Class Politics Ovington - Standard Carbon Lower Section?

Andy B

Member
Ovington are advertising boats with what appears to be a carbon standard lower section.
Is this correct or a printing error?
ILCA 7 Complete w/Carbon Top - Boats - ILCA - Shop

ILCA 7 complete with carbon top section
Includes :
- Fully fitted boat
- Carbon top and lower section
- Harken XD Kit
- ILCA 7 Mainsail
- Foils
- Carbon tiller & extension
Price: £6,850.00
 
The listing is ambiguous; better give them a call to find out.

PS: with all the recent 'changes', I am not sure that a composite lower mast has been approved for the full-rig.
 
No talk about a carbon Standard lower that I know of.
"Carbon top and lower section" doesn't necessarily mean "carbon top and carbon lower section". It's just a list of items you get with a complete boat.

_
 
Contacted Ovington, both the 6 and the 7 are carbon top sections and alloy bottom sections.
ILCA 6 carbon bottom section available separately for another £849.

The web site has now been amended.
 
The reason for the "Composite" sections is to alleviate issues with bend and/or breakage. Both were/are common with the aluminum top sections across all rigs since moving to the "new" vang. However, only radial rigs really experience bend issues with the bottom sections. For that reason I don't expect to see a composite bottom section for the full rig.
 
The full rig bottom sections definitely bend out of shape. They may not break as often as the aluminum radial bottom sections do, but it is very common for them to develop a bend between the Vang tang and the goose neck. I recently went through about 15-20 sets of spars at a sailing association. More than a third of the full rigs were bent. The one that I have been using is now bent. I expect to see a composite full rig lower at some point. Or some solution to the problem.
 

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