
also it wouldnt sail upwind very well I could beat but I would wind up and further down the pond.
the sails didnt change their shape very well if at all when tacking / gibeing sp?
the rudder didnt have a lot of travel 20-30 degrees
sometimes the boat wouldn’t turn the way I wanted and would just stop. Got her going again by pumping the sail and changing direction, often it was easier to gybe than tack.
she also pulled downwind and I had to have the rudder pretty far over just to her her going straight.
fourth try.
I realised my sail cloth was much too heavy. I saw someones on board cam on you tube and heard the sails russeling like tracing paper.
I re-did my sails using a tickish plastic carrier bag, think Debenhams / BHS.
I put draft in the sail by stretching it with my fingers around the middle of the sail.
I also re-did the rigging as I was close hauled with the servo arm pointing across the boat, now I am close hauled with the arm pointing down.
after 40 minutes there was about a table spoon of water inside.
problem was all this water constantly getting inside was loosening the PVA glue joins.
It sailed much better than before but still seemed a little slow. often chaging the angle of the sail had little effect it either went or it didn’t, a couple of times she sailed quickly.
I could sail her upwind a little, but not at a very high angle.
I regretted chopping off the mast as with the lighter sails and heavier keel bulb I felt I could have done with more sail.
Thoughts for the future.
It looked like she was sitting a bit low at the back and high at the front. Maybe thats just how razors look. I could have shifted the keel further up but I didnt want to as I was worried that as soon as I got her going properly she would look fine.
I could proably have taken the bulb to 5kg with the lighter sails. Will the heavy bulb be slowing me down?
Anyway I will have to wait a while before I get going again as my hull panels really are coming apart now as the PCA was getting in worse and worse shape. Also I dropped it on my workmate and put a hole in the hull. So I need a new hull, plus I need to waterproof the inside next time.
My lines were made of sailing wipping twine, very strong, but maybe a little too thick for the sails as the mail looks like it wont flip over easily enough.
I am curreny thinging of trying a paper mache hull, and shaping a plug by hand. Maybe copying Anguses latest design. however It’ll have to wait til I’m back form my trip.
