MARIE G (cambered panels) - Ketil Grieve - Norway

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  • 12 Jan 2014 13:56
    Reply # 1473107 on 1267378

    Hi,

    and happy New year to all of you. I have just recovered from the first race of the year. This was the 18th annual New year race of Stavanger seilforening. The race started in nice conditiones, sunny, 6 degrees celcius and 14 knots Wind. The fleet was divided in a short, 10,2 nm and a long 12 nm race distance. Marie G is rated high in the short class, so I had a late start. There where only 4 boats starting behind me, 2 of them rather fast, a Rainbow 42 and a Farr ILC 40. I also had to deal with a Bavaria 36Cruiser and a Maxi 1050 sailing the short course. I managed to keep the Bavaria at bay untill the second rounding. After that we all ran into a hailstorm! Wind at 32 knots with large hail was quite hilarious, no visibility and all straight in your face. My cap and hood/buf combination helped. I reconed the wind would drop after the passing shower, and just forced Marie G hight into the wind without taking a panel down. At the next rounding Marie G was not the last to the mark, having exelled in "survival" conditiones. Next leg was a dead run. I just put the barndoor out, put the autopilot on, and helped myself to some food. Rounding the mark,I could congratulate my self with more boats behind me. The Bavaria had fared well in the hailstorm, but was now behind. He passed me on the next leg by a boatlength, but I retook my position on the following reaching leg in turbulence from the land. The rest of the race was a run to the mark, and a beat back, round the bouy and to the finishing line. The fast fleet had to make the last course twice, thus the last rounding became quite crowded. Marie G was the fill in the sandwitch between the Bavaria and the Farr ILC. On the last run to the finishing line, I lost out to the Farr, but gained on the Bavaria. Other boats tried to pass, but Marie G managed to get to the finishing line 2minutes and 40 Seconds behind the Farr, 2 Seconds Ahead of a Bavaria Match. The Cruiser was beaten with 1 minute and 13 Seconds. I thought I had a 15th position, but was positively surprised when I learned I had gotten the 8th place. Naturally I am pleased with being in the higher 1/3. Breaking it into numbers, Marie G travelled 1 nm in 13,33 minutes. The cruiser 14,21 min/nm. The Farr: 10,66 min/nm. All in all not bad for a sail that will not sail to windward

  • 12 Dec 2013 12:28
    Reply # 1456758 on 1267378

    Thank you, I am still on a learning curve. The race was quite rough in itself, but the Wind direction tempted me to sail home the same afternoon. When I entered to open strech of waters between Bokn and Tungenes Marie G really came to life. With Wind and Waves from behind, she flew With 4 panels Down. The Wind varied from 28 to36 knots, old 2 meters swell from the side and in choppy seas from rear, Marie G surfed in speeds from 8- 12 knots. The spray from the bowwave was awesome, pity it was dark, some videoshots would be super braggingmaterial. 2 hours of flying and no problems With broaching, just pure, undiluted fun. 

  • 12 Dec 2013 03:07
    Reply # 1456596 on 1267378
    Deleted user
    Ketil - just wanted to say thanks for your racing report postings.  Being interested in performance and having raced BM rigs the past 20 years - and now looking to simplify without slowing down too much, they are informative!

    Erik
  • 02 Dec 2013 21:17
    Reply # 1449980 on 1267378

     

    The annual adventseilas was held i Karmsundet the 1st of Desember. The conditiones where rather windy but mild. I started with four panels down in 30 knots wind. The race was started staggered, ie the slowest first and the fastest last according to the handicap. I started as the 6th boat with a downwind sail to the first rounding and rounded as 3rd boat. Second leg was a tight beat, and having not sailed 4 panels Down, it took some time to figure out how to sheet in the upper part of the sail to sail on the normal 30 degrees on the relative wind. I lost 2 places on that leg, gained a bit on a turbulent 600 meter running leg, but managed to hold my position on the beating leg to the finishing line. The most interesting boat to compare with, was a sister X-99 that beat me with 12 minutes after 2 hours sail. I am comfortable with that result.  

  • 02 Oct 2013 16:49
    Reply # 1403185 on 1267378
    Deleted user
    [Webmaster comment: Ketil's recent post moved here]

    Report from the Shorthanded week end, Stavanger 28th and 29th September.

