Another Moth Moves North-ish

[jonathantwite]

Hello all

My name is Jonathan and I am the new owner of BM733. I sail at the Nottingham Sailing club, a river club on the Trent, not far from Trent Valley. I also sail an older National 12 (1973 Paper Dart design) with my wife and father - She is a boat that although lacking in the speed of newer designs, out points everything on the river. We sail in a General Handicap fleet usually with N12's Lasers, Albacores, Ents, Solos and a few other assorted boats, there being a Streaker, Comet and Lightning at the slower end of the pack. The river is quite tight at places and suffers a lot from trees affecting certain wind directions.

I sold an old, heavy and battered Laser last year and have been looking for a single-hander with a bit more character since. Not having too much money to spend, and wanting a boat that was ready to sail, I bought this Moth on Saturday and had a first sail yesterday. I didn't get to fiddle with many settings and set-up before going into a general handicap race in a gusty Force 4.

After remembering that this is not a double sail boat (don't sheet to the centre line, won't point ridiculously high) I started getting her going nicely. I was left with one major question - How do you hike in this boat? The tow-straps are quite deep in the cockpit and with the centreboard casing, I couldn't get my feet under them without being sat inboard defeating the object of hiking. I found either I had to hike behind the centreboard which then dug the stern in the water causing her to spin into the wind, or hike off one leg, the back leg back at an angle with the front leg waving in the air... Do I need longer straps?

The second race was a pursuit race and I tried tweeking for some more rake as the wind was getting more and more gusty with some big F5's coming through. This however had a bad effect as when ever the gusts dropped I was being dumped into the water backwards. Trying to go against a very strong current, after 2 capsizes I had been washed to the back of the fleet, after two more I was so exhausted I gave up. So the question is - how much rake is needed in a F4-5, what is the max rake that the mast step can hold?

General thoughts: Generally a very nice boat to sail, especially down wind. Very stable on a fast run. Does not like pointing close to the wind, you need to bear away to get the boat speed up first. Is very hard work getting back upright from in the water (small centreboard, floats quite high) but is ok from a dry capsize. In the first race was nice and stable in the gusts, I just need to get the set-up right for the bigger ones.

Hopefully I will get set her up during this week and have another go. Our club usually gets calmer conditions, but I do enjoy a blow sometimes!

Attachments:

[casablanca]

Hi Jonathan, sounds like you know what you're doing without much help really.

Any river club has to be prime moth territory, I sail on a very small reservoir with river-like conditions, once you get the hang of it I'm sure you'll do well.

Really you should be able to point almost as well as a 12, but possibly not in yesterdays wind. I have 'issues' hiking for reasons similar to the ones you described & really need to sort my toe straps, I think it's a case of finding what suits you.

With my 1st moth I couldn't right it from in the water due to a floppy centre board but don't have a problem with the boat I have now. Righting lines may help you deal with this problem.

Not sure whether this is much help to you.

Elaine

[pegasus]

Jonathan

Welcome to the world of the British Moth, sailing at a club I used to know quite well when I was at Uni in Nottingham, and I believe one of my former uni-friends may well still sail at NSC.

You will be joining various Moths in your area including ones based at Girton SC; Mid Warwickshire YC; Earlswood Lakes SC.

Last weekend was not a good one for taking a boat out for the first time. But can I suggest you look at the website technical pages for help in setting up.

I am sure Roger Witts will add comments to this Forum for you as he knows the boat well, and in fact modernized it last Winter.

Toe straps are a personal touch and I must say i prefer them being quite tight as it lets me get in a lot easier. As for siting too far back because of its short length the Moth is very sensitive to the helms position within it.

My suggestion is you try to get used to it for a few weeks and if you can get to Whitfriars Open meeting and see how the rest of the traveling fleet get on.

On your photo you have the lowers slack, if possible get them under tension as they will hold the mast stiff at the gooseneck.

There is always the Nationals at Northampton where there will be loads of helping hands to advise on setting up. A very social few days and one where family are very welcome.

Look forward to meeting up

Simon Hall
BM 708 and 847

[paultp]

One of the things I learned at the training weekend earlier this year was that the centre of effort of the sail of a BM is a long way behind the centre of lateral resistance of the centreboard. Because of this if you sail with the board fully down you will have severe weather helm (as I understand it).

To get the thing balanced the idea is to first have the mast positioned in the right place and then use less board as the wind gets up. Using half board moves the COLR back a considerable way reducing weather helm. Having a good length board helps too, as does keeping the boat flat.

Because the CB bolt position is fixed by the rules, some people have tried a dog leg centreboard. The board when lowered goes through a point nearer mid way on the centreboard case and so the COLR of the board is much further back. The downside is that when the board is raised there is an awful lot of it in the boat!

So if you rake the mast back more you will just increase the weather helm causing you to skew up into the wind more.

From Colin's excellent guide on the website [here] he gives a starting position for the mast and also gives a start position for mast rake. After that you should give it a few tweaks as every moth is a bit different. There is a theory that you should rake the mast a bit less on a British Moth when it is windy. Also, many of the boats now have adjustable rigs so the rake and forestay tension can be adjusted whilst sailing.

Another thing that helps when it is windy is the R&J Slim sail which is a full height and boom length sail but has a shorter top batten which reduces the heeling force. I've had an older sail cut down to this shape recently and the boat is much more controllable in a blow. It goes upwind really well, makes a gybe easier but is a bit less powerful downwind.

Hope some of that helps.

Cheers

Paul

P.S. Derbyshire isn't really the North but it is far enough North for you not to be called a soft southern jessie which most of the contributors on here are.

[jonathantwite]

Hi, thanks all. Righting lines have also been suggested by an OK sailor at our club who has a similar problem.

I had a mess around in her on Tuesday evening in a F0 gusting -1, but she seemed to sail nicely in the (very) light stuff. I've been trying to set her up as per the website guides, once I get a sail in "normal" wind and she goes ok, I can stop fiddling and practise sailing her.

[robwilder]

Hi Jonathan,

Welcome to the British Moth class. Hopefully we can persuade you to join us at the Nationals in August? Or at least the class association
We will have some training and always willing to offer advice to those new to the class.
Nottingham SC looks like perfect venue for sailing a BM especially short tacking up the bank on the Trent..

Chairman Rob
X-Moth 881

[jonathantwite]

My BMBA check is in the post...

I am very tempted by the nationals, if only because this is the last year I will be a student.

Nottingham SC is great for learning to tack and coping with BIG wind shifts - gusts at 90deg are not unknown, and two races this year have had 2 windward buoys...