70 replies to this topic

[MR.CLEAN]

The Florida Keys are more like the Aleutian Islands at the moment, with a bitter North wind leading the assembled A-Cat sailors in Islamorada to don their entire traveling wardrobes to drive to the Whisle Stop for a beer or six. But they'll be racing tomorrow in 20+ knots and flat water, and god help them if all they have is a shorty.

We'll be recording video and stills of the racing from an open boat and posting it on SA in the afternoon, and if we're not taking solid sheets of spray on our heads, we'll update you with text and twitter shots from the course. This is our first time covering A-Cats, and we're definitely excited - there's something undeniably exciting about these sculpted and dangerous looking weapongs, even more so now that they have so much in common with the America's Cup monsters we've been studying so hard for months.

Below you'll see US A-Cat President Bob Hodges rigging his boat in the cold and dark and listen to Ben Hall and Ben Moon talk about the new designs and their similarity to the Cup boats. "We call it 'trickle-up' technology," they said. We'll post out updates, pictures, videos, and scores here on the On-The-Water Anarchy forum, brought to you by the US A-Class Catamaran Association and Coconut Grove Sails and Canvas. And while we're talking beach cats, have a look at this previously lost footage that we just posted to YouTube from the 2009 Tybee 500 - this is some Leg 1 finish carnage and a cool Leg 2 Le Mans start, shot from 40 feet off the beach.

And here are the A-Cat interviews.

[bgulari]

Are you sure that it is coconut grove?

[MR.CLEAN]

Well, it certainly hasn't calmed down at all!

Currently it is blowing cats off trailers, err....dogs off chains out my window. Easily 30 knots. Back to coffee...

[AUS]

clean, i hope you have some rum in that coffee! breeze seems to be backing off a little. should be great by 1pm race time...

[AUS]

BTW that first video seems to have been pulled from youtube bc of its length

[MR.CLEAN]

Are you sure that it is coconut grove?

It's called that for the sponsor - Coconut Grove Sail & Canvas.

And Ben, the video is fine, it's probably just the hotel's slow connection. Here:



Oh shit, now I see what you mean.

[MR.CLEAN]

calming down a bit, still butt ass cold but wind down below 20, at least for a few minutes.

[MR.CLEAN]

Fixed!


Bob Hodges, Ben Hall, and Ben Moon on new A-Cats, the America's Cup, and cold weather racing.

Full screen link: http://drop.io/1hb7mkf/asset/2009-a-cat-in...-boats-comp-mp4

[MR.CLEAN]

Some pics coming up from the boatyard. This resort is awesome, if I was running a beach cat class I would add an event here immediately.

Start postponed until 2 PM. Pics and vid from skipper's meeting coming up.

[Surf City Racing]

Some pics coming up from the boatyard. This resort is awesome, if I was running a beach cat class I would add an event here immediately.

Start postponed until 2 PM. Pics and vid from skipper's meeting coming up.

Bring it, Clean! Your *style* fits more in line with the Cat sailors anyway!

[MER]

Set-up slideshow...

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

[MR.CLEAN]

Breeze is down to 15-18 right now, packing up the gear.

[MR.CLEAN]

Topical Thread:

Which is quicker, A-Cat or Moth?

[MR.CLEAN]

We're in, Bob Webbon's on his new Martstrom took two bullets in two races. Breeze died out to 10 or so, but a beautiful day if you ignored the thermometer.

Videos and pics trickling in over the next 90 minutes.

[MR.CLEAN]

Ben Moon launches his new Ashby A3 for the first time:





Race 1 Start and Gate:

[MR.CLEAN]

Tybee 500 alumnus and A-Cat virgin Baily White after his first day racing an A-Cat:



Ian Landahl kicked ass today with a 2 and a 4 on his self-built LS-2, which is the funky lookin' one.

[MER]

Day One Racing Slideshow...

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

see all photos from today in my printroom gallery HERE

[MR.CLEAN]

I think the skipper's meeting is pretty damned funny if you watch it all the way through. A good bunch of guys, but they need some women 'round these parts.

