January 2008

DINNER
The traditional BOD Fitting out Dinner will be held at the Come Yacht Club on Saturday 26th April - very successful last year, and all welcome. Please book early — Colne Yacht Club secretary 01206 302594.

BOATS
Re—building continues on a number of boats some of which will be freshly afloat this year with others in prospect for 2009. All thirty wooden boats known to exist are now owned locally or by Association members. The last one, no.9 “Bidi”, has just been brought in, with many thanks to Guy Herbert and Sarah who effectively saved her. Several boats are available for properly resourced rebuilds.

GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
The committee met on 23rd. January and considered a number of matters as instructed (these are not minutes).
Weighing - An in-house means of weighing the boats with our own apparatus is being prepared and the agreed objective of achieving this before Pyefleet Week will be met.
Mast - Data on weight, centre of gravity, section size (windage) and flexure is being collated. There was general agreement that the “new rig” spruce mast is a reasonable bench mark. Initial calculations based on American data for materials strengths including spruce, rather confirm that it is necessary to choose which characteristics to mimic in alloy because they cannot all be duplicated.
Up to now an alloy mast of similar weight and section size (windage) to the spruce original has been used. But, I guess, since this puts all the alloy where only the outer 2mm of spruce was, instead of some calculated position within the spruce wall thickness, then the alloy mast thinks it is bigger and bends less?
In any case when all the information is to hand it will be presented so that you can make a decision based on all the facts.
Boom Height - In light of the fact that the current rules do not prevent the boom being raised, and that no calculated advantage or disadvantage could be shown by raising the boom just enough to clear heads, and that control of mast rake would add a further complication to the rules: no support was forthcoming to present a case to you for mandatory raising of the boom.

CONTACT LIST
Lance Edwards has compiled in draft form a very useful and attractive pocket size contact list of, and solely for, Owners, Associate members, and crews.

Enjoy the Summer Programme — it will come soon enough - with teas, refreshments and all. GOOD SAILING EVERYONE.

Malcolm Goodwin
BOD Co-coordinator, BSC.