Issue date
Opua Traveler Series Regatta - 24-25 May.
The Opua event was held last weekend and saw the biggest fleet for several years - despite a couple of late withdrawals. Regatta reports are on Sail-World. Livesaildie and Crew.org.nz
15 boats sailed in the series. Saturday was wet and Sunday was a beautiful day but no wind. Despite the weather everyone seemed to have a great time.
The Pinelodge accommodation was excellent - in particular the BBQ area!
Craig Coulam (Ewok) wins the prize for making the greatest effort to get there - but not actually making it. Broke his collarbone the weekend prior, made sure Cody and Roger sorted out a replacement crew. Then after a few mishaps, got the trailer back from the Galvanizers at 2:00pm Friday - it was assembled and on the road to Opua at 4.30pm. Currently leading the "Bling Bling Trailer" Compeition (but we have high hopes for Lambada which is coming from a low base and currently features shagpile!).
Speaking of Lambada it was great to see the boat (Brent Mullen, Simon Kidd and Kevin Peet) join the fray for the first time since 2005. Also Rick "splash 1" Hackett, Richard "splash 2" Hulston and Ben Costello borrowed The Blurr and had an eventful series, providing plenty of entertainment for the fleet. These guys are intending to buy a boat and get into the class which is great.
The results are on Racetrack http://www.racetrack.org.nz/select_race.php?divisionid=3381
Racetrack
We are also liaising with the Racetrack (www.racetrack.org.nz) site to run our Traveler Series scoring - this should be loaded next week - and they have also some up with another innovation that will be really useful for some bragging rights (click here): http://www.racetrack.org.nz/division_elapsed.php?divisionid=3381
Not quite sure how the site will handle OCS/DNF etc so will work on that.
Membership is due for 2013 Year
A reminder that each boat and it's owner(s) or charterer need to be a financial member ($50) for 2013-14 to compete in the Traveller Series and Nationals - please complete the membership form attached and send it in soon. Any payment from now will take boats through to 31 May 2014.
If you use on-line banking, please ensure you use your surname and boat name as a reference.
Please support your class and don't make us chase you - we have better things to do!
Boats and owners
We are seeing ongoing interest on the class - we understand a couple more boats will change hands in the coming weeks.
If you are looking for a boat, or have one to sell, get in touch and we will get the details out.
There are (or were) two new spinnakers for sale - see below.
E5.9 Gear for Sale
Contact Chris Maddock regarding a new Doyle kite (details also on our facebook site) and see the email from Mike Sanderson below,
From: Mike Sanderson <mike@mike-sanderson.com>
Date: 28 May 2013 13:42
Subject: 5.9 Spinnaker for sale
Guys, I am very excited to have won the spot prize spinnaker at last weekends regatta. However there are guys in the fleet that obviously need it more then I do. So, I will hold a silent auction for it. E-mail me your best shot.. A chunk of which I will make as a donation to the 5.9 Association. The sail is White and is made out of Dimension RPN 60, Craig is an ex Doyle/ Volvo/AC sailmaker so I have no doubt the thing will be almost as quick as the latest Doyle sail! and a LOT better then most. I can even have your sail number put on it here at the loft.
E-mail me at mike@mike-sanderson.com by the end of the week if you are keen and we will see what happens.
Great regatta guys, looking forward to the next one.
Kindest regards
Mike
" Icebreaker "
Simon and Andy have a used E5.9 mast for sale. It came with Blurr but they have always used their other mast, it is straight, fitted out and is complete with conventional spreaders. Stored in the carport and not used in past 5 years. Some rigging available. Contact Simon 021 2728967 or Andy 021 460-695.
Rudder Blades
Mike Sanderson has generously offered to donate his rudder mould to the Class Association. After the official handing over ceremony, we will investigate how best to make cost effective new blades available - if there is any interest. This also means that we will have almost a full set of class moulds, as the old rudder mould is pretty well had it.
Masts and Spars
NZ Rigging is the supplier of our only approved mast section and standard components. The E5.9 Association will receive a small portion of all sales. The price list is attached.
Standard Hull Components
Craig Coulam and the team at Leach Stainless have a range of standard components, some of which are Class Association Approved (e.g. rudder stocks) and were the original parts supplier to Eagle Yachts. Again the E5.9 Association will receive a small portion of all sales. The price list is attached.
Traveler Series
Here are the remaining dates for the 2013 series:
Marsden Cove - 27/28 July
Auckland Champs - 14/15 September
Gulf Harbour - 19/20 October
Sandspit - 23/24 November
We are pretty confident of getting 20 boats to a regatta this year!
Bow Numbers
With the increase in boats we are keen to make things easy for our race management team so we will be introducing bow numbers later this year.
Association Philosophy regarding measurement
It is the policy of the E5.9 Association to use (and interpret) the class rules to restrict the hull, mast, moulded and certain other standard components such as foils, bulb and sail plan, while allowing a certain freedom of finish, configuration, set-up and equipment - to ensure that all boats have the same potential speed.
Existing owners are also assured that we will be careful not to make the existing boats obsolete by any future build program, should that eventuate.
It is impossible to define completely every aspect of the craft (nor do we wish to) and thus any aspect deemed to be “not within the spirit of the class rules” may be cause for the refusal or withdrawal of a measurement certificate or for disqualification.
It is essential, should an owner wish to deviate from the norm, that an interpretation of class rules be requested in writing from the Class Measurer.
With the above in mind, the following comments and interpretations have been produced as guidance and they will be strictly observed:
1. Keel fairing - Measurer Comments
Over the years many boats have addressed the trailing edge of the keel, generally in order to fair in the trailing edges that are oversize to allow for the wire that used to be part of the lifting mechanism.
Other boats have expressed interest in fairing their keel. This does create a potential conflict whereby the rules state the keel should conform to the mould. We do not wish to create a disadvantage for some owners by banning this practice going forward. Therefore to address this issue and provide guidance to owners, the Class Measurer, Dave Cochran, has made an interpretation on what he will allow.
A. Owners may fair the Centre-boards (i.e. the keel fin above the lead bulb) between the trailing edge of the foil and the aft surface of the integral steel girder only. The intention is to allow improvements to be made to the trailing edge of the foil. The girder must remain - this sets up a profile for the chord.
B. Centre-boards that are faired in this manner must remain within the maximum width specified in the rules (i.e. 340mm plus or minus 5mm) and cannot contain any hollow surfaces (tested by placing a ruler on any surface of the fin).
C. This applies to all boats of any vintage and construction.
D. Local repairs to other areas of the fin are permitted.
E. Owners considering this work must discuss their project with the class Measurer prior to commencing any work and it must be checked by the Measurer at the earliest opportunity upon completion.
F. Adhering to these guidelines (A-E) will not invalidate the measurement certificate.
Any formal change to the current rules will be considered and, if warranted, prepared for member vote in due course.
Black Bands - Measurer Comments
With all the activity in the class Dave asked us has to remind E5.9 sailors that all spars (masts and booms) should have black bands permanently marked on the spar and that when racing sails must not be set in a way that projects beyond the black bands (n particular rules 9 and 11 apply).
Sail measurement will use the ISAF guidelines which means that any headboards and clew patches will be taken into account when establishing the extremities of the sails - also refer diagrams Appendix 1.
Dave has commented that it is his intention to apply more scrutiny to these issues in future.
See you in Marsden Cove