[punter]

Good stuff. Great spot to sail. Did the A-Cat worlds there in Nov07.

[Somebody Else]

Nice stills, Mer!

But I got in trouble at work when the old people's music started blaring out of my speakers.

[Africat]

Thanks for brining OTW to the A-cat world, Mer and Clean!!

Clean: One question I would have on new boats is, "Why doesn't anybody build a ruggedized practice-A-cat?" For those who sail from a rougher spot, it would make sense to have a drag-on-the-beach, Hobie-rugged A-cat, which they wouldn't have to baby all the time. Failing that, I'm stuck with vintage -- but tough-as-nails -- Hobie 14s and 16s here in West Africa. I guess this is OK for practice, but I'd still be curious to get an answer about a ruggedized practice-A-cat.

[moondawg]

Thanks for brining OTW to the A-cat world, Mer and Clean!!

Clean: One question I would have on new boats is, "Why doesn't anybody build a ruggedized practice-A-cat?" For those who sail from a rougher spot, it would make sense to have a drag-on-the-beach, Hobie-rugged A-cat, which they wouldn't have to baby all the time. Failing that, I'm stuck with vintage -- but tough-as-nails -- Hobie 14s and 16s here in West Africa. I guess this is OK for practice, but I'd still be curious to get an answer about a ruggedized practice-A-cat.

Take a look at the Hobie FXone http://www.hobiecat....dels_fxone.html . Folks sail them regularly off the beach here in Holland in surf. I don't know how it compares to an A cat.

[Marie Laveau]

I gotta wonder how accurate that start line is when they don't have a bridle run off the catamaran RC boat...

[MR.CLEAN]

Here's all the racing, after uploading to YouTube all night.

Race 1 Start and Gate:




Race 1 Finish:





Race 2 Start:




Race 2 Top Mark:




Race 2 Gate:




Race 2 Final Mark:



Part 2:




Race 2 Finish:





Part 2:

[Deeznutz]

Tybee 500 alumnus and A-Cat virgin Baily White after his first day racing an A-Cat:



Ian Landahl kicked ass today with a 2 and a 4 on his self-built LS-2, which is the funky lookin' one.

Way to go Ian! Nice to see him doing well... and representing WMU

Keep it up brother!

[LCD]

Great to see Anarchy OTW covering this. Let's hope it warms up some.
JL @ LR2/LR3 camp.

[MR.CLEAN]

It really is a great bunch of folks. Just heard that our pal Johnny Goldsberry might be coming down later to show us all how to kiteboard.

Wind is 20 knots from the NW, still chilly but more tolerable, and plenty of wind so we should finally get some carnage! Sorry we can't do much OTW from the actual water, but we should have vids loaded and up within an hour of getting off the water. Warning is at noon, three races scheduled, about 35-40 minutes each. These fuckers are going to be hauling today!

Also a big thank you to the Islander Resort for stepping up to help support our coverage of this fleet. The sales manager was checking out one of our videos where we were extolling the virtues of holding a regatta here, and they liked it so much that they became a sponsor. Their money won't change our opinion at all though - if I were part of any beach cat or dinghy class, I'd be scheduling a winter regatta here at least once a year.

[Corny Shields]

Fantastic coverage. Thanks.

[Ludicrous Speed]

Updates!!!! Video clip of practice even!!! :-) Show these boats all fired up in 20 kts!!!

[woofwoof]

how do I feel, with a new (used) A-cat in the garage RIGHT NOW I picked up last weekend... but I took ownership too late to get time off from work (and hoome chores!) to be down there... sigh... but soon

(but it's too cold! since when was there frostbiting in Florida...!)

hope to catch up with you A-men later...

[MR.CLEAN]

We lost the last part of the second race and all of the third because of a rescue mission. Bob Orr broke his port forward shroud before the first race, and no one saw him. At the end of the second race, a big motor cruiser called somehhing Georgiana called the RC. "One of your racers is out here." Bob pulled his sail down almost immediately when he noticed the shroud, and without a sail up during the busy pre-race action, no one noticed him. A half hour later, he'd jury-rigged a shroud after tying off to a crab pot. Another half hour, and he had enough strength to think about hoisting some sail and trying to get seen. That's when we were called.

