Aquarius Sail Owners

Most likelY one for Bill, but if anyone else can answer go ahead.

I'm in the process of upgrading my 20 and am adding a spinnaker. I'm getting everything I possibly can from the factory, but am doing the spin pole myself because of shipping. Tom gave me the length of 14ftX2.5" o.d., hence the shipping part. So my question is why are the poles so long and big around? On other boats they use poles in the 12ft range that are 1.5" o.d., even on 20ft boats. I'm curious as to why, so when I'm asked I can answer instead of saying because that's what they told me. I'm sure there was lots of trial and error to come to this dimension, just trying to better understand.

The size of the spin pole is driven by the size of the spinnaker. The spin on your boat is significantly larger than the spin on other 20ft cats. The spin on SC products was first developed on the SC 20 "tall rig". Your boat is also 12 ft wide and the spin is trimmed to the shroud chainplate. Your spin is taller and wider than other 20 ft beach cats. The forces at the three corners of the spin on your boat are much larger than the spin forces
on a 20ft cat that is only 8 or 8.5 ft wide. That is why your boat is faster; the sails pull harder. Why do the sails pull harder on your boat? Ans: Your boat is WIDER! It has more righting moment and can drive the sails harder and make more thrust and therefore go faster. It is all very simple. I put a SC20 together once that was 20 ft wide. The 20 X 20 was a rocket to windward in a breeze. That's another story.

PS Has anyone read my last post on the Buzzelli race???

Thanks Bill! That makes perfect sense.

I would have like to have seen that 20x20!

That 20 X20 was awesome looking just sitting on the beach. From the front view it looked like a monster that could do some harm. I could single hand that boat and let the hull fly to the max and when a H16 was around I could sail by and pat it on top of the mast.

Getting ready to replace my spin pole as well and want to go "Back to Stock". I have most of the hardware I got with one of my boats. What is the wall thickness on the 2.5" spin pole?

I was told 14' long 2.5" o.d. Wall is .090".

I couldn't source that wall thickness locally so went with .125 (1/8") little thicker but doesn't seem to make a difference. I think John who is on here uses a longer pole from our conversations.

Are you going to race yours in the Florida 300 Craig?

Mac M wrote:I think John who is on here uses a longer pole from our conversations.

Thanks! The one on my boat now is 14.5'.

Mac M wrote:Are you going to race yours in the Florida 300 Craig?

I am doing a major overhaul that would prepare it for the Florida 300. I need a new set of sails for my short rig or fix my tall rig mast and repair a set of sails in order to do the race. Plus as it sits, my time is probably more valuable helping to run the race than putting another boat on the line. There were only three of us organizing it and four running it along with some locational volunteers.

It would be great to see an ARC or Supercat on the line. Below is some info on next years race:

2015 Florida 300/Dogfight
May 12 - setup, Islander Resort, Islamorada
Race Day 1, May 13 – Islamorada, FL to Key Biscayne;
Race Day 2, May 14 – Key Biscayne to Singer Island;
Race Day 3, May 15 – Singer Island to Vero Beach, FL;
Race Day 4, May 16 – Vero Beach FL to Cocoa Beach, FL .

The “Dogfight”, will be the last day of the Florida 300. It will include a separate start for all beach type catamarans up to 22 feet for a race from Vero Beach to Cocoa Beach, a run of about 50 miles. All are welcome to join in the fun. Awards to be Presented.

More info at http://www.Florida300.com

Well it looked well run from an online spectators standpoint last year. I enjoyed following it and look forward to this years. Great job!

I'd love to line my 20 up for the dash but am positive my wife wouldn't be game!

Keep us posted on your overhaul.

Thanks, we have a good core group including Chuck Bargeron who was in charge of the Tybee 500. We all worked the last Tybee 500 together.

Next year should be a bit easier because I already created most of the tools and we already have the contacts. Goal is to do 500 miles in 2016 and build up to 1000 miles keeping a distance rotation every year.

The key is getting new sailors involved. That is the future of the endurance racing. That is why we are running the same 300 mile format again this year. It is doable for almost any "experienced" sailor. Especially if they team with other "experienced" sailors who have already done the distance stuff.

Cyberspeed
Had a look at the FL 300 website. Wonderful job ya'll did!

Please tell Dick Macdonald (Team Turtle Mojo - Cirrus R F18) that I really enjoyed his narrative Turtle Mojo: Race Report .. "how a new guy can get through a race that is normally done by veteran sailors." Informative and inspirational.

As the sand in my hour-glass approaches 56 years, there is a yearning to 'experience' our local GT 300 http://www.gt300.com/ , and perhaps the FL 300 as well.

Thanks!

franklin VIOLA
ARC 21.01

Thanks fjviola, I stopped by Dicks house on Friday and chatted with him a while. He is already signed up for next year and will probably be teaming with Dave Ingram. I will tell him you enjoyed his story!

If you are serious, you should try and do as many distance races as possible. Where are you located? November 15-16 is Hiram's Haul (http://sailseries.com/hiramshaul) and the Key Largo Steeplechase (http://www.catsailor.com/Steeplechase.html) is December 13-14. Sail Series (organizers for Florida 300) is taking over Hiram's Haul this year and Chuck Bargeron, Warren Green and myself will all be there along with some of the Florida 300 teams including Turtle Mojo and Cat in the Hat. The race goes from Melbourne to Sebastian and back. 30 miles each way. It is all in the protected waters of the intercostal and an easy race logistically. We can transport your gear to the halfway mark and you stay at the hotel there. The hotel has a great tiki bar with a band and the sailors all hang out together. It is my wife's favorite race/location.

The key is to team with an experienced sailor and get them involved with boat prep well before the race. A race is not won with boat prep but it can be lost with boat prep. They can tell you what needs to be done and steer you through potential issues so when you get to the starting line you can concentrate on sailing the boat.

There are a lot of experienced sailors out there that would love to do the race. They will also be able to shorten your learning curve considerably. Let me know if you are interested and I can work on teaming you up with someone. We are really trying to get new distance sailors in the race to build a fleet from the ground up.

Let me know...

Cyberspeed
Please give me a shout at signature below.
Thanks
franklin VIOLA
ARC 21.01

fjviola wrote:Cyberspeed
Please give me a shout

Franklin, sent you and email. Let me know if you don't get it.

Just curious, what is the length of the ARC 22 pole?