Return of the Jesus bulb and other news

Twenty years ago when we still had those lovely reaches in our triangles some Aussies used 'what they called Jesus bulbs (from the Oh, Jesus in a cartwheel).

Now with the trapezing downwind we can use some support for our front leg, as you will not always use the footstrap on the back. As Contender and skiff sailors may tell you, it is the support of the front leg which improves balance and which prevents ' the walking on the side before the capsize' effect.

I have not tried it myself  yet as we had no wind in Muiderzand last Sunday.

Friday I will make our first mast with PJ. We will it make stiffer sideways than the prototype mast and overall bend  will be quite even with the deepest point of the curve somewhat higher than on the non tapered Fiberfoam and Saarberg masts. We will test the mast April 16 and 17 in Muiderzand and take it with us to the Vele di Pasqua in Cesenatico at Easter. If we are satisfied both with the performance and its strength we will make it available to new DNA buyers after that event.

Congratulations to Brad Collet for winning the NSW nationals on his Scheurer with 5 DNA's in the top 6.

We agree with Brad that a boat with a smaller transom is easier to sail in over 22 knots of breeze. We optimized the DNA for medium conditions and are quite happy with its square flat transom. Chris Field showed us last year in the Dutch nationals how to sail a DNA in 24 knots of breeze, so no worry about the performance in those conditions. Manolo told us that over 20 knots of breeze he stops trapezing downind and that he prefers to sail it more traditional in those circumstances. Trapezing is fast downwind if you can sail in straight lines and does not have to steer around waves too much or if you  have to adjust too much for the big gusts.

If you can keep the boat on its boards it is fast, if a big gust blows you off your boards you have to steer up quite agressively. Making such  drastic moves is easier hiking out than in the trapeze (see Chris action pics in the gallery).