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Author Topic: Kyosho Seawind  (Read 7083 times)

Tom Eccles

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Kyosho Seawind
« on: November 25, 2007, 08:11:49 pm »

Can any of you experienced sailors please help?

I have a Kyosh Seawind, I bought it at the bring and buy stall at the Blackpool show and I am very pleased, whoever built it did a good job.

I have a problem; In light winds she sails like a dream but in stronger winds such as today I am having trouble. With the wind on the beam and sails fully out she just wants to turn into wind. If I tried taking sail in she just wants to keel over.

I am hopeful there is a simple solution, can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong please?

Regards
Clegg

'OWM REWL FER LANKYSHUR
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Stavros

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2007, 10:21:40 pm »

It seems it is a problem in strong winds as one of our members had today same prob but contact Robert Davies as he has one

Stavros
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charvey

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2007, 11:25:20 pm »

I had a Seawind, and thought it was good, I did notice that it had a strong weather helm. Mine also had a tendency to "submarine" which slowed it down.  There is an excelent online resource http://www.seawindrc.com/ for the SeaWind, including useful information in the articles section which should help you out.

I would recommend that the area around the keel slot be strengthened by using epoxy or something bulked out with micro baloons, some hulls are very thin in this area and prone to damage.

Chris
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tigertiger

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2007, 05:25:26 am »

If she is the same as the Victoria you will have a back stay and the ability to adjut the jib.

I could have this back to front but.

If she has too much 'weather helm' (turns into the wind) then loosen the back stay and tighten the jib. This will cant the mast slightly more forward.

If she has too much 'lee helm' (turns away from the wind) the tighten the back stay and loosen the jib. This cant the mast slightly omore backward.

She will be more controllable with just a little bit of weather helm.
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Tom Eccles

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2007, 06:31:03 pm »

Thanks for your replies guys.

The info from Tigertiger and the website pointed out by charvey were both on the same tack so I am sure you are right.

Following your advice I will be trying the lady out again at the first opportunity.

Grateful thanks

Clegg
'OWM REWL FER LANKYSHUR
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bigH

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2007, 03:55:55 pm »

 Hi Clegg,  You could shorten sail,   that is by having another set of sails made to smaller dimension, thereby giving less area to the wind....
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Tom Eccles

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2007, 07:25:30 pm »

Thanks for that BigH,

I am going to try the earlier advice first ( on account of it being cheaper!)

On the subject of sails, I will soon be building an A Class along with some like minded members of our club. It (they) are based on the club yacht we were presented with.  The original is some 7feet from keel to the top of the mast - any good ideas on where I can obtain sails for her?

Thanks again for the good advice
Regards
Clegg

'OWM REWL FER LANKYSHUR
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MikeK

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2007, 08:56:22 am »

 Hi Clegg

I have not long finished an 'A' class (see 'Orca Build' elsewhere in Yachts & Sail) and I bought a full top set of sails from Housemartin Sails for £50. They are of a good cut and the cheapest I could find amongst the recognised sailmakers. Best of luck with the build, this class is well worth the building effort in sailing pleasure, if a little unwieldy !

Mike
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Robert Davies

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2007, 09:31:21 pm »


Just found this after having been away for a wee while due to illness.

With one suit of sails, at anything over 5 or 6 kts windspeed you are facing a few compromises in setup.

A few of the tweaks that have limited the trouble I can get into in strong wind conditions with the SeaWind.

1. Run with the mast rigged with significant back rake, BUT, when the rigging is all nice and tight, loosen off the backstay so that it maintains enough tension to support it's own weight, ie it doesn't sag.  Howzat work then? In light to moderate winds the forestay and the 4 sidestays will maintain the mast's appropriate back rake, however when you need the mast to move forward to reduce the weather helm in stronger winds (but not to the point of going into lee helm) the wind itself will push the mast forward through acting on the sails. It will do this though overcoming the sidestay tension, taking up the 'slack' in the rear stay, but prevented from over travelling due to the remaining tension in the now wind tensioned rear stay. When the wind drops the mast rakes back again, and your mild weather helm resumes.

2. Aiding the above, if you have the capability through servo travel to allow the sails to go out at 90 to the centreline of the boat, do so. It can allow the worst of any sudden squall to literally pass straight through the boat.

3. Keep the leading edge of the foresail tight when the boat is at rest, otherwise it'll try and corkscrew in strong winds.

4. Try and keep some shape in the rear sail - no major creases!

5. When letting the sails out adjust them so that foresail goes out about half inch more than the rear possibly a little more.

6 Remember if you can't turn right 90 degrees, try turning left 270 degrees ie go the long way around and keep adjusting your sail tension all the way around.

I think that's all....