    The start on saturday 11am went off in feeble winds. We all got away from the line upwind to a can and then downwind for the rest of the race. Marie G is really no good in light conditiones, but I was lucky with the choise of way forward, as some of the boats was becalmed, and I managed to sneak along the shore of the fjord where some draft was present. I could round the mark in 17th (of 21 boats) position. Thereafter it was  a good reach in light winds, unfortunately enough to lift the spinnakers, but I could still gain 4 positiones to the next rounding. On the very long running leg, the fastest boats sailed steadily away and left me in the last group of boats, 7 of us. A few hours and quite a distance covered, we all started to gain on the leading group. They had sailed into a windhole, and was lying still. When we caught up, we brought the wind with us, and the regatta was virtually restarted. Very frustrating for the leading bunch. The wind died and became fluky. The spinnakers would not set. The little wind started coming from all directions, so Marie G really enjoyed herself. The Junkrig is superb in turbulent and "hopeless" conditiones. I could se myself as the overall winner, but there was too little time left, and too far to the finishing line..... nobody finished!

    The finishing area was in a marina with a restaurant. It was booked as a part of the race, and we all enjoyed ourselves with the usual bragging and lying.

    Next morning was the sail home. It turned out to be a steep beat all the way with just too little wind to move Marie G efficiently. It was a long sail home, and I managed to finished the race with 51 seconds to spare for the cutoff time at 1700. The last 500 meters was the longest distance I have ever sailed. I had one boat behind me, but that was so far behind that they did not bother to cross the finishing line.

    Braking it down to numbers, I could compare with a friends boat 40 minutes ahead of me, taking the handicap regulationes in the calculation. I could figure out that his boat was 15% quicker than mine. Not too bad in the conditiones. I got real comfort from the resultsheet, as I got beaten by 16 seconds by an Elan Impression 434. The boats name is Lazy, and that, I guess, sums it up.

  • 11 Aug 2013 19:23
    Reply # 1362920 on 1267378
    Deleted user
    Arne just posted this in the General Forum: "I’ve said it before and I repeat it: There is only one fjord flyer in Stavanger and that is Marie G. We met her today when we were out in my new Frøken Sørensen. Despite feeling quite content with our boat, we were sitting ducks compared to Ketil’s X-99. She may well be the fastest monohull junk-rigged sloop in history. Here is a photo I took today (in the JRA photo gallery).
  • 07 Aug 2013 14:39
    Reply # 1360488 on 1267378
    Well done Ketil.  "Racing improves the breed!" 
  • 06 Aug 2013 22:21
    Reply # 1360083 on 1267378
    Deleted user
    [Webmaster edit: Moved from the General Forum post about this new Racing Forum]

    From Ketil G, 6 Aug 2013:

    A report from the last race with Marie G.

    I got my handicap in time for the around Ryfylke race. That is a 44NM race from friday afternoon to saturday 1500hrs. The problem was lack of wind(!) and a strong tidal stream at the first rouding mark, Arsgrunnen. The two fastest boats made it before the wind died, but the rest of us sailed as slow as we could, backwards! Anchoring was not an option as the shallows are a small aeria of 4 meters depth, and the rest of the site is some 80 meters. I stayed alert in the night and managed to pick a blow visiting us, and managed to round the shallow. It sounded like a river, and I gave it a wide run. Only 4 boats had made it before us, so we really enjoyed it. "Sailing" to the next mark was easy with a little headwind and strong following tidal stream. The log showed 0,5 knots, but the GPS said 3,5. The rest of the race was in very little wind. We tried to keep up with a Luffe 44, and stayed ahead of an Albin Express. The draft was from behind where the Junkrig exells. The Express struggeled to keep the spinnaker standing, and we enjoyed the cursing when it collapsed. The race was shortened, but the wind came and greeted us the last 20 minutes, so we could cross the finishing line in style. We crossed as the first boat in the "small" class, but the Express beat us on handicap. Second place was not too bad, and many good comments to go with it. Higly enjoyable.

  • 12 Apr 2013 22:06
    Message # 1267378
    Deleted user
    Edmund Dantes, first race, November 2011 "Not much to brag about after the first race this season, although it was promising. The wind was 20-24 knots. The running bit was fine, with much more control than the spinnaker users, and more speed that a Hanse 350, even with one of my panels down. Upwind I tried to keep the relative wind angle at 35 degrees, boatspeed 5.4 knots and a VMG 3.7- 4.0 knots - quite respectable, but not really a challenge to the more slippery hulled and superbly sailed yachts."

    Marie G: second race, August 2012 "I had the boat measured, and got a very good LYS of 1.18 for the Stavanger Race, but they put me in the touring class. The day came with very light and flimsy winds, and the starting line was moved away from the congested Vågen. The start was 'Gunder' method, ie the slowest boats start first and the fastest last, figured from the handicap. There was some fighting for space at the finish... Starting first in the touring class I could enjoy looking at it all from the stern. The race was straight out and in. Out was a port tack leg that allowed me to sail straight to the mark without tacking. I rounded the mark in 10th position from 32 contestants, and was looking forward to a reach home. The wind died a bit and became even more flimsy. I really had to work the sheet to keep the sail working with such little wind. I managed to keep my position and came in 10th overall, 2nd in class. At the prizegiving dinner I heard somebody mumbling "letting in the serpent". Big Smile. There was much interest in the rig, and many questions. I told them that the only way to understand the efficiency and easy handling of a junk is to come and sail Marie G."

