Conference unifix::sailing

    Pete
    
    
       The Dart is not a really popular boat in the US lacking marketing
       and being an import.
    
       If I remember correctly, there is suppose to be a large fleet of
    them in the Newport R.I. Area.
    
       A really fast light boat, I have had my hide skinned alive by a
    distributor's demo boat in a 100 miler several years ago. Some folks
    question the lightweight construction, but for where you are sailing,
    I could see the Dart as a very good choice. 

Darts are very popular in the UK, 120+ boats at the national championships.

Try looking/asking in MARVIN::UK_SAILING

    The Dart was designed and is manufactured in the UK. The designer is
    the same guy who originally did the Tornado (Olympic multihull).
    
    In the states the "hobie way of life" attracts a lot of buyers who
    come out for parties after the races. The Nacras and Prindles are
    starting to get there too. The lesser known boats have a problem only
    with marketing (ie Darts, Aquacat etc).
    
    
    Now if any of you want to see some multihull action this coming
    weekend, head on down to Fort Rodman Park in New Bedford Mass. The
    annual Buzzard Regetta will be going on. One of the fleets racing will
    be the open class boats. This race qualifies the New England
    challanger for the US Olympic multihull qualifications. We ussually get
    folks all the way from Penn for wind and parties.
    
    If you come, I'll be working the beach before and after each day's
    racing and a crash boat driver during the race (OK, OK, I admit I'll
    drive a powerboat if there is a good enough reason). Come on down if
    you want to see some High speed racing as the Buzzard is legendary for
    intense wind and 2 mile beam reaches.
    
    The cost is free, every kind of beach cat will be going at it along
    with 80 or so Hobies. And you can see some Olympic hopefuls too.
    Be sure to say Hi if you do. 
    
    
        john

John, is this different than the Buzzards Bay Regatta?? I was pretty sure the 
BBR was august 4, 5 & 6. BUt if you're working it, you know. We might be in 
the area and swing by for some spectating. BUt how long can a beam reach
last if it's only two miles? It doesn't take us much more that 15 minutes 
to reach Nye Ledge on a close reach these days. 

	I've really come to like the way multihulls sail! 

Hmm, this might mean we'll have boats in the area passing us. ;^)

Geoff

    yes, different race. The BBR is mainly a monohull race . There is also a
    big cross the bay and back windsurf race, but I am not sure when they
    do that.
    
    

	You may find yourself very busy in that crash boat. Wind is forcast to be
about 20 kts tomorrow with 2-4 foot seas. I'm expecting a wet and fast ride and 
we're only cruising. That should make for some fun multihull racing.

Geoff

    re -.1     Actually I was on the business end. We had enough folks to
    cover the crash boats, so once I was done as beach captain, I got a
    chance to captain a Hobie 21. A 21 foot pure racing cat, it has an 11
    ft beam with 37 ft mast, & 600 sq feet of sail (and another 550 sq ft
    kite).  Originally it was  meant for 3 people, but they now race them
    with only 2. Real fast boats, Jeff Alter wasted the Santa Cruz 70s in
    the newport/ensenda race a couple years back.
    