"Does anyone in the fleet have a waterproof VHF on their boat?" I asked.
"I will next time," Bob answered.

Good stuff though, plenty of good shots today though obviously not much vid. We'll get a bunch of words from the fleet when they get in.

Loading vids now. Bob Hodges had two good races, not sure about the rest just yet.

[saildownunder]

have a look to this vid.
at german championship at lake garda 2009

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=67Z6YFUXvz4

[The Squareman]

Well Done Ian ! Hang in there and make the LR boats as desireable to own as the "old" LCD boats !

Dick

[Ludicrous Speed]

Why are the Europeans so much cooler than we are?

have a look to this vid.
at german championship at lake garda 2009

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=67Z6YFUXvz4

[Ludicrous Speed]

2007 Acat Worlds...Florida

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=047FX8zT-D4

[lesburn1]

Mr. Clean, don't forget 2 aspirin and one liter of water...

[MauganNacra20]

Clean,
Trey wants you to ask all the a catters whether they shave their legs to get less drag/more speed. Please ask...

[Hobie]

Anyone else having trouble with the results link?

[nacrafinn]

Anyone else having trouble with the results link?

yes.

[Deeznutz]

Anyone else having trouble with the results link?

Yeah. I can't get it to work.

This is absolutely the worst On The Water Anarchy ever! It's 9 at night and no new material. WTF?

[MR.CLEAN]

Anyone else having trouble with the results link?

Yeah. I can't get it to work.

This is absolutely the worst On The Water Anarchy ever! It's 9 at night and no new material. WTF?

Oh for fuck's sake...a guy's gotta eat some pizza! BTW, the newish Boardwalk Pizza 5 miles toward the mainland is fucking amazing brooklyn style heaven.

Attached Thumbnails

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[Deeznutz]

Anyone else having trouble with the results link?

Yeah. I can't get it to work.

This is absolutely the worst On The Water Anarchy ever! It's 9 at night and no new material. WTF?

Oh for fuck's sake...a guy's gotta eat some pizza! BTW, the newish Boardwalk Pizza 5 miles toward the mainland is fucking amazing brooklyn style heaven.

Haha. Thanks!

Way to go Ian!

[MR.CLEAN]

How about that though - a three way tie for first place. Great racing for sure!

[MR.CLEAN]

Race 3 Top Mark (we missed start setting gates)



Top Mark part 2


Top Mark Part 3


Flipped over on Race 3


Serious downwind action


Moonie Ragin'


More Moonie

[MR.CLEAN]

The real drama of the day was Bob Orr nearly disappearing forever. Scary.

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

[MER]

day 2 slideshow

[Africat]

One question I would have on new boats is, "Why doesn't anybody build a ruggedized practice-A-cat?"

Take a look at the Hobie FXone http://www.hobiecat....dels_fxone.html . Folks sail them regularly off the beach here in Holland in surf. I don't know how it compares to an A cat.

Thanks, moondawg. I was actually on the cusp of buying a used FX-one last summer in the US. But then it turned out that the mast would have been too long for my container shipment allowance. So I decided to save my money for later and sail whatever I would find locally here in Senegal.

Many wonder what an A-cat from Hobie Cat Europe would look like. First, they designed the FX-one. And last year they came out with the carbonized iCat single-hander. But neither of those fit within A-cat class rules. On the upside, you can fit both of them with a chute. I would be really curious to find out how the two HCE uni-rigs compare to an A-cat, especially the FX. Anybody have experience with both FX-one and A-cat?

[MR.CLEAN]

Update: The results are wrong. Bob Webbon won it!

A shitload of videos coming up in ten minutes, posting from the road to Lauderdale.

[MR.CLEAN]

Race 3 Finish - this is where I started to get frustrated with our assigned 'driver' who'd never driven a powerboat before. D'oh!




