Reply To: Ardleigh Frostbite Series
Message for Richard Ham. Sorry mate. Looks like I owe you a beer or two. Was concerned about c jammer when I put it back but wrongly assumed that as it had worked for some years with Alan and i hadn’t had a problem it was OK. Didn’t I say the 15 degree rudder was only for use up to force 2?!!! I hadn’t even tried it. The 30 degree is fine anyway.
See we Solo sailors aren’t bad after all. Good on you Steve!
You all may or may not be pleased to know that I bought back one of my old Solos with the intension of doing some Solo stuff next year. Launched the boat last weekend and had some good racing against 25+ other boats including 7 other Solos and young Richard Burton in 1774. Boat performed like a dream but gave me nothing back. Never felt threatened or satisfied so after two races and my 4th attempted come back in Solos I give up! The boat is sold already. The OK is what I want to sail so thats what it will be.
Dont get me wrong here. I understand why many people sail Solos. A steady well mannered beautiful little boat with fantastic competition at a National level. I dont want to here any ‘we are better sailors because we sail an OK’ remarks here, its obviously not true. Rather take what is good from the Solo experience and promote the OK for what it is. An edgy thoroughbred that somehow really lets you know when you’ve got it right and when you’ve got it wrong. A boat that should be capable of allowing a massive weight range to compete on equal terms (someone develop a bendier lightweights mast). Good International competition. Fantastic history of truely great sailors leaning their trade in the boat. Relatively cheap entrance level. Old boats are still competitive and potentially very competitve. Learn to sail an OK well and you’ll be able sail anythng. I’m sure you guys can think of much more.
Now the down side which in my opinion needs addressing. The cost of the latest equipment is too high. Who is going to buy a new OK when it costs 7K plus for the whole shooting match? Well only the already converted. 1K of this is due to the rig. An up to date Solo rig costs 1K an OK one costs 2K give or take. An off the shelf OK hull should cost the same or less than a Solo, its less complicated to build but it appears to cost more?
I feel so strongly about this that it is going to force me back into building a hull to prove a point (plus I need a boat). Then there is the rig. Can I make a carbon tube with a track fixed to the back work aswell as the ever more high tech masts that are going to be produced? What about metal. Still plenty of them lying around if they haven’t found there way to China or India? For me this is the difficult one.
See you all when I see you.
Tony Thresher
PS Bare wood hull £????
