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Aeroluffspars News



Southampton boat show furling reefing system Cornish Crabbers furling reefing system

Cornish Crabbers displaying an AeroSpar system
on a Shrimper 19 and Adventure 17 at the Southampton boat show.

Southampton International Boat Show 2014 will see Cornish Crabbers taking full advantage of the fantastic ‘on the water’ facilities. September 12th – 21st 2014 will find us perfectly placed at the bottom of the main marina entrance ramp. Afloat and ready to board will be the Crabber 26, Crabber 22, Crabber 17, Shrimper, Clam 19 and both a Mystery 30 & 35. This fantastic new spot will make us impossible to miss!

cornish crabbers boat show furling reefing system cornish crabbers furling reefing system
furling reefing system




 
Southampton boat show furling reefing system Swallow boats furling reefing system

Swallow boats displaying an AeroSpar system on a Baycruiser 23 at the Southampton boat show.

Swallow boats furling reefing system Swallow boats furling reefing system
Swallow boats furling reefing system Swallow boats furling reefing system
Southampton boat show furling reefing system Swallow boats furling reefing system

Matt Newland MD, Swallow boats displaying an AeroSpar system on his Baycruiser 23.

cornish crabbers logo

The AeroSpar is a carbon fibre roller reefing furling system for the Swallow Boats range, operated from the cockpit the genoa can be reefed and furled in seconds




Now offered by Cornish Crabbers and Swallow Boats as the recommended furling/reefing option for their range of boats



 

The AeroSpar fitted to a Cornish Crabbers Shrimper 19


Shrimper furling reefing system

Cornish Crabber Shrimper 19 ‘Gusto’ during RSWSC Shrimper week regatta in which she was placed 1st

"Another exciting innovation is the development of the AeroSpar furling system. Originally designed for dinghy sailing, Aeroluffspars & Cornish Crabbers have worked together and the result offers a much lighter, convenient and flexible jib reefing system.

Perfectly suited as an improvement to traditional wire luffed headsail furling systems The AeroSpar is to be offered as an option on all Cornish Crabbers as the development progresses. Instead of relying on a fragile aluminium foil section situated in front of the sail luff the AeroSpar is built into the front of the sail and producing a much slimmer sail entry. The flexible internal carbon fibre rod rotates around a luff wire making it possible to lift the bowsprit without removing the headsail. Magic!"
Peter Thomas - MD Cornish Crabbers

Aeroluffspars having been working closely with Peter Thomas to develop AeroSpar for the Cornish Crabbers range.

cornish crabbers logo

The AeroSpar is a carbon fibre roller reefing furling system for the Cornish Crabbers range, operated from the cockpit the genoa can be reefed and furled in seconds





 

Tidal Training - Brancaster 2014

Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system

Skills covered included, basic sailing techniques, reefing, heaving-to, sailing backwards, rudderless, anchoring and picking up buoys. Matt Sharman Vice Chairman W773/3408





 

Wayfarer European Championships - 2014

Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system

Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system

Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system

WPNSA Olympic sailing venue, Weymouth.
W10739 with Steve Collins (UKWA Racing Sec.)





 

Ullswater Wayfarer gathering

Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system

"Having now put the AeroSpar reefing system through its paces at the Ullswater Gathering, I must say I am delighted with the way it performed. Typical of Ullswater, we had very changeable winds, both in strength and direction and sailing single handed, I had quite a lot with which to contend. However by going out with either a single or double reef on the main, I could use the reefing system to keep the boat well balanced by finely adjusting the genoa. Also, coming into a busy anchorage, beach or jetty was made much more simple with the improved visibility afforded by having the genoa fully furled. This took literally no more than a couple of seconds to do on the final approach.

With regard to the other bits and pieces you did on the boat, they also worked well. The modification to the main reefing system worked particularly well as most cruises involved putting in or shaking out a reef in the main, and this was done with minimal effort. Several other Wayfarer owners admired the work you had done, and photographed the system, so there may be a little plagiarism ensuing!"

I do not know if you realised, there is a new verb in the Wayfarer dictionary. That is to have a boat Ralphed"!

Peter Bones

Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system
Ullswater Wayfarer furling reefing system

Ullswater Gathering this year was a fantastic week had by all. A first year for Mark and Julie Foreman organising it and they put on a real show, shame the weather wasn’t sunny all the time but the big winds meant some fun playtime for the big boys (and girls) as well as the lighter winds allowing the kids to get out sailing by themselves, some for the first time. Trips to Glennridding, Aira Force and several more trips to Pooley Bridge and Howtown pubs kept everyone amused as well as the Wednesday night race at the Yacht Club which a record 8 Wayfarers entered! Everyone is already looking forwards to next year, so start stocking up on the rum Mark and Julie!

Kate Mellor

wayfarer.org.uk/ullswater-gathering





 

The Aero luff spar fitted to a Wanderer

Wanderer furling reefing system Wanderer furling reefing system

One-day event Wimbleball SC, on Exmoor, sailing conditions were perfect.






 

The Aero luff spar fitted to a Drascombe longboat

Drascombe furling reefing system Drascombe furling reefing system

Drascombe Longboat "Badekar" and it's Aeroluff leading edge working their way up the Waddenzee after crossing the North Sea. Jib working a treat when reefed.
David Jillings.

Drascombe furling reefing system





 

The AeroSpar fitted to an Osprey racing dinghy

Osprey furling reefing system
Osprey furling reefing system

"I am particularly impressed with the design of the carbon fibre spar, as it simply swivels around the solid eye ends of the luff wire when the drum is rotated. The loading on a normal furling system is always a concern to owners of a boat like the Osprey with no forestay, where due to the size and power of the boat, everything is highly loaded and any standing rigging failure is likely to result in a very expensive breakage for the carbon keel stepped mast.