Race Director John Schieffer capsizes




Race 4 Start:




Flying at the top mark:




And here's where it all went wrong and our driver's brain melted. The call to go rescue Orr came shortly thereafter.




Rescue:




Race 5 Start with boat in tow:




Another copy of Bob Orr interview




Moonie on his new boat and the class in general:




The star of that Tybee video from the other day, Jonathan Ferrar, always a fun interview:

[T.Paasch]

Many wonder what an A-cat from Hobie Cat Europe would look like. First, they designed the FX-one. And last year they came out with the carbonized iCat single-hander. But neither of those fit within A-cat class rules. On the upside, you can fit both of them with a chute. I would be really curious to find out how the two HCE uni-rigs compare to an A-cat, especially the FX. Anybody have experience with both FX-one and A-cat?

Hi Africat.

Been there, done that.
I've been sailing all kinds of Hobie Cats in about 25 years. I've been racing Hobie 18, Hobie 16, Hobie Tiger and after I moved to far away from my crew I went for a one-man boat, the Hobie 14. After a couple of years I decided to step up to the Fx-one, so I bought one. I only had it for one month before I got rid of it and got My self an A.

It is Heavy for one man to handle up and down the slipway, beach would be even worse. 150 kg is a lot to push around. Next problem was getting it up again after a capsize. My 75 kg was not enough, not even if it's positioned right in the wind. Many Fx-one sailors cary some kind of a righting system (pole or water bag). With my weight it wasn't much fun sailing with the spinnaker. I had to bear away to much even while trapezing with the spinnaker to prevent the boat from capsizing, so I never got the speed rush I was used to from reaching on a F18.
Last annoying point for me was the lack of Fx-one regattas - a European Championship with 7 boats really isn't that much fun.

I had seen A's a couple of times before, but there are a lot of rumors about the A's that keep many people away. The two of the most obvious are prize and fragile.
I found out that I could get a used Flyer, ready to race, for the same money I paid for the used Fx-one. If you consider that you get full-carbon high-tech compared to glassfiber and aluminum, it's not to bad - of cause you only get half the weight of it

You can't run it full speed up the beach, like with a Hobie 14 or 16 - but then again, you wouldn't do that with a F18, Tornado, 505 or almost any other traditional dinghy. So if you handle it like you would with anything else than a Hobie 14/16, you'll be fine, and if you don't run into stuff and don't get run over, it won't break. The boat builders have learned to build A's at minimum weight with plenty of strength. They where fragile back in the days where they went for minimum weight but didn't have carbon. Those days are gone.

The sailing experience in an A-Class is second to none. It's so refined, accurate, balanced, light and efficient, yet simple, so it almost seams like cheating when you pass a Hobie 16 just flying a hull while trapezing in 7 knots of wind.

Another god thing is that you don't have to be at a specific weight to have a chance, different masts and sails are on the marked or you just get one tailored to suit your body weight.

That's my opinion...

[Questioner]

Anyone got the results from today ?

[ACat]

All I know is that Ben Hall had a 2,1,1 today. I think Paul Allen is in second but I am not sure about that.

Anyone got the results from today ?

[AClass USA 230]

Anyone got the results from today ?

Breeze today was north at 10-12 for the first race and than a wonderful 12-14 knots for the 2nd and 3rd races. Top five with boat/mast/sail are:

1. Ben Hall 4 points (2-1-1) Barracuda (Cogan design) - Hall Mast - Cogan sail
2. Ian Lindhal 6 points (1-2-3) LR2 - Hall - Glaser
3. Paul Allen 9 points (4-3-2) A3 - Hall - Glaser
4. Bob Hodges 14 points (6-4-4) Ashby ASG3 - Fiberfoam - Ashby
5. Jonathan Farrar 16 points (5-6-5) A2 - Hall - Farrar sail

Two races scheduled for tomorrow, 10 races for the week. 28 boats racing in this second series of the week.

It's been a great week of sailing with a lot of new boats and lots of curved blades. Those of us with the curved blades think they work but there's still lots to learn. Fun stuff.