    Marie G, third race, September 2012 "The race was around Kvitsøy, an archepelago west from Stavanger consisting of a thousand islands and rocks. Very nice to anchor in, and very nice to sail around in a summer breeze. Today it was not a summer breeze, it was 22-26 knots wind, heavy swells from west and confusing waves from the south west, whipped up by the wind. Marie G performed well until we went out to sea. The race was more of taking care of the boat and my seasick wife. Rounding the south end of the islands gave us a good reach with waves from behind. The next rounding mark gave us a dead run - I could use full sail again. We had one yacht behind us, an Albin Nova, and despite her using a spinnaker, she could not catch us, and that was the position going around Tungenes and into sheltered water to the finishing line. I crept up on a few yachts, but could not overtake any of them as they where too far ahead. A good day's sail in heavy seas against the wind, with not a too bad result."

    Marie G, fourth race, September 2012 "Yesterday was a great day for us junkies! On racing day, the weather was too nice. The race started at 1 pm with 4 knots wind from behind. Spinnaker starts are always interesting (of course I don't need one) so, after making a good start, I had a great wiew of the ongoing dramas while I had an easy job, letting out the sail and leaving it to the autopilot. The best sailed boats left me behind, but most of the boats could not sail away from Marie G. Well, I thought, as I turned the mark onto a tight reach - all good things must end. The wind picked up, and it became quite sailable. Spinnakers were now no use, but the junk sail really came into the right groove, and I could play 'catch up and run away from'. The next turning point gave us all a headwind. I did not look forward to that, but I was astonished at how well I could keep up. I was passed by an Elan Impression 384, but managed to keep a First 375 at bay. The route was up a narrow sound, with the wind from the side in catabatic turbulence. I entered the sound as the first of 3 boats. A better demonstration of the superiority of our rig could not be asked for. I gained more than 200 meters lead in a 500 meter sound. No wonder the Chinese used the rig on rivers! From the sound it was a run to the next turning point and a beat to the finishing line. The wind had increased and was now a healthy 18 knots, and Marie G did fine, passing the finishing line as number 6. Having 9 competitors behind left me with a very warm feeling. I am sailing with too high a handicap, but that did not prevent me from taking 1st place in the tourers' class. I have said it before, and now it is proven: if spinnakers are not used, our junk rig is superior!"

    Marie G, fifth and sixth races, October 2012 "The weather was showery, 10-13 degrees Celsius, and cold. The wind was southerly 16-24 knots. As the race would be downwind, the start was organized with a first leg upwind. I came out of the start last, but had a good beat to the turning point and turned as the third from last boat. The next leg was a fairly close reach and Marie G really shone and overhauled three more boats. From the next leg it was a run with the wind - boats not using their spinnakers were left behind. The wind was not strong enough to get MG to surf exept in the squalls. 19 boats started, and only 3 singlehanders. 16 two-handed boats could set their spinnakers and fly. At the end of the race Marie G finished in 15th place, 2nd in the singlehanders class, and looking at the opposition I was quite pleased. The evening was of the social kind, wining and dining, bragging and lying... The next day's race was the sail home - same weather as the day before, which meant a long hard beat - the moment of truth. I managed to keep 3 boats behind me and, after 4 hours and 27minutes I had lost just 20 minutes to 2 boats that I use as a guide (LYS handicaps of 1.21). They are both well sailed, and I figured out that the junkrig of Marie G has a 9.3% handicap when going to windward, and a 4.2% handicap against a spinnaker-sailed boat running. Sailing without spinnaker gives Marie G an advantage of 4-5%, and in a reach even more. I find these numbers very interesting, and they support my vision that 90% of cruisers should be better off with a junkrig, period. It is now a long time to the next race, 2nd of December. That leaves me enough time to wonder whether a split junk rig would perform better..."

    Summing up the season I would like to say that junk rig is highly adaptable to high performance yachts. I had doubts about converting my X-99, but I now have a very sail-able boat under me. She is so beautifully balanced, soothing, manoeuvrable, and whispering fast. Sailing her is truly rewarding.
    Last modified: 31 Jan 2013 23:15 | Brian Kerslake
    Last modified: 12 Apr 2013 23:29 | Deleted user
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