N3228 - Agamemnon.

[hutch]

Having just read the thread about N3309 (linky) i thought i would post a similar thread.

We acquired N3228 around three weeks ago and have be sailing her at salcombe during our annual fortnights holiday including entering the SYC regatta this week.
 - Sarah wanted to enter something but having out grown the Jnr Handicap could no longer sail the Topaz, with the RS200 being rather daunting and heavy, hence the twelve...

We know little about nationals although the family a owned Objet d'Art (N2689) a generation ago.
 So far we've just been on a fast learning curve just trying to keep the thing up, that they dont go very well full of water, and maybe vaguely where some of the 'extra ropes' should be!
 However we're all keen to know what we can about the boat and how to better it and ourselfs! We believe (from the database) the boat was build be Gerry Ledgar originally, and talked briefly to Derek Davies yesterday on MillBay who shed more light but was unable at the time to come up with who was the original owner or talk for long (it was pretty cold and windy).

I'll have to get some  photos up but we believe at some point someone has modified/addedto the underside hull as it appears different to most (flat area around 2ft wide) and also added a little additional buoyancy (although this leaks) infront of the centreboard casing.

 That said, although she wouldnt miss a coat of paint and a bit of tlc, she basical appears sound.



Daniel.

[Antony (Guest)]

It sounds like points should be awarded for effort at Salcombe, given how few people finished the first race at all and given the limited report of some top names swimming that i received.
N3228 is most recently best known as the test-bed for some experiments by a previous owner called Tom Edom.  Tom won the Burton Brick with the boat in 2001 for a device that became called a 'fluke'.  From memory the ideas included a trim-tab device on the centreboard and a winged rudder, i cannot recall the details but I think that his ideas were best described as 'interesting' and 'unproven'.  Tom went off to fly a Moth a few years back.  He might see this and add much more detail.
Antony

[Jeremy C]

I recently saw Tom Edom's write up about his 'fluke'. It is on page 30 of the annual newsletter from 2002. You can access it from the owners stuff tab at the top of the page for thsoe who want to have a little read. V interesting stuff! His centre board did not actually have a trim tab on it, but was hinged olong the entire length that protruded from under boat. So became more of a wing than a trim tab. I seem to remember hearing recently that Grahm won a race with the boat... not even knowing that Tom's experiemtal centreboard was in it at the time!!

[giles (Guest)]

Hi there,

I was one of the owners of 3228.  Sailed it pretty badly at Burton Week, my excuse is that I was sailing at 22 stone with a pregnant crew and had only had the boat for a couple of months.  Were almost going well for one race until the tiller extension decided to snap, arrrghh.

As far as i know the boat is a pretty straight forward Crusader, cold moulded bottom with ply sides.  Modifications include tubes running through stern buoyancy tank to help the boat empty after a capsize (which worked really well!) and additional buoyancy in front of the CB case.  Regarding the wedges added to the aft hull, I was under the impression a lot of the crusaders had these, an attempt to promote fast planing?  I think they could be removed but best check with someone better informed before sharpening up your plane.

Saw the pictures on the boat database, looks like it has a new main, nice. 

I have still got the experimental board in the shed.  It is hinged in the middle.  I put it in the boat a couple of times, sometimes it felt like it was flipping from side to side when going downwind, scary - although this could of been my incompetence.

One thing to note - I spoke to Gerry about removing the external keel.  His advice was DON'T DO IT as the boat will fall apart.  So I guess you are stuck with that extra wetted surface area. 

Otherwise it was a nice boat, I now have a Chapter and from what I remember 3228 was a bit more stable so probably a good boat to start off with - especially as it is dead easy getting it dry after a capsize.

Hope you enjoy sailing it.

Giles

[hutch]

Hi, thanks for the responses, reