Anonymous wrote:

 So Eric happily crossed the Channel!

As I see from the JC website information – there are only 3 participants, because it's the longest route (to Newport USA). Unfortunately – there doesn't seem to be any junk among them.

I wanted to watch via webcam, but unfortunately didn't make it in time. There doesn't seem to be any tracking either... Well – it's almost like the old days...

Bonjour

Yes ,I crossed the Channel and arrived to Plymouth on saturday the 9th. It was a long crossing due to lack of wind. I only had strong wing (in the nose) at the end of the crossing. 

I felt slightly lonesome as a junk ! Where were the other junkies. Hopefully Trevor Leak, the owner of Jester was there but he didn't succeed to come with Jester.

Effectivelly there are a limited number of particippants to this JC to Newport (RI). There are unfortunately no Junkrig. 

I took the start for the pleasure of it... but recrossed the Channel to Roscoff on a rather rude passage (ENE F6 and 2m cross swell). 

Crossing the channel is a bit like crossing a highway by foot ! There are lots of things floating around, much faster than little Mingming and, most of the time, on a cross track. I had to limit my sleep to 5 or 10mn naps most of the time. 

Eric

Anonymous wrote:

Eric,

When you have sorted out your new rig a little more, I strongly suggest that you arrange with a buddy to have a real photo session, that is, with him or her in a stationary boat, which you sail and manoeuvre around. There is a lot to learn from watching one’s own boat from the outside. I have done this to all my junk-rigged boats, even back in the days when Kodak and Agfa ruled…

Good luck!
Arne

Bonjour Arne

I completly agree but I'm not yet at this stage ! 

The crisscross of the channel was the maiden sail of the new prototype (N°2). As such it was already challenging. I didn't expect strong winds but had to deal with them for example. I learn a lot and I'm today enthousiastic about it but their is a lot of work still to perform until a really effective wingsail. 

Eric

Anonymous wrote:

Hooray!

So there were at least two of you observing the launch! You on the bank and Eric on Mingming with his new experimental sail. So Eric happily crossed the Channel!

I think Eric will definitely be pleased with the photo, whatever it may be!

Oh dear! My photos were so poor that I deleted them all and then deleted the deletions to save memory, so they are irretrievably lost. I can only say I saw "Mingming", reefed to 3 panels in an ENE6 breeze and there was nothing experimental about it. It looked like a conventional Hasler/McLeod  sail.

I stood on Penlee Point to watch the start in a 25-30 knot breeze and blazing sunshine. With only a phone for taking pictures, I got none worth looking at. There were 7 participants, 6 under Bermudan sloop rig, and bringing up the rear, a tiny junk with the sun & moon "Mingming" emblem on the well reefed sail. I didn't recognise her - does anyone know anything about her?

Bonsoir

Mingming has been masted and launched today in Roscoff marina. I'm now working to assemble the wing around the new full wishbones. 

Eric