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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: tacking to windward with a klepper *LINK*
Posted By: Rainer In Response To: Re: tacking to windward with a klepper (Alex M)
Date: Wednesday, 7 September 2005, at 10:25 a.m.
Know it, been there, sailing a Klepper II in up to a good Bft 4 or 5, at least foam was blowing off, couldn't look across wave tops..
Don't forget flotation bags and securing yourself to the boat since emptying after a capsize with swells and wind can be next to impossible, so fun can become danger easily.
The S4 sail and Klepper concept simply isn't doing what it is supposed to do.
For one it is not easy to reef while on the water, a batwing or djunk sail might help. Tacking to windward is not possible with the lee boards, maybe making them say 1,50 long might help but then there will be considerable leaverage on the cockpit coaming, apart from the dry weight and bulk.... A mizzen is needed to have a more balanced sail since the mast step is too far forward. But then it needs two to handle it all quickly in a good wind...
The Klepper hiking board is nonsens since it is too short to effectively riding out and slippery as well. Heeling hard in the wind looks great but doesn't give much extra speed anyway.
I gave up on that since you can make a Klepper folder sail nicely but then it is not a 50:50 concept. look at http://www.careen.nl where someone offers a keel with ballast plus larger rudder, then it tacks but setting up is awkward and what you get is a folding sail boat rather than a kayak... Still it is awkward to go about on a tack since it is a long kayak, not a dinghy.
My advice is using a simple downwind sail or maybe small kite max 2m2 and forget about all the rest.
Whether Balogh really has got the solution is something I'd believe only if I tried it at all points of sail and with some swell in a Bft 5 which I havn't. IMHO the Balogh outriggers are way too big increasing wind load considerably. Long swell and pacific winds is one thing for which a Proa concept might be fine, tidal waters with chop, wind over tide can easily become a boomerang to a outrigger system because of leaverage. That is when keel boats are better, not least because they allow almost any angle of heel and therefore reduce mast and hull strain as compared to cats or outrigger boats.
With whatever keel boat concept there is a good chance that one might fall out, then the boat self-rights and sails away....
Think a while about what you want to achieve.
... Or at www.foldingkayaks.org
That is a very good site, the best I know of, alot more can be found on http://www.faltbootbasteln.de but hardly anyone is skilled in open water folding boat sailing, as far as I know. Sailing just for fun on lakes isn't my idea of folding kayaks. At the end the cost and weight doesn't give you a universal travel machine rather than bulky ballast that needs moving about if there is no wind...
Regards
Rainer
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