Ross Bennett's Olympic Dream

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Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
That was meant to be a bit of a joke, cryin out loud....

Poll Time: What should I change it to?
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Ok, didn't realize it was a joke. With that in mind, it is funny. If you want to change it, how about Olympic Hopeful, or Education First. After the Puff-yawl crap, I'm fresh out of the really good stuff.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

GeoffS said:
IMHO, the problem with Ross' story is the dissonance between the "I'm a big Bad-Ass Laser Sailor" attitude and missing a day of a regatta due to class. Of course people expect a "bad-ass" to miss class for a regatta, and they get confused when he doesn't. (again) IMHO, if Ross presented himself as "just" a sailor with dreams of going to the Olympics, then his trials and tribulations would elicit more sympathy than scorn.
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You see the thing is, I'm not trying to portray myself like that. But I believe that I end up being portrayed like that because I have to put up a wall each and every day. Because there are people out there who's whole goal is to bring me down. This obviously makes me a bit apprehensive and aggressive.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Merrily said:
Ok, didn't realize it was a joke. With that in mind, it is funny. If you want to change it, how about Olympic Hopeful, or Education First. After the Puff-yawl crap, I'm fresh out of the really good stuff.
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sounds reasonable
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Reasonable? reasonable schmeezmable...

RossB
The King Kong of Laser sailing.

RossB
Clogging the starboard gate at a course near you

ok I'll get serious...

RossB
Just like you or he

this serious thing is proving quite tough today. Hmmm maybe...

RossB
London 2012

maybe you could get TLF to put "olympic hopeful" under that in the same way they tag amoderator or admin login. Makes it look "official", since you have their blessing, as it were.

or change the slogan from "Make Britain proud" to "Putting OC on the Podium"

Orange County, meet Podium...
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Chainsaw said:
Reasonable? reasonable schmeezmable...

RossB
The King Kong of Laser sailing.

RossB
Clogging the starboard gate at a course near you

ok I'll get serious...

RossB
Just like you or he

this serious thing is proving quite tough today. Hmmm maybe...

RossB
London 2012

maybe you could get TLF to put "olympic hopeful" under that in the same way they tag amoderator or admin login. Makes it look "official", since you have their blessing, as it were.

or change the slogan from "Make Britain proud" to "Putting OC on the Podium"

Orange County, meet Podium...
Click to expand...

See, fresh. London 2012.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

if I may...

LOL

it should be Olympic Campaigner, not hopeful. Hopeful is too passive. Since you've made the decision to run, you're a campaigner.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Excellent argument! I shall see if it will allow something so long

*I get "Olympic Campaig" in the box, and thats it...
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Rigging 101:Vang -4/01

As you all know, I love to work on my rigging, so I thought I would share some key info. So tonight I will be covering the always important vang.

The setup of the vang is relatively easy, and pretty self explanatory, but I almost always see one problem with other people's vang; its too loose. The key to setting the loosest setting for the vang was told to me by one of my favorite coaches, Adam Deermount. He told me that when your boat is on land, and you sail/mast is just resting there, that the primary block needs to be as close to the boom vang block as possible, while the boom is at about a 90-95 degree angle, or just above horizontal. When you have it set like this, the advantage is that as you round the weather mark, you can just uncleat the vang and its perfectly set so that your sail is allowed to breathe enough downwind. Also with this setting, you are allowed to vang sheet in heavy air, and can still get more travel if needed. Every regatta I go to, I see peoples loosest setting at about 60%, and their vang bottoms out at about 12 knots, and this is incorrect, God help them when it blows 25 and you need as much as possible, and they just can't get it.

Please refer to the picture below to see what I'm talking about. I like the setting I have in my picture, but it could do to be tighter, as every little bit helps. Your vang should be just tight enough that you have to push the boom down in order to hook it in

I will try and make this a series, and cover every aspect of how I rig my boat, to further help you see the many options out there.

IMG_0220.jpg


I would also like to thank everyone for visiting my site, as it has just reached a little over 1000 views. For having only been up since April 2007, thats not too shabby.

Till next time, keep dreaming.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
Excellent argument! I shall see if it will allow something so long

*I get "Olympic Campaig" in the box, and thats it...
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Ahhhhh. Grasshopper is learning. I see "Olympic Hopeful" now under screen name. Much has been learned, much learning still to come..........

Tooo much Carona, (that part was ment for me).
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Jebus Ross, this is by far the most insiteful item you have EVER posted. Good work man. Keep it up!

Hell. I ment to reference the vang shot. Nice splice by the way.

Tooo much carona, (for me)...
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Is running the line through the centre of the top vang block a popular thing to do in NA? Looks like it would just add friction and wear the line out in a hurry, without any real gain in performance.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

The hole is basically a becket, similar in style to a Harken Carbo. It does not add friction or wear any differently than the past or current blocks.
That specific Holt block is from England, it's just the style I like, and is a high load block, I find it better then the one provided.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
IMG_0220.jpg
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Can you give us a photo of what it does at the bottom end?

It's a good idea though. As I was reading it I was thinking about me looking at my vang while sailing and that I had thought: "wow that's running out of travel..." and then not even progressing to... well what are you going to do about it! LOL
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

You said that the hole is basically like a becket, but unless you have a reeeeally long bowline, the line seems to be moving through the hole, not tied off. If it isn't tied off at the top block, you are not using it like a becket, but to add extra purchase (although why 15:1 isn't enough i'm not sure), and the line must be tied off at the bottom block somewhere. Which is why a photo of the bottom vang block would be interesting.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

It's a really long bowline. You can always take line away, but you can never add it.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

TonyB said:
If it isn't tied off at the top block, you are not using it like a becket, but to add extra purchase (although why 15:1 isn't enough i'm not sure), and the line must be tied off at the bottom block somewhere.
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If it was not tied off in a really long bowline (which it is), and it in fact was added purchase down low close to the vang unit, how do you purpose that this would be done, legally? As having more than 15:1 is illegal.

And why would you have more than 3:1 in your primary line? I fail to understand why that is necessary. You pick up the rest in your control/cascade.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
If it was not tied off in a really long bowline (which it is), and it in fact was added purchase down low close to the vang unit, how do you purpose that this would be done, legally? As having more than 15:1 is illegal.

And why would you have more than 3:1 in your primary line? I fail to understand why that is necessary. You pick up the rest in your control/cascade.
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I don't propose it be done at all - I think it would be a silly idea regardless of its legality, which is what I said in my earlier post.

I was just asking for clarification as your photo doesn't show all the details. There are two possible scenarios for what it doesn't show - that you have a long bow line (fair enough) or that you are attempting to get extra purchase (silly). I asked which is true. You have confirmed that it isn't the silly scenario, so now I'm happy. It's Friday afternoon and I'm going sailing tomorrow which makes me even happier. Best of all, tomorrow's forecast is for 20-30 knots - ouch!
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Fair enough...I would have liked to get a full picture, but I could not get the detail I wanted....

20 to 30 tomorrow, you lucky dog you!
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

About classes and training; one guy i know lived 2 hours drive from the water. He scored in the top 5% in the state of his HSC (final exams on leaving school). And about six weeks after doing that, he won ISAF's Youth Worlds in the Lasers.

It was a remarkable effort from a remarkable sailor, but it was interesting to see what he could do. The intensity was remarkable; he would finish his schoolwork while his mum was driving him down to sailing in the afternoons. He would hit the water with the national coach, and train flat out.

On the weekend he would get down to the club about the same time as other people. While they were sitting around chatting, he'd rig and hit the water. While they were discussing footy, he'd do 50 roll tacks. While they were having a beer after the race, he'd do some more practise.

When he finally got time off study, he was already national Youth champ and well on his way to winning the worlds. Now he's getting ready for the Olympics in another class.

There's someone else I know who managed to sail 3 to 4 times a week and place well in another class, while winning the uni's #1 academic prize (the inter-faculty prize for top science/tech honours student - there's about 4, 400 students in each year in those faculties), running the uni club and being mother of four kids (about 9 to 15 years).

If I remember correctly, Michael Blackburn was doing his PhD when he finished 4th in the Savanah Olympic regatta, after moving up the fleet while doing his uni undergrad degree. Oh, and Kevin Lim got to qualify for the Olympics in Lasers two times, and finish mid-fleet, while doing a medical degree.

So some people (not me) can fit in study and sailing.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
why would you have more than 3:1 in your primary line?
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Simple: to reduce the load on the line.

The primary purchase takes the full load of the vang. At 3:1, the primary line must be able to handle 1/3 of that load. If you had a 5:1 primary purchase and a 3:1 secondary, then the primary line would only have to handle 1/5 of the load.

IIRC, when the new rigging first came out there were some folks rigging their vangs like this.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Do you have any pictures of this? I would love to see it being done, because I just can't see it in my mind. I also fail to understand why anyone would do it, the current system is perfect as is.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
Do you have any pictures of this?
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Most of the discussion centered around some analysis Shevy Gunter did on the old "Dr. Laser" site when the new vang rules came out.
[I just found a link to a copy of Shevy's article]

The only link I could find quickly shows one of the ways to rig a high-purchase, low-friction 8:1 vang using the old-style "builder supplied" blocks and some extra hardware. The red primary is a 4:1 purchase cascaded with a blue 2:1 secondary:
http://www.laserinternational.org/rules/rulchovw.htm
image012.jpg


Cheers,

Geoff S.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

I'm talking about the new style.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

I'm pretty well aware of the rules thanks.

What I'm basically trying to say is that you can't have more than 3:1 for the primary on the new vang, it just won't work with the vang is designed, and is most likely not allowed in the rules.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
Do you have any pictures of this? I would love to see it being done, because I just can't see it in my mind. I also fail to understand why anyone would do it, the current system is perfect as is.
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I also rig my vang this way, although mine has only one continuous piece of line. Mostly I did it this way because I didn't have the money to upgrade to the new vang system, but this also provides enough purchase for me. See image below:


It's basically this setup, but with a bullet block instead of the bottom pin on the boom block, and another bullet block instead of the sleeve:

VangRig-Shevy.gif

VangRig-Shevy.gif

VangRig-Shevy3.gif
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

I used that one for my old style vang, worked rather well.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
I'm pretty well aware of the rules thanks.

What I'm basically trying to say is that you can't have more than 3:1 for the primary on the new vang, it just won't work with the vang is designed, and is most likely not allowed in the rules.
Click to expand...

Ok...now I get what you are saying. The rules require a maximum of 7 turning points, so if you could make the primary more than 3:1 without having more than 7 total turning points then it would be legal.
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

yea, basically

I just don't see where the other line would go, it's not designed for it.....

I'm to go shopping for Europe..... Pray for my bank accountant...
I'll be back later tonight..
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

[start prayer]
May Ross's bank accountant find sufficient funds for Ross's shopping trip. In the event that Ross's bank account does not have sufficient funds, please help Ross's bank accountant to find forgiveness of the overdraft fees.
Amen
[/end prayer]
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

Ross B said:
I just don't see where the other line would go, it's not designed for it.....
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It's certainly not designed to be used this way (but then the old cleat-block wasn't designed to have two cheek-blocks bolted to the side of it, either...:rolleyes:)

I'm not sure if this is legal (I haven't checked the rules in detail), but here's one alternative rigging with the 5:1 primary and the 3:1 secondary.

The diagram n the left is the conventional rigging, on the right is the reversed way.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
 

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Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

sailchris said:
[start prayer]
May Ross's bank accountant find sufficient funds for Ross's shopping trip. In the event that Ross's bank account does not have sufficient funds, please help Ross's bank accountant to find forgiveness of the overdraft fees.
Amen
[/end prayer]
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Thank you kindly

GeoffS said:
It's certainly not designed to be used this way (but then the old cleat-block wasn't designed to have two cheek-blocks bolted to the side of it, either...:rolleyes:)

I'm not sure if this is legal (I haven't checked the rules in detail), but here's one alternative rigging with the 5:1 primary and the 3:1 secondary.

The diagram n the left is the conventional rigging, on the right is the reversed way.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
Click to expand...


I admit, those are pretty interesting, I would like to see how legal it all is
 
Re: Ross Bennett's Olympic Path

I concur

I have often thought of taking a bit of purchase out of the control line, like taking it off the becket, and tying a bowline through a block on the vang itself, but the 15:1 works pretty darn well
 
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