Bob Hodges
USA 230

[Africat]

Race 3 Finish - this is where I started to get frustrated with our assigned 'driver' who'd never driven a powerboat before. D'oh!

Flying at the top mark:

Moonie on his new boat and the class in general:

The star of that Tybee video from the other day, Jonathan Ferrar, always a fun interview:

Great stuff, Clean! As usual. Typical Clean-Gonzo style.

After I moved too far away from my crew I went for a one-man boat, the Hobie 14. After a couple of years I decided to step up to the Fx-one, so I bought one. I only had it for one month before I got rid of it and got My self an A.

... there are a lot of rumors about the A's that keep many people away. The two of the most obvious are prize and fragile.

Thanks for the insightful comments, T.Paasch! It's very useful to hear about your progression from various two-man boats to the three one-man boats. If a wide competition field is important, that certainly narrows down the choices.

At my club here in Dakar (Yachting Club Dakarois), Hobie 16 and 14 are the main options. I've only been sailing the 16s, as none of the 14s are rigged right now. I'm trying to get at least one 14 set up. But all the hulls require some repair, exactly because of the "slamming into the beach" that you mention. And given that most prefer to sail, the boats that need fixing have stayed on the beach. In terms of weight, I'm about 72 kg right now (down from 90 kg). So that should be OK both for the Hobie 14 and eventually an A-cat, a few years down the road.

This discussion is excellent. I'll probably start a dedicated thread in Multihull Anarchy later today, so as not to detract any more from the A-cat Coconut Grove Invitational and race reporting.

[Africat]

PS: And thanks for posting the Top 5 results, Bob!

[AClass USA 230]

All of the videos on page 2 are just showing up as white boxes(?). Clean, hope you made it to Key West and stayed warm on the way. Can you check out when convenient? Great slide show by Mer, wonderful photos!

[transom]

Anyone got the results from today ?

Breeze today was north at 10-12 for the first race and than a wonderful 12-14 knots for the 2nd and 3rd races. Top five with boat/mast/sail are:

1. Ben Hall 4 points (2-1-1) Barracuda (Cogan design) - Hall Mast - Cogan sail
2. Ian Lindhal 6 points (1-2-3) LR2 - Hall - Glaser
3. Paul Allen 9 points (4-3-2) A3 - Hall - Glaser
4. Bob Hodges 14 points (6-4-4) Ashby ASG3 - Fiberfoam - Ashby
5. Jonathan Farrar 16 points (5-6-5) A2 - Hall - Farrar sail

Two races scheduled for tomorrow, 10 races for the week. 28 boats racing in this second series of the week.

It's been a great week of sailing with a lot of new boats and lots of curved blades. Those of us with the curved blades think they work but there's still lots to learn. Fun stuff.

Bob Hodges
USA 230

SOOOOO...from the outside looking in it seems that all of the boat/mast/sail configurations are working and the guy looking to get into the class could buy anyone of these boats and not blame the boat for lack of performance. Is this a true statement? what could I buy jonathan farrar's boat for as it is rigged as he pulls it up on the beach (or the others)?

[Scarecrow]

The only issue is your weight. A's often have masts and sails tailored to the helm's weight, so you want to buy a boat off someone who is of a similar weight to you. With this in mind Farrar would be a good person to buy a boat of as he has the ability to re-work the sail for you if necessary.

[Questioner]

Thanks for the results Bob, look fwd to today's results too :-)

Transom....another issue to factor in is that the new boats probably all have new sails and some of the older boats may not, might pay to check who has what.

[transom]

Thanks for the help. I'm 190 lbs, 6'3". I think I would be inclined to relatively simple systems and a glaser sail. I asked about Jonathan's boat because I assume it is the oldest...

[Lost in Translation]

I just got in to the a-cats this week in Islamorada. I just bought a 2002 Auscat Flyer that had been fitted with high aspect rudders and boards and sailed it for the first time on Monday. I had never sailed an A before. While I was in the back of the fleet, I'm hooked on these boats. It is the best boat I have ever bought and I've owned 505s and raced 49ers and Nacra 20s.

