I have sailed a Crusader at our local club, there is a Crusader 88 for sale - does anyone know the difference in the designs?!
Many thanks
Stuart
Hi Stuart, The 88 is a mod suggested by John Redding, they are fuller under the mast to make it plane earlyer . They are definatly quicker than the original shape. Hope this helps, Gerry
You should know Gerry you built most of them!
All of them!!
Apparently my crusader is a diffrent shape to all the other crusaders
Gillespie 3179
Thanks Gerry - feedback appreciated, I am interested in N3326 (http://www.national12.org/adverts/detail.php?id=401) in Devon (I am in Cornwall)
We started out looking for an early double bottom, but only seen one in our price range and it was East Coast (now sold)
Guess I am also asking if it is still modestly competitive!
Stuart
Yes Stuart Crusaders are still compeditive at club level and Admirals Cup so go for it
Gerry
Thanks for that - am now in contact with the seller... !
Put a rise of floor guage on 3179 and you will see why it is different. I believe it was actually built before 3165, but successfully measured after. It is very fine indeed and was always exteremely fast in the light stuff, though this might have had something to do with the Snidley driver.
Incorrect Derek ... 3169 was the first Rowsell Crusader built for Peter (Tippy) White and sailed by Phil Morrison that year, our 3165 came off the mould immediately after Peter's and Spud reduced the thickness of the topside ply, which resulted in her not measuring on Rise of Floor, so Spud routed two recesses for the ROF Jig to sit in. I think Sniddly's (Gillespie) followed the following season, I was not aware of any of the Spud boats having different shapes.
I think the Spud boats had a more pronounced "spray chine" at the rise of floor point than Gerry's.
We later had 3221 another Crusader from Gerry which I always thought was faster than 3165, but 3165 had one of the rotating daggerboards, so when it got "fixed" the arrangement was never ideal. Much later we had Crusader 88 3281, which I thought was a great inland boat in light winds.
See you at Salcombe?
David
Gillespie is definately a diffrent shape you can feel the nicely disguised measurment lumps under the paint work.
I got the boat directly from the original owner Tony Edwards who told me that when it was measured it failed the rise of floor rule and had to go back to rowsell for modification.
Ive found it rapid in light winds but not so good in medium wind against chop (I sail out of Mersea Island).
Im looking out for a daggerboard boat due to the mud situation where I sail c/b has more surface area to get stuck in mud a low water and its hard to lift up so if anyone knows of one in any condition I could be interested.
Paul
Chopper, I’d go easy on the dagger board if you sail somewhere shallow. A properly set up centreboard will kick up as you go aground, giving you time to tack out. A dagger board will just grind in, if you do it hard enough you’ll damage the board and/or boat.
When I was looking for a boat I came across 3003 a Bouncer with dagger board, if interested I think I still have the number
John Murrell has 3003 now was speaking to him the other day he didnt say he wanted to sell it.
If I can find one would probably sell Gillespie to fund it unless I can get a daggerboard boat in need of tlc dont think Id have a problem selling her shes well known.
Just checked - it was John that I spoke to... might be worth another call!
You would have to be mad to swap Gillespie for a dagger board bouncer. Don't get me wrong, the bouncer was a great boat, but they disappeared quickly after the baggy and the crusader arrived on the scene. Gillespie is a great all round boat, and I doubt that a bouncer would go any better in the short chop that you describe. It will take some practice, but Tony was pretty quick in most conditions, only struggling against the baggy downwind in a real blow, and I bet he would disagree with me there. Those Rowsell Crusaders were probably the best boats around until the D8 and chapters appeared. This showed in their second hand value in the late 80's and early 90's when I was looking for my first competitive 12, when I had Bicycle Clips.
Andy