       Anyways, it was blowing all night long. by 10 is was blowing like
    stink. We were the first off the beach. I was a bit rusty not having
    sailed a cat in 2 years. The wind as about 15-17 knts. Then we got
    around the point of Fort Rodman and we had 20-25 knts with gusts to 33
    knts (measured ) and 4-5 choppy seas. Sand storms were blowing down
    the streets of New Bedford. Without a reef it was all kinds
    of fun trying to drive that puppy. I got her skipping waves to reduce
    the drag, but then we started skipping two at a time and she would land
    hard and pitch the bows into a 3 wave.  Only took about 5 minutes
    before we augered in and turtled. The owner who wanted to run both main
    and jib sheets didn't release both in time and over we went. It took over
    25 minutes with a crash boat, and a 3rd person to right her. When it
    did, I was underneath and it took off. I was trying to make my way aft
    and keep my head above water and praying I wasn't going to tangle in the
    the dozen or so lines dragging. The water was rushing so fast it unfastened
    my hiking hardness and all the sudden I was a giant sea anchor. Finally
    got out from beneath, and hopped aboard. We had blown up 3 battens and
    the owner's leg had a real nasty gash that balloned up to the size of a
    tennis ball. So we started limping it back in, as the race had been
    cancelled (half the boats were over, the marks wouldn't stay on the
    bottom, and the CG wasn't too happy). Then the mainsheet quickpin
    exploded for the 2nd time, so we unfurled the jib and used that to get
    in. Once everything was cleaned up and the owner was treated at the
    hospital, we relaxed the rest of the day. For fun, the smaller boats did
    drag races a mile out and back. Some real spectacular crashes to watch,
    but nobody was hurt.
    
    Yesterday was the nicest day you could image. 10knts decreasing to 5-7.
    We got in 4 races where we took 3rd place. Event of the day was trying
    to beat a 200 ft fishing trawler towing a similiar sized one up the 
    channel at 15-20 knts. Snuck by with 50 yards to spare and we left the
    pack behind. I also had a front row seat to a boat coming in on port
    at the windward mark with no wind and no room. They had "Jesus is the
    wind in my sails" on the sides of the hulls, but Jesus must of been 
    pissed they were racing when they should been at 11 o'clock mass, cause
    the noise of a Miracle t-boning them was quite clear. 
    
    Ex-Deccie and Sail noter Jeff Duncan was there and offered me a spare bed in
    their motorhome and a Steak dinner on Saturday. Jeff is at Quantium and
    doing really well. He said to say hi to all you noters out there.
    
    Another ex-noter, Rafe (I forget his last name) is back in New England
    and starting to sail again. He told me our old buddy and ex-noter
    Bob Bailey is in Redmond Wa working for Siemans Corp. Rafe also said
    HI to you all.
    
    A great time by all. This year they didn't do the Alter Cup (ie the
    multihull qualifications). It will be August 12th in Marblehead. So
    lots of you monohullers can watch. Who knows, maybe you'll see me
    out there. Probably in the back of the back, but racing the best is
    a great experience.
    
    Back to this note, we had 20 open boats yesterday, but alas, no Darts.
    This could be different at Marblehead. Stay tuned.....

    Thanks all for all the replies....Now if we could only keep the cat
    note stream flourishing....
    
    I have had my Dart for 6 years now and *reall* enjoy it. I have also
    sailed H18,16,17 but still find my Dart the liveliest (but not
    neccessarily fastest- especially when you are windward of an 18 and being
    luffed at the start). Since I really enjoy racing, the only down side
    is that there are only approx 100 darts in Ontario (canada), and only
    one other (non-racer) at our club on the Lake Deschene here in
    Ottawa. I had hoped there may be some pockets of Darts in the US, but
    as the previous note suggested, the marketing of this boat is really
    pathetic. Even in the UK_sailing notesfile I have had no response...
    too bad.
    
    As far as hobie sailing goes, how does the Miracle sail?...It looks like
    a really nice boat (like a trailerable tornado).
    
    Best Regards,
    Pete

    re .7   That outta be hiking harness and not hiking hardness  ;>)
    
    re .8   I put a brief writeup in here somewhere on the Miracle.
            I was expecting to get eaten alive by the Miracles yesterday
    	    going to weather, but was able to out climb most. Not bad
            for a big heavy boat with tiny pizza slice centerboards vs
            3 ft daggerboards. My friends tell me they are like a big
     	    16 vs an 18, but there is a lot a things to tweak, so it keeps
            you busy if you want to be competitive on the course.
    
            Then again, we have a Miracle owner in this notes file, only
            they are mostly read only. Hopefully he can answer your 
            question better (hint hint!!!).