The spar happily copes with having a carbon spinnaker pole bent around it on those occasions when the stop knots aren't quite in the right place - or when flying the kite at a reaching angle that we really shouldn't try, but do anyway due to the close company of a deadly rival whilst racing in highly competitive mode!

The new McNamara genoa (with its slightly modified luff sleeve for the spar) fits perfectly and is as low on the deck as my previous non furling system, with the thin 8mm spar having no detrimental effect on the entry shape of the sail. Having the ability to pull a single rope and instantly roll a crispy new racing genoa away, rather than watch it flog itself to bits on the beach with pound notes flying off the leach is another plus point!'

Paul Evenden, Commodore, Tenby S.C. - Osprey 1327






 

Hafren's record breaking 'Wayfarer round Britain'

Aeroluffspars congratulate Jeremy Warren and Phil Kirk for their record breaking circumnavigation of the UK

Jeremy Warren furling reefing system    Jeremy Warren furling reefing system

"The AeroSpar worked faultlessly, allowing us to quickly and easily adjust the genoa to suit the conditions. For Hafren, it was a must-have item".

Jeremy Warren Blog

www.xtremedinghycruising.com

Current location






 

Trip to the British Isles from Finland by Timo Saarinen

aero-luff-spars-en
aero-luff-spars-en aero-luff-spars-en

Pullikainen island, Finland






 

A Weekend in Brancaster by Kit Wallace

I recently visited Ralph Roberts in Norfolk at the end of October to see how he manufactures his Aero Luffspar furling system. The timing of my trip happened to coincide with a Wayfarer tidal training course organized by Matt Sharman and John Mellor, for which Ralph had also volunteered as an instructor, and he assured me that I’d be welcome to join the group. Seven boats with helm and crew participated - each paired up with an experienced instructor on board. Many had travelled a considerable distance to the event and for some this was the first tidal water they’d sailed in. The venue was the small village of Brancaster on the north coast of Norfolk close to The Wash estuary.
Full report

 
Wayfarers anchored off the shore at Brancaster on a Training weekend

For Training:
6 Wayfarers anchored off the beach at Brancaster – the Aero Spar being chosen as the most efficient furling/reefing system by all 6 of the Instructors’ boats.






 

2013 International Rally: Killbear Park, Canada
Aero Furling Spar demo

2013 International Rally: Killbear Park, Canada





 

2013 International Wayfarer Championships – Toronto, Canada.

W994 with Kit Wallace (Canada), sailing with the Aero Furling Spar

International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 using the Aero Furling Spar to furl their genoa away in the run up to the starting procedure, giving the helm a much clearer vision of all the other boats around them, as well as any signals from the Committee boat.

International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

Kit Wallace and George Waller preparing to sail W994 to the starting line for race 3 of the Championship event held at Mississauga S.C. on Lake Ontario, with the city of Toronto featured in the background.



International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 in clear air and getting off to a fine start in race 4, with the Aero Furling Spar providing the same efficient sail profile as all other boats in the fleet.
International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 chasing the Mk IV Wayfarer 10960 of Danish competitors Søren Svarre and Jesper Pilegaard, (5th place overall), on a beat to the windward mark with Toronto’s very distinctive CN Tower of in the background.



International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 rounding the windward mark, ahead of W10918, Richard Hartley (4th overall) W10945, Simon Strauss (2nd overall) W10944, Quentin Strauss (6th overall) and W397, Sue Pilling (3rd overall).


International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 on the run to the leeward mark, and sailing with the genoa furled to give them a clear view for setting the spinnaker, as well as an open field of vision of all other competitors on the approach to the mark.
International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 on the run to the leeward mark in race 8, and being chased by the Mk IV Wayfarers of W10861, Marc Bennett (14th overall) and W10874, Rob Wierdsma (26th overall).

International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 approaching the leeward mark and about to unfurl their genoa ahead of W10863, John Cawthorn (7th overall) and W397 Sue Pilling and Steph Romaniuk (3rd overall).



International Wayfarer Championships 2013, Toronto

W994 about to cross the finish line for the final race in 8th place behind W10944, Quentin and Harry Strauss (6th overall), and W3854, Al and David Schonborn (8th overall), with a final Championship placing of 15th.

A complete viewing of official photos taken at the International Championships (including the above – except photo 5) can be seen at: www.flicker.com. Al Schonborn (WIC Secretary) has the original of photo 5 on the WIC camera SD card.





 

2013 Wayfarer National Championships – Parkstone Y.C., Poole

W10739 with Steve Collins (UKWA Racing Sec.)

2013 Wayfarer National Championships

2013 Wayfarer National Championships

We used the Aero Furling system throughout the recent National Championships in Poole. We came 15th out of 50, with a best result of 9th. This was down to tactical errors and other mistakes, nothing to do with our boat speed, which we were very happy with throughout the championships. The main advantage of the furling jib was in the periods hanging about between races when we could put the jib away for comfort and improved visibility for collision avoidance. It’s possible to furl the jib to slow down just before the start and then release the jib on the start gun to power away, but I didn’t quite have the confidence to try this!

So the furling gear will remain part of my permanent set up on my racing boat – it even makes de-rigging easier as you can just detach the carbon spar with the jib already neatly wrapped around it.

W10739 Steve Collins (UKWA Racing Sec.)

Photo by www.sailingscenes.com






 

Hobiecat Tandem Island moderations

Aeroluffspars is pleased to be any assitance we can in the efforts of Trevor Clapp to modify his Tandem Island to fit an Aero Luff Spar. Full report