All,

Sorry, no pics with the sails up as we had to rush that bit due to swirling winds one minute and then nothing the next and bucketing rain.

Anyway, did get some pics of the carbon beams and the revised self-tacker. I'll get more pics in 2 weeks (cannot sail next weekend).

Front beam:



Self tacker :



Back beam :





Both beams are Carbon Foam sandwich around the beam bolts with bracing as well, the areas under the self tacker also have bracing. JP can confirm the exact structure.

Overall impression is that the boat is VERY stiff - we picked the boat up at opposite corners and there was very little (if any) sag on the bows - very impressive. I've commented elsewhere on the shape of the kite and to add that the mainsail looks fantastic. Comments on the Jib when it arrives (it will be on the max luff length thanks to the dropped bridals.

Unfortunatly we did not have time to take loads of pictures as the conditions were not kind to us. I'll take loads in 2 weeks time.

Boat PORN! ahhahah good stuff. Keep em comming.

That looks sooo cool Simon. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

John does do a nice job, does he not? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I do like the self tacker set-up (my Stealth has the low profile Harken version on a flat plate in front of the beam)and I fully expect the platform to be incredibly stiff with those beams.

More boat pron weekend after next.

Boat is safely tucked up at my parents for the next 10 days as I cannot sail next weekend.

The plates are Loooooooong and still cooking in the spare room as John had not long finished them (no I have not yet calculated the aspect ratio !).

If class rules allowed we could actually have had a 6.2m luff / leach as the bridals are a little down the inside of the hulls.

Only other changes are

1, Carbon mast spanner fairly close to the bottom of the mast and a 12:1 DH on the mast. Not sure I will actually use the 12:1 (might just rig as 8:1).
2, 2x Carbo ratchamtics each side for the kite.
3, Higher aspect plates (around 4.7 we think)
4, Higher aspect Jib
5, Higher aspect Kite (did not have time to measure the luff or take pics).

Very nice looking cat,
Where did you put the spin halyard cleat? On the mast or the beam?

Beam. IMO mast is wrong for single handing as It's not always possible to stand up. I'll be sailing the boat single handed most of the time.

Forgot to say the Self taker is removable !

I really like what you guys have done with the boat.

Those are really good looking beams and with the eliptical front I think you stand a very good chance on cutting down on spray.

I also like the new dolphinstriker strap. Is that custom to you boat or will this also be fitted to all the new stealths. That strap will make the mainbeam very stiff under mast loads and the flatness of the strap will make it cut through waves effortlessly.

My impression of the Stealth F16's always was that they were rather stiff in the platform, with the upgrades it surely must be very stiff indeed. And that is good as I've seen the new stiffness data on the Blade design.

The competition is definately on.





Yes, but don't actual go that tall. We had to decide on some limit in the rules and it turned out that the mathematical formula used in Texel/SCHRS handicap can hardly distinquish between jibs wit luff lengths in the range of 5.4 to 6.0. We didn't want to limit designes freedom to much in the F16 rules and so we just maxed out this rule. However 6.2 mtr long jibs will be extremely narrow and tall, having an aspect ratio of 10. They are most likely to be very sensitive to trim. Everybody seems to converge to 5.50 mtr long jib luffs and that seems to work out well. Also don't bring the jib too low as it will be between the hulls and therefor when lifting a hull part of the jib will be in bad air coming of the hull. This another reason why other builders don't go past 5.5 mtr luff lengths.




Yep, no doubt about it. Good mod !



That is pretty tall !

Well, you will not be suffering any performance loss in stable medium winds that is for sure. Probably track like a Fox hound. But you'll probably be lifting them early on when the gusts come or the winds increase.





Good mod, there was some potential to be gained there.





Very good for singlehanded sailing. Alot of luff length and a flat kite should be really effective when singlehanding.

From you describtion it almost sounds like you have a spi luff that is taking from skiffs. These too have very rounded luffs. Often this means they are cut to sail really deep.

Wouter

After having just looked at the boat yard of Stealths there in Datchet, I must say that JP has made several nice looking changes..

It may sound like it, but no, having had a think about this, I think the kite will go VERY flat when I want it to, but when I need it to, it will go very full.

More pictures below, sorry over exposed and I don't have time to photoshop them.

Front beam and Mast spanner - note the rain and sun. It was a very "odd" day



Rear bem and Rudder



Pic from the back, note the dropped firring on the bow.

Scooby,

You ARE going to bring that boat over to Zandvoort Global Challenge in 2007, right ?

Blade has been taking all the attention on mainland EU, it is time that Blade gets some serious competition and your boat is absolutely the right boat to do it with.

Besides I want to see it up close and personal !

Wouter

I am hoping to.

I am 99% going to be at the Nationals as this is easier and cheaper to attend. Zandvoort is not certain, but I hope to.

Hi

I like the look of the carbon beams. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I see you got a footstrap on the back of each hull.

How are these attached to the hull ?

Bye

John

There are some acetal plates inside your hulls which you can drill and tap then bolt them on. Get in touch if you want me o supply some along with the location of the plates.

Wouter,

The strap dolphinstriker will only be available on the Carbon Beam option, the Alu beam Dolphin striker would not fit so John had to find another solution and this was it. This is also true for the removable self tacker.

Will have some more pitures later today as I am off to put it together as I "found" I had an extra days holiday I needed to take.

Cool !


Wouter

I'm very Impreza'd Scooby. Looks as if John has just raised the benchmark amongst the F16 manufactures. If it goes as good as it looks you could be the first human cannon ball in the F16 Circus. Good luck this weekend I hope the weather is favourable and you manage to wipe the smile of your face by Christmas. P.S don't be shy with the photo's.

LOL....

More boat pron <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Sorry, no sails up pics yet.

Did not get time, as you can see from these pics it is starting to get dark..

mast rotation comes up from under the tramp.



Then the tails are lead to the side decks thru a small block, then the a cleat



Tail then continues thru the deck tramp eyes - thinking here is that if I pull by the cleat, it somes out, but if I pull behind the fist eye, I pull more roatation out of the mast.



Having looked at the pics, I've set this up wrong as I need the rope to go one more ring back before going down as I will not be able to let off any rotation with the plates up.

Double Ratchamatics, Kite goes to aft one first.



Forestay bridal is about 7 cm from the top of the boat in the inside.



Mast up with Boom and spanner:

[img]http://www.letshaveachat.com/gallery/gallery2/d/148-1/130_3078.JPG[/img]

2:1 trapeze adjusters:

[img]http://www.letshaveachat.com/gallery/gallery2/d/151-1/130_3080.JPG[/img]

Not much clutter up front without the jib:

[img]http://www.letshaveachat.com/gallery/gallery2/d/154-1/130_3082.JPG[/img]

hotness! Now we need some sails up, and some action photos and the collection will be complete.

Total SEXINESS!

That's very cool Simon - looking forward to seeing it in the flesh. We should try and get a decent F16 turn-out on at least one of the winter warm-up weekends at Datchet (10th/11th Feb or 17th/18th Feb). Can we tempt you?

I'm impressed that you've got the control lines tidied and sorted before the boat's even hit the water. I've had the Blade 8 months and have only just sorted out the mast rotation - have made the line continuous, and so far it's working well...

I'll be interested in how the downhaul tidying works - how much elastic have you got under the tramp? In the past I've doubles the downhaul round a block so that 1" of elastic pulls 2" of rope.

Paul