Recent content by Russell

Thanks for those suggestions. At the moment the mast isn't taped as I broke the upper mast a few weeks ago and haven't got round to taping the new one. I'll try it and see if it makes things any better but the wrinkles were there with the old mast too. I can't remember how the sail was set...

Hi All Can anyone advise me how to trim my sail to get rid of the wrinkles running from the peak down past the end of the top batten. I attach a picture. The wrinkles don't look too bad in the picture but they are quite deep and I'm sure they must ruin the airflow - especially in light...

If you've broken the end off flush you should still be able to get it out. Drill the retaining rivet out. Then drill a hole in the end from the end of the tube and put a screw in it - then pull the bit of plastic out. If that fails you could drill it out - or even melt it - or make a hole at...

I generally use a burgee at the top but if you get the kicker tight it can slide down in the gap between sail and mast. If you put a cork or similar with a hole that fits tightly then it can't slide down. What happens when you capsize depends on the depth of water and whether it turns upside...

I have done a similar repair - it's a hard enough job if you've got the mast tube - if you haven't it'll be a real pain - you could make a new mast tube by laminating woven tape round a former (something like a tube slit nearly all the way down the sides and opened out at one end to make the...

My experience with my boat was that the layup on the lower side of the deck was porous - probably because it was only a single layer of chopped strand mat. It'll take a long time to dry out - but if you could build a plastic tent around it with a dehumidifier inside you might be able to speed...

Thanks I decided to do that - it would have been an advantage to make a slightly bigger slot as the edges foul when you squeeze it - but it's done now. I'm going out to try it in about half an hour. Russell

Hi All I've got my broken top section - eventually had a choice of black or silver and it's all drilled and most of the fittings on. All that remains is the reinforcing sleeve. I can't buy one in the UK - I've experimented with 49208's suggestion of using another piece of the same tube - it...

Thanks for those - I've now had a good look for the broken upper mast (in the long grass bits of the boat park) and it's gone - but I've been offered a broken Byte upper section. I know the Byte was also designed by Bruce Kirby and uses the same foils and boom, does anyone know if the upper...

I'm sure I've seen the answer to this on here somewhere but I've searched and can't find it. I've just broken my boom and I think that I might be able to find a broken upper mast. Is the tube the same spec - ie can I make a new boom out of a broken upper mast. Thanks Russell

Thanks for those. That sort of mirrors my thought - it might be possible to do it within the letter of the rules - but it might not give any advantage. On the other hand if it did give an advantage it would probably contravene the fundamental rule. Russell

Today is the first race of the year for my Laser and I've been thinking about the traveller rigging. Lots of other classes (Wayfarer, GP14, Lark) have abandoned travellers and use strops for the mainsheet so that they use the kicker to control the boom height and the mainsheet effectively...

I thought that was supposed to be done by the rubber brake at the rear of the centreboard slot. It can be adjusted to push the pincers closer together. Russell

Hi If I were desperate to do something about it I might have a go with gel coat filler. There's no need to add any glass it's only the gelcoat that's damaged. Gelcoat is too runny to use here but gelcoat filler should work. I'd make a long spatula the right shape to put the filler on and...

Here's a picture showing it today. I'm just about ready to paint it. The central strip is smooth - I masked that off and applied filler with a roller to the rest of the repaired area. Russell