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 Post subject: Wave deflector Quick VID
PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 3:59 pm 
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Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:11 am
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXbumVwM5L8[/youtube]


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:02 pm 
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Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
Thanks for that Matt. Brilliant solution. The hardest part might be locating imperial thread screws in Oz.
For those in the Sydney/Central Coast area, ProKayaks in Narrabeen has the Spirit wave deflectors for $95.

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:12 am 
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Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Have you had the wave deflector on in crazy weather? Big waves and big wind?

Because I'm curious what happens when the wind is behind you and pushing you great guns causing your bow to dive even with that on. Perfect situation for a pitchpole which is something I experienced once (because of something in front of my bow I think) . It was not something I want to experience again.

For 95% of what I sail in, that deflector might be interesting. But the other 5% I'd be terrified having one of those on my AI.


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 6:31 am 
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Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
CaptnChaos wrote:
I'm curious what happens when the wind is behind you and pushing you great guns causing your bow to dive even with that on. Perfect situation for a pitchpole which is something I experienced once (because of something in front of my bow I think) . It was not something I want to experience again.

Getting a bit off topic, but I've always found that in conditions of strong following wind and waves, the trick is to get your weight back behind the rear crossbar. That lifts the bow nicely. The Mirage drive is of little use in those circumstances anyway. I used to keep a PVC seat in the rear of the boat for just those conditions (the ancestor of the quarterdeck).

Image

The exception is when you're trying to actively catch the waves. The Mirage drive can be handy then to provide a bit of acceleration.

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:58 pm 
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If you are in very rough conditions the AI handles much better with the deflector. You can drive into large swells and stay a lot drier.......In rough swell you can catch swell and not nose dive into the wave/swell infront of you. The deflector maintains the position of the bow ...rather than diving down an inch or two. Ive been caught in horrible conditions offshore and have had the sail almost fully retracted...the deflector is working FOR YOU to point the yak and to maintain the point in poor conditions...95 bucks makes the boat $4000 better. In my opinion!


Hey admin.........can i become a Capt?


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:07 pm 
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chrisj wrote:
Thanks for that Matt. Brilliant solution. The hardest part might be locating imperial thread screws in Oz.
For those in the Sydney/Central Coast area, ProKayaks in Narrabeen has the Spirit wave deflectors for $95.


Yes chris...the bolts are not from the big barn hardware places...I'm lucky to be 10 minutes from 4 different bolt shops that have staff that know something....a real treat if you want to build stuff.


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:16 pm 
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Chrisj.....nice seat!
This is evidence that the yaks they are designing for us are best suited to flat water....inland water more than rolling oceans. If the boat had a deflector as part of the original mold and a little more camber in the hull you could maintain your bum in its proper place!
cheers
Mat


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:32 pm 
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Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama
matttcoburn wrote:
If you are in very rough conditions the AI handles much better with the deflector. You can drive into large swells and stay a lot drier.......In rough swell you can catch swell and not nose dive into the wave/swell infront of you. The deflector maintains the position of the bow ...rather than diving down an inch or two. Ive been caught in horrible conditions offshore and have had the sail almost fully retracted...the deflector is working FOR YOU to point the yak and to maintain the point in poor conditions...95 bucks makes the boat $4000 better. In my opinion!
Hey admin.........can i become a Capt?

Please don't take it personal. I really do like the idea ... just worried about that big ole shovel catching a wave in extreme conditions. I'm no expert and probably just paranoid after having my pitchpole experience.

Oh and CaptnChaos is a SuperHero, NOT a captain. Big difference. Admin can't help you with that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Chaos


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:47 pm 
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Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
matttcoburn wrote:
If the boat had a deflector as part of the original mold and a little more camber in the hull you could maintain your bum in its proper place!

Ah Matt, no argument about the deflector or more camber, but don't get me going about the proper place to maintain your bum in these boats.
If you read the Haka thread, you can see how enthused everyone becomes when they experience sitting out to windward, which is really the natural place to be in a sailboat. It has many advantages - you stay much drier with your bum up out of the seatwell and you miss all the spray that is thrown up by the leeward aka. You can sail faster in good winds, by hiking out and keeping the boat flat. It feels better, being able to move around and not being confined in a small seat, facing forward all the time. You get a better view and can easily look behind you or upwards and it just feels like you're in a proper sailboat, rather than a glorified kayak. The obvious disadvantage is you can't use the Mirage drive, but that's really only necessary when the wind is low.
I've replaced my original rear seat with the quarterdeck, which also enables me to hike out and to keep the boat flat, even in low winds and to slide easily from side to side when tacking (and I can still use the Mirage drive).

Image

PS They automatically make you a captain after about 50 posts.

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:16 pm 
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excellent pic Chris.....and a useful invention!



Captain after 50 posts? Crikey....


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:13 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
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Location: Kailua 96734
No worries Matt, we'll keep asking you pointless questions to bump your post count up. Least we can do,.. ;-)

As to the Hakas, I highly recommend them, but not while surfing challenging swells. It's safer to be at the helm and controlling the mirage drives. Though riding open swells can be fun from the benches.

So, how's the weather down there? 8)


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 6:02 pm 
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Yeah, open water, washing machine type conditions, it feels safer down in the cockpit with the drive in. (Safer still with a wave deflector).

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 10:25 pm 
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Location: Kailua 96734
I've become pretty comfortable with the gnarly stuff, while out on the boards. 4-6' is ok, if it only occasionally breaks on the boat. It's actually preferable to having the waves pitch the Amas from the side. and really tilt the boat >40 deg.

If it's big enuff, you get into trubble when the wave passes under you and you are now hiking out on the low side (on the back of a big wave). Doesn't last long though.

Anyway, I like to watch my fishing lines from out there. Less strain on the neck. The only issue (on a solo AI) is you mostly turn your back to the waves. (gulp)

I mention it here, because from this riding position, it's easy to ride across incoming waves that normally would be "in your face". :o


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