I used a one generation old glaser sail on a Lindenberger (spelling?) mast and felt plenty fast most of the time. I'm 5'9", 165 - 170 lbs. Boat handling was my issue as well as just getting the boat figured out.

In talking to guys there, I get the feeling that there are several pretty fast boats lurking in terms of availability in the 9K to 12K price range. Several of the guys racing have several good boats. If folks are interested, let's just keep the thread going and I'll see what I can research.

[AClass USA 230]

Final day of racing had 8-10 knots of breeze. Ben Hall continued his winning ways in the 4th race of the series taking the bullet. 2nd through 6th in this race finished within 30 seconds of each other. Great racing. Ben's string got broke in the last race with Paul Allen taking the well deserved bullet. Again it was a real tight race within the top 6 boats finishing within a minute of each other.

The final top five did not change from Day 1 so here's the final series top five:

1. Ben Hall - Barracuda (2-1-1-1-8) 5
2. Ian Lindhal - LR2 (1-2-3-2-2) 7
3. Paul Allen - A3 (4-3-2-3-1) 9
4. Bob Hodges - ASG3 (6-4-4-6-4) 18
5. Jonathan Farrar - A2 (5-6-5-8-7) 23

28 boats racing.

Look for a more detailed report on the regatta and posted results sometime next week on www.usaca.info.

[Africat]

Thanks for posting the final top 5 results. Look forward to the full results on USACA.

Hope you guys can post some pictures and a write-up as well! The newbies wanting to learn and potentially get into the A-Cat scene would love to learn more about the various winning and not-so-winning boats and sailors.

[Hobie]

Thanks for the help. I'm 190 lbs, 6'3". I think I would be inclined to relatively simple systems and a glaser sail. I asked about Jonathan's boat because I assume it is the oldest...

Jonathan's boat is for sale by the way. At least it was when I spoke with him a week ago.

[John Williams]

Why on earth would he be selling such a fine boat?

[Hobie]

Why on earth would he be selling such a fine boat?

To buy a new boat of course.

[John Williams]

Is it true he's getting a monohull?? Or is he just getting one hull?

[Hobie]

Is it true he's getting a monohull?? Or is he just getting one hull?

1+1=3

[TornadoSail2016]

Does anyone have pictures of Ben's new Cogan designed Barracuda? I know he designed the Evo and is now out with a new platform.

[dacarls]

>ruggedized practice-A-cat?" For those who sail from a rougher spot, it would make sense to have a drag-on-the-beach, Hobie-rugged A-cat, which they wouldn't have to baby all the time. Failing that, I'm stuck with vintage -- but tough-as-nails -- Hobie 14s and 16s here in West Africa. I guess this is OK for practice, but I'd still be curious to get an answer about a ruggedized practice-A-cat.[/quote]

I was there. You wouldn't want to drag ANY beach cat over the small coral rocks that comprises the Islander Hotel ramps to the ocean. There are 2 smallish ramps between big rocks. Beach wheels are needed. Improvise something- PVC pipe, Old Piper cub/Cessna 172 small rubber airplane wheels, tubes and a pipe. I've done that years ago before Cattrax. You DON'T need to drag Hobies, even if Hobie Alter Jr. told me once, "Them boats wuz made to be drug". (Charleston, S. Carolina, 1979 Hobie 18 Nationals). That is an actual quote.

Once you get used to using beach wheels, it works fine. We don't drag any A-cats, and our North Florida boats all have survived and thrived- for 10 years so far. Bim2000, 2 Bim Javelins from 2001, BimXJ from 2005, Marstrom (1999). This fragility issue is coo-coo. Now, Gordon Isco has wrecked 2 by himself, but that's just him! Carla's Marstrom flew over the Miami Yacht Club in a tornado in 1998 and got wrecked.. that is all I know of. My wooden/epoxy A-cat was built in 1972 by Cal Fuller and is still racing.

[chillchill]

Thanks for the info.