Speed Shop: "Modernizing Vanguard and Teel Hulls."
How-to Tips from Finn Maven Darrell Peck
Says Peck: "If you complete all these upgrades, make the boat minimum weight with a near max aft CG and good Lamboley, your boat will be as fast or faster than a brand new boat."
Q. Why is a flexible hull faster than a stiff one?
DP: Not more flexible, more twisty. It will allow you to survive with a stiffer stick upwind. The hull will do a little twisting to de-power at the top of waves. Combined with well timed body movements, you can work the hull, mast, and sail through the water faster than dead, static weight and shape.
Q. I'm going to mold an adjustable deck ring, what dimensions should I use?
DP: The hole should be just over 4". Make the deck ring fit snug around your mast collar. They'll wear and become sloppier. I had a guy with a water jet cut out my last batch. So, the deck ring can be 5"x5". The last 3 conversions I did, I started with a 5"x8" chunk of UHMW. I used it as the plug for the deck ring cavity. I centered it on the deck, 1" behind and 2" in front of the existing hole.I then cut the rectangle out of the deck, lowered the UHMW to deck level, and glassed the edges in with two layers of 1.5oz mat. Then, I popped the UHMW out and cut the ends off (now it is 5" by 5" with a 4" hole). I stuffed about 4 more layers of mat between the deck and the newly created deck ring cavity chamfering the corners and making the shelf 1/2" at the sides.
Now the deck ring can slide an inch farther aft and two inches farther forward than stock. Running shock cord across the top to hold the shims in during capsize, is a good idea. I hold the deck ring in with spectra running to the base. It is lighter than the Devoti aluminum angle method.
Q. I've heard about adjustable centerboard slots. How can this be done to my boat?
DP: Slot the centerboard pin hole fore n' aft. Allow the centerboard to be moved aft to the 2050 max allowed by the class rules (see IFA for the latest rules). Use a 90 degree angle on a dremel to make short work of that job.
Q. What about mast rake?
DP: Make sure your mast butt and deck ring can be adjusted to allow a full range of rake and positioning. At the butt, measuring from the center of the centerboard pin to the aft face of the mastat the base (back of the cup), allow from 34 1/2 to 37 inches. In that range, your rake should be allowed to go beween 21'10" to 22'7". Make sure your deck ring can be adjusted accordingly. I've yet to see anyone sail outside that range and be able to go
forward and still get under the boom.
Q. Light in the ends is a maxim for hulls?what about Finns?
DP: Always try to make the bow lighter. If it exists in front of the traveler, make it lighter. As you near the bow, making something a few ounces lighter has more of an impact than making something pounds lighter near the middle of the boat.
Q. Has centerboard shaped changed with the newer boats?
D.P. Before '93, class rules forced the leading edge to be a blunt radius equal to half the board thickness or less (i.e. half round or more blunt). Your first priority should be to make that leading edge sharp tapered back 24mm. Make it just round enough so you won't cut your hands during capsize. Have the board etched first (anodizing removed). Sharpen it, fair it, smooth it, and then reanodize it. A lot of anodizing places have high minimum charges, buyer beware.
Q. What should I do to the hull itself?
DP: Fair the bottom and remove the keel bands. They are no longer required from the front of the CB trunk to the transom. The one from the bow to the CB trunk is still required. Taper the last 25mm of that one up to the leading edge of the centerboard while in the down position.
If your bow still has a bulkhead, yank it out. That will lighten the bow and make it twistier. You can hire Hose Maria VDP's 92 Gold medal boat prep team to jump up and down on the fore deck to make it softer.
Quelle: US Magazin Solo