Flying Nacra with 3 crew

Good morning

Short version: 

The Nacra will fly carrying more than 300kg pay load in 15-17knots with a 14mkite.  Not very fast, but some long stable flights at perhaps 15knots – that’s a guess.  We’re feeling increasingly comfortable with it.  Never any sense of capsize or other danger.  More testing at higher speeds required to confirm this.  Although sailing systems are bedding down nicely J, the logistics of getting under way need more work L.

 

Longer version:

J Pick up 18m chrono and extra GoPro from AP – thanks. 

J New spark plug for 3.6hp 2 stroke.  In stock. Excellent.

J Fit new packers in rudder cases to improve ease of raising and lowering (GS did this, all well planned in advance).

J To Manly

J Pump up inflatable and start o/b first pull.  Rev high after warm up – new plug seems fine.  All good.

J Drop Nacra in and install boards.  Good boat ramp.  New packers in rudder box are a big improvement.

J Bring inflatable around to Nacra. 

L Fuel pouring out of carbie!  Che?  It was fine half an hour ago.  Decide it will fix itself…which it did.

L Tow Nacra out – o/b stops several times due to breather not breathing.  Easily resolved, but a serious pain.

L Battle out through chop for about 150m.

L Drop anchor off Nacra – line wraps around a daggerboard.  This may not be good. 

L Anchor line is bending daggerboard wand…this could well be the end of the day!

J Managed to clear line and wand seems fine – though can’t be sure.

J Let’s head back to shore in dinghy.  Weird that sucking noise as the stern goes up and down.

L That’s no sucking noise…that’s blowing!  Inflatable has been pierced by something on the rudder box – this could be interesting.

J Decide to make a run for shore.

L More stalls due to breather – this is really not funny now as we’re losing air fast.

J Arrive at shore alla Captain Jack Sparrow, stepping on to the stone steps on the northern Manly breakwater just as we’re about to sink.

J Meet MB

J Being very shrewd, he assesses that all is not well.  Not sure which of the evidently sinking used-to-be-inflatable or the smoke coming from my ears was the clearer indicator of my mood.  No inflatable means no kite boating!

J Spot Brisbane Coast Guard vessel testing newly serviced outboards in the leads…..there’s an idea….

J The Coast Guard guys drop the crew on the Nacra and I kite out to it.

L Assign MB to turn bow mounted GoPro on….

JJJJ Smooth transition to kite boating including flying (ie the boat flying above the chop) quite soon.  MB, and all crew, smiling.

J Bear in mind that all up we weighed around 450kg.  About 280kg in crew, a good anchor and chain, the boat, 4 vertical foils (1500mm each and each with some serious duplex stainless steel stiffening) plus their horizontal foils, a second smaller anchor, a kite board, VHF radio, 2 GoPros (OK, after that the equipment wasn’t contributing much to weight). 14m kite in 15 to 17knots of SE.  I forgot to install the logger – so no track data.  But still some honking good runs above the waves - but slower than last outing with only 2 crew.

J 45 minutes of squirting around off Manly.  Excellent. 

J Trimmed the tow point a few times to balance the helm – worked quite well – though that will require rejigging the bar and lines a little.

J Back to start of leads, TJ disembarks and kites back to kite beach, Coast Guard tow Nacra with MB and GS back to ramp.  Many thanks to CG.

J Dinner with MB at Manly.

J Home after 9 then move vehicles around to allow parking, get all aluminium foils out for rinse (downside of Manly boat ramp: no fresh water rinse facility), hang up all salty wet stuff.

J Have a beer (there were cold ones in the fridge!)

J Peruse diagnostic footage from bow mounted GoPro.  Not (see above re turning GoPro on).