Greg, what do you think the chances are that harveynestor will produce a
Swift and that he will bring his world class nit-picking attitude to an
actual competitive regatta? So lets not get too heated. harveynestor is
entitled to his opinion. Its just an opinion. give it the weight it
deserves. I think you will aggree the class is developing rapidly. VMG is
coming on line, lots of boats are going to emerge from garages in the
spring. A few of these will probably be up for sale if people have the
building bug. So my advice is don't get disappointed, what counts are people
who contribute to the class over a long time period (like those actually
building their boats). We certainly welcome your input and we will need your
kind of valuable advice and experience on the wire in helping the new
skippers get up to speed. Hope you get a boat real soon, looking forward to
sailing with you.
Greg
Swift Solo --Rose --009
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Strickland" <StricG@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <swiftsolo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 12:26 PM
Subject: RE: Reasons For Proposed Amendment to Class Rules
> In that CNC offers superior capability, I think that the only problem
would be with people altering the CNC file to hug the edges of the
tolerances in areas that might prove beneficial. CNC is quite capable of
this. For this reason there may be some merit for the CNC builders to be
held to a tighter tolerance. What are the tolerances placed on Ovington,
Vanguard and other professional builders of the 49er?
>
> In any event everyone should be able to hold the boat to +/- 1/2" at the
stations regardless of the technology they employ. The major benefit of the
CNC is time savings. Time is the killer for production outfits that are
looking to offer the boat to people who are not able or don't want to build.
Anything that can be done to reduce cycle time without sacrificing quality
will improve their ability to produce a boat that will be profitable for
them and reasonably priced for those who are looking to buy.
>
> On a personal note I have to say that I'm disappointed with the negative
energy that's swelled in the last handful of days. Clearly Bram is handling
an enormous task and is doing everything he can to make this a rewarding
project for everyone. Hopefully issues like "5 mm is not 1/4 (25%) of an
inch. 5mm (5/25.4 = .19969) is 19.7% of an inch--13.5% less than the 1/4"
tolerance Bram claims exists. Even 6 mm is not 1/4" (25%) of an inch. 6 mm
(6/25.4 = .2362) is 23.6% of an inch" aren't a foreshadowing of unbearable
regattas. Hopefully the spirit of the Swift Solo will be more like the 505
and less like the 49er...
>
> Greg Strickland
> 505 - Bb - 4768
> 49er Crew and Swift Solo hopeful, waiting for a builder... hopefully the
VMG report isn't being delayed too badly by the email exchanges.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Harveynestor@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [SMTP:Harveynestor@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 7:11 AM
> > To: swiftsolo@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Reasons For Proposed Amendment to Class Rules
> >
> > Fellow Swift Solo Sailors:
> >
> > As many of you know, I have proposed that our class rules should be
written such that either:
> > (a) boats built with the use of CNC technology should be
prohibited or
> > (b) alternatively, some different measurement rules should be used
for boats built without the use of CNC machinery.
> >
> > These are the reasons why I have made this proposal:
> >
> > 1. Bram has not provided us with plans to build our Swift Solos.
> >
> > Plans are lines drawings that show a hull in three views--profile
view, plan view, and body plan view. They are typically provided on mylar
that does not change shape with temperature and humidity or else as CAD
files. These drawings enable a builder to check his measurements as he
progresses with the construction of his boat. Without plans we cannot
check our measurements as we build our boats.
> >
> > 2. In lieu of plans, Bram has provided us with station templates
printed on paper.
> >
> > Station templates are typically made by either (a) drawing plans
out full size and taking measurements from them or (b) a computer process if
a CAD file is used.
> >
> > The paper templates provided by Bram are subject to changes in
both size and shape as a result of humidity and temperature changes. The
paper templates are also subjected to some moisture when they are glued down
to cut out the mold stations and will ultimately produce construction
problems such as:
> >
> > (a) the mold stations are not the precise size and shape
that they should be
> > (b) the mold stations are not perfectly aligned,
> > (c) the jig is not fair
> >
> >
> >
> > 3. Any errors resulting from the use of paper templates will produce a
jig that is not fair.
> >
> > The only ways to fair a hull built on an unfair jig: >
> > (a) fair the hull before glassing,
> > (b) fair the hull after glassing by building up low spots
with fairing compound,
> > (c) some combination of (a) and (b).
> >
> >
> > (a) Fairing the hull before glassing reduces the core thickness
and weakens the hull.
> >
> > Western Red Cedar is a very high density core material, and its
weight and the class rules prohibit using a core thickness greater than
1/4". Sanding an already thin core material reduces stiffness that is
obtained through panel thickness.
> >
> > (b) Fairing the hull after glassing by building up low spots with
fairing compound adds otherwise useless weight to the boat.
> >
> > Large amounts of fairing compound increase the weight of the hull
needlessly. This weight could be better used to strengthen the hull.
> >
> > 4. A boat built from a jig constructed from paper moistened with glue
and then cut by hand with a jig-saw pales in comparison with a boat built
from a jig cut with CNC machinery.
> >
> > A blind man with a CAD file and CNC machinery could produce a jig
far superior to one produced by a skilled craftsman with 20/20 vision using
moistened paper as his pattern and cutting the wood with a hand-held
jig-saw.
> >
> > www.fabricam.com has a very good picture of a CNC router table.
Can your glued paper mold stations and jig-saw compete with this equipment
available to Patrick Owen and John Vinkemuhler of VMG Skiffs?
> >
> > 5. Bram claims that the use of CNC machinery to produce bulkheads,
mold stations, transoms, and misc. would be a service to the class, and to
deny the use of CNC machinery would be a disservice to the class.
> >
> > Would it not be a better service to the class to level the
playing field by either (a) allowing ALL builders to use CNC machinery,
provide them with the mylar templates, CAD files, etc. or else (b) not allow
the use of CNC machinery by any individual or certified builder.
> >
> > 6. The use of CNC machinery by certified builders only starts the
class down the slippery slope of a class dominated by certified builders.
> >
> > This would move the building process one step at a time out of the
hands of class members and pave the way to allowing design and construction
changes that could obsolete hand crafted boats.
> >
> >
> > 7. Bram touts his concern with fairness and foiling "cheaters" who
might try to gain an unfair advantage by altering his design.
> >
> > Bram apparently fears that there are some or many among those
approximately 50 constituting the Swift Solo class building their own boats
who would use "builder error" as a cover for redesigning his Swift Solo and
thus build a more competitive boat.
> > Fairness dictates that the approximately 50 people who have
purchased plans at the cost of $575.00 should be allowed to build
competitive boats that are equal to those built by his certified builders.
> >
> >
> > 8. The unfair advantage definitely goes to the certified builders who
are allowed to use CNC machinery.
> >
> > We, as individual builders who are denied plans and/or measurement
templates with which to check our hand crafted boats cannot hope to achieve
the precision and accuracy of computer driven machinery. Bram's subjective
test of allowable "builder error" might force sailors who would otherwise
build their own boats to purchase boats from his certified builders at
several times the cost of building their own boats, thus destroying an
aspect of the class that first attracted us to it; otherwise, why else would
we have paid $575.00 for a set of plans (which we have not yet received)?
> >
> >
> > Alternatively,
> >
> > #1. If the class feels that CNC capabilities should be
allowed, then CAD files of the plans should be provided to ALL builders who
have paid for plans, not just to Bram's certified builders, >
> >
> >
> >
> > OR ELSE
> >
> >
> >
> > #2. > Differen> t rules should be used to measure the
dimensions of non-CNC boats so they can be as well built as their CNC
counterparts through fairing of the jigs upon which they are constructed
before they are built.
> >
> >
> >
> >
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