One of those amazingly photogenic days at Datchet with crystal clear views over to Windsor!

First some launching platform adjustments to do. PH also taking measurements and wondering about chances of aluminium replacement

The main objective of the day was to make detail comparison of two specific Marbleheads – so first up it was measuring in the Clubhouse workroom. Some really minor differences, but a substantial difference in equipment placing below deck – same CofG, about the same weight, but different turning moments. Interesting!

We could have tried more Marbleheads as we had them there, but this session was better as it was very focussed on two boats – and constant skipper changeovers casts even more light.

Would these variations make a difference on the water?? Three of us skippered the two boats and were changing helms all the morning. There were tiny differences yes – certainly a huge amount to think about. Unexpected for me, as the beginner, that we had some differences in practice and even I could tell. Interesting differences between the “working” of the two rig designs during the ghosting puffs. You could actually see the rigs working away at their job. A lot to learn from those two approaches. We might see more on that as PH continues to work to that area.

However, when it came down to the boat-on-boat work, aside from pointing capability variation (very evident) other variations were there but harder to find.

The astonishing thing is how much you can learn on a two boat session like that. (Craig and Nigel do it with the Proteus a LOT!). I loved the morning, anyway !

Also good to see how little breeze you can take in a Marblehead with a swing rig.

Time to make notes at home 🙂