"xxxxx"! I've given most of my SeaWind survival tips away! :D

-Rob

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Stavros

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2007, 10:31:58 pm »

YES it works believe you ME I've seen Robert sailing in some really bad conditions at LLanberis,one thing Rob forgot to add is MY top tip.To keep tension on the Main and jib sheets attach a piece of fishing Pole elastic to it to keep the tension when the wind dies,it stops the tangling tendencies around the servos.Rob post piccie to explain please

Stavros
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Robert Davies

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2007, 11:04:19 pm »



Slight issue over getting me, the boat and a camera in close proximity, but I'll see what I can do ;)

-Rob
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Tom Eccles

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2007, 07:41:10 pm »

Hey Rob and Stavros,

Thanks for the top tips,

Sadly the Seawind is a bit poorly at the moment, I put it on our pond on Sunday when, after a blowy night and early morning the wind died away to almost nothing. As usual she sailed like a dream in light winds. After about 15 minutes there was a VERY strong gust that was the precursor to another weather front. Due to the council Health and Safety regulations there is one small area built up of rocks upon sandbags. When the wind hit her she swung into it and went off down the pond like a dream...... all the way onto the rocks. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the hull is very thin in places. I now have an interesting repair to carry out.

Isn't sailing fun?

Thanks again for the advice
Clegg
ORL
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Tom Eccles

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2007, 08:48:58 pm »

A bit of better news,
This evening I gently rubbed down the area with the cracking then put a strong light source inside the hull. No gaps!

Weather permitting I am going to try out your advice this weekend

Clegg

ORL
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Tom Eccles

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2007, 06:28:24 pm »

Having stolen Robs' advice I took my Seawind out on the pond yesterday. It turned out to be a great sailing day and she went like a dream. O0 O0 O0

My sincere thanks to Rob.

Clegg

'ORL
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Tom Eccles

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2007, 04:20:06 pm »

Hey Stavros!

Is there any chance of you giving me a bit more detail of the use of elastic please?

Cheers
Clegg
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Robert Davies

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2007, 10:20:50 pm »


Y'know the line that comes out of the pulley at the rear of the boat? There's another line that knots/joins to it. At that point tie a piece of elastic from there to one off the four bollards that cross the boat beside the mast. It now keeps tension on the sheet line that attaches to the sail arm inside the boat and prevents it from looping and knotting itself around the rudder servo crank. Voice of experience ;)

-Rob
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k4s

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2009, 10:03:26 pm »


Y'know the line that comes out of the pulley at the rear of the boat? There's another line that knots/joins to it. At that point tie a piece of elastic from there to one off the four bollards that cross the boat beside the mast. It now keeps tension on the sheet line that attaches to the sail arm inside the boat and prevents it from looping and knotting itself around the rudder servo crank. Voice of experience ;)

-Rob
[/
quote]Great advice there.I bought a seawind kit which came with a winch not an arm.Problem was the sheeting line unspooling from the winch when eased.
          I attached a rubber band at the rear post(screws through the deck just behind the servo cover)then to a point just behind the knot where the main sheet ties to the winch line.When sheeted hard in the rubber band is streched right back to the turning block at the stern.When easing the sheets the rubber band keeps tension on the winch line so thst it no longer unspools from the drum.This is done on the deck,not in the boat.
          I tried the rubber band over the deck bollards,but found it got in the way when removing the servo cover so moved it aft to the screw.
         Simple idea that works really well.
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k4s

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2009, 10:24:44 pm »

Robert,
        Re the rigging advice....When you say "significant rake" in the mast are you able to give a measurement that I can use as a starting point.Perhaps a line hanging from the mast head crane down to deck,measurement from the base of the mast back to where this line touchs the deck .
        So far ive set the rig with approx 2cm rake(measured using above metheod),Outer stays(mast head)are tight enough to stop the mast leaning when the boat is lying on its side with both sides,port and starboard remaining under tension.
         As for the inner stays(spreader level) Ive set them to be firm when the boat is upright ,the tension is such that when the boat heels the leeward inner stay goes loose(able to be moved with your finger about 1 cm in all directions) This seems to achieve a helm that lets the boat track with no input from the radio for long stretchs on the wind.The result is a mainsail that is very slightly backwinded at the luff from the boom up to about the spreaders in around 7 or 8 knots.This luffing area decreases as the wind decreases and vice versa.
        Having no other boats to compare with on the water Im not certain if this is correct or not,feels good on the sticks but is it fast?
        Its all an immense amount of fun.         
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Robert Davies

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2009, 06:56:49 pm »


Sorry for the delay...

Been away on a brief holiday break, and the SeaWind is currently laid up pending the restart of yacht sailing at my local club.

From memory your mast rake is pretty much correct, no two boats are ever identical, it may be worth experimenting with up to 15mm more rake... or it may not.... (!)

As a **VERY** rough rule of thumb in ideal conditions the SeaWind will be in the region of 20% slower than a fully certificated 1 metre class, though there are SO many variables it's bordering on 'how long is a piece of string?' Skill in setup, and skill in sailing can make more difference than the difference in the 'on paper' performance differences between the SeaWind and a 1 Metre class...

Regards,

-Rob

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k4s

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2009, 06:57:28 pm »

Cheers for that Rob,I guess that means I will have to play with my new toy a lot more to get it just right :}
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Robert Davies

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Re: Kyosho Seawind
« Reply #20 on: March 18, 2009, 09:10:02 pm »

Cheers for that Rob,I guess that means I will have to play with my new toy a lot more to get it just right :}

...and that's bad how?   {-)

-Rob
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