Launching The Audi Melges 20 Discussion
Eric Wynsma: Anyone care to add $0.02 to the discussion in the guide about hoist launching? Looks a little sketchy with the bow going ‘up’ in the air unless we can rig a different hoist attachment point further aft?
The hoist at most yacht clubs are certainly more than capable of lifting this thing but how do we manage the fore/aft conundrum and keep the rig and spreaders out of the crane arm ?
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It’s a challenge — we’ve been working on how to keep the crane out of the rigging for the last few days (just picked up the boats last Thursday from the ship; sailed first time Saturday afternoon — sweeeeeet!!).
Helps a LOT to get a line from the rudder gudgeon to the lifting point to keep the stern up. I think I need to make sure that the outboard is out of the cockpit locker too.
Net/net – we’re working on a bracket to see if we can move the lifting point aft — along with a line to the gudgeon and perhaps some weight on the bow, we hope to get there in the next few days. Will keep ya posted on how it works.
Joe
Yes my $0.02 worth is I am using dead weight at the bow to correct the situation. And I move the rig forward by loosening the shrouds. A little extra work but a lot safer. Having already wasted a spreader:(
We learned a couple things in Charleston:
1) Ramp launching is easier and safer. I like it. It’s faster, too. The keel crane works great.
2) When using the yacht club hoist, I tied a 1/4″ dockline through the gudgeons on the stern, and a bowline at the other end to loop over the crane hook, in between the lifting straps. The end of the bowline loop lines up with the trailing edge of the keel. This keeps the boat stern-up while in the air, and the rig safely away from the crane arm.
I’m going to build a permanent spectra strop for this purpose, but seriously will be favoring a ramp launch whenever the venue can accomodate.
Having a person on the bow of the boat during hoist / retrieval is sketchy at best, and putting weight up there hanging off the bow eye is a pain in the butt.
That’s what we’re up to for now..
[...] http://blog.melges20.com/?p=249 Written by Joy in: 2009 Charleston Race Week, Audi Melges 20, IM20CA, Launching | [...]
I used my new dead weight system and the boat lifted up perfectly. It was the first I was able set the boat down on the trailer with no problems.
Dave Hammett
Gents,
When we launched the two demo boats we set up a line back to the rudder gudgeons and tightened it till it was 119″ . We measured from the gudgeons to the hoist hook. the boat lifted up flat or slightly bow down. I would suggest experimenting with the length to fit you boat/gear set up and then splice it so you can sort it out quicker.
The J24 has this issue as well and I have seen so many spreaders caught. The best/safest/quickest way is to have that aft line presorted.
Lets talk about some fun stuff as well!
-when do you start pulling on the vang upwind?
-how many helmsman were trimming the main vs letting someone else do it? What about downwind?
-How many turns are you going through on your diamonds from light to heavy.
-Where did you trim the jib on the spreader tip?
Regards,
Anthony
I trim the all time except rounding the lewward mark. Even in 20+ knots of breeze
I have put the outboard in bow compartment and it seems to balance the boat quite well although its a bit of a tough lift in and out of the forward hatch.
Just pulling the slack out of the vang at 8kts.
Usually trim main and drive (Laser sailor and can’t get away from it)
We tend to sail with the jib pretty full since we sail in a fair bit of chop and press the bow down for power. Will have to look at the distance from spreader next time I’m out.
Hi Anthony !
Check out JP’s new audi / melges 20 website:
http://web.me.com/jpdelsolarg/Melges/AudiMelges_20_.html
regarding your other questions:
1- Vang– wally was getting after that thing pretty good, starting in the low-middle breeze. I asked about it a couple times and was asked to focus on my own job of driving…
2- I trimmed the main all the time, (Laser sailor) except for busy leeward roundings and a couple times at the start when big downs and subsequently big ‘ups’ were the call. I can ‘hand over hand’ the main but when it’s crowded I appreciated some help getting the first 10′ in the boat.
3- Downwind main trim: I’d get the main roughly setup, and cleat it so that John VanZee (aft of me down the hill) would grab the mainsheet before the p urchase and use it to pump the main. In breeze I’d always keep the tail in my hand, because my gybes still suck and I occasionally wipe out, necessitating an immediate release of the sheet in order to avoid the dr. crash calendar. It’s hard to reach into the boat and find the tail when the boat is on it’s ass and people are yelling at me.
4- Turns on the diamonds: See #1 above. I hope to learn more about rig setup at the Quantum melges 20 seminar next saturday.
In short, we’re all still learning and not enough data to make hard factual ‘claims’ about what is fast.
Crew weight is another important topic. Through the ranges in Charleston, we concluded that light is fast in everything but heavy air when the water is FLAT, then the heavier teams seemed to have a slight advantage. In heavy air w/ waves we felt we were still better off being light.
Eric Wynsma
USA 116 SuperFly
Hi Guys ITA112 Owner, have a look at my website, you can see nice pictures regarding our “vessel” during the last european event we won.
Keep in touch
Benedetto
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Have a 2010 Melges that I crane launch without too much problem,,,strap on rudder pin forces bow down when boat is lifted, and my sons help hold the crane steady during hook up…..by the way,,,the boat is GREAT!!!