Will post new and interesting Finn stuff here on a regular basis. Comments and dialog most welcome.

But always check out the New Zealand Finn Association web site for the latest national and international news -- http://www.finnclass.org.nz/

The 2010 Nationals were a place to put the improvements made since last year to the test.  While not up to speed with the lastest Devoti-Wilke-North Sail equiped Dan Slater sailed Finn, the speed was certainly there to be up with the rest of the pack.

Still consistently in the top 10 getting to the first mark and keeping it there on the downwind legs.  Best placing an eight and after two days was in eighth place overall.

Then disaster.  With the headboard blown out of my medium air sail in the sometimes 25 knot winds on the second day it was a choice beween a light air or heavy air sail.

With the weather forecast suggestion winds of 25-30 knots, decided on the heavy air sail.  Unfortunately the wind never eventuated and with four races back to back there was no time to skoot back to the beach to change to the light airs sail.  So four races in 4-8 knots with the wrong sail was a disaster for placings.  Should really take more notice of what the other competitors were doing and gone out with the light airs sail as most others did.  Ah well, another lesson learned.  

On the last day the first two races were back to normal.  Speed good, gear changes a bit slow, reading the tide not the best but hanging in there.

Last race feeling good again but made the fatal mistake of trying to ride one wave too many on the final run before gybing for the mark.  Splash, the deadly roll to windward and an overturned boat.  With a bungy cord that was too slack to prevent the centreboard from withdrawing into the case, ended up having to dive under the boat to tie it up.  Not a pleasant place under the boat with the head in the cockpit.  Plenty of air but to many ropes to potentially wrap around the head. 

With a little outside assistance from the rescue team, NZL 193 was soon upright and heading home.  Nothing but pride hurt.  With the modifications to the bow, the water there was soon over the stern, good to know that the new drainage system works!

So to plan for next year is to be up to speed with lots of training in changing gears in variable wind speeds and get a mid range sail that can handle light to heavy airs without the need for sail changes.

As next year will be my last chance to win the Finn Grand Masters' trophy it is all out to win that so that the following year we will be in good shape to win the Finn Great Grand Masters' title.

With the change of rules to drop the Finn weight to 116 kg, it is time to put NZL 193 on a diet.

First job is to see where we can drop some weight.

Aft deck is constructed from core mat sandwiched in between double layers of fibreglass. Replace with single layer of 850grm quadaxial cloth.  Weight saving 1.1kg.  

Fore deck was mainly the same core mat and glass layup as the aft deck plus had an over engineered timber and plywood mast gate and support structure. Replaced by a lightweight plywood monoque and spaceframe underdeck frame, overlayed with a single layer of 850grm quadaxial cloth.  Weigth saving of 3.2 kg. The deck weight savings at either end will help the swing test plus lower the centre of gravity for the hull.    

With a flat battery in the Tack-Tick Micro Compass and the fact that only a straight out replacement of the compass as the only option was enough to persuade me to take the compass apart and have a go at a fix.  Follow the installation of a new battery here.

Despite having sailed Finn's for many a year, I still cant always figure out how to improve my sailing.  As per this photo.  Dan Slater upwind sailing flat, high and fast (and by the looks pretty relaxed as well!).  Me, tight leech, struggling to point, fighting weather helm, hiking till it hurts. (but in the same stretch of water heading up to the top mark so cant be going too badly).

Working towards finishing the Finn Shop section on this web site.  This to enable Finn sailors to buy all those bits that tend to wear out and need replacing and available from various New Zealand based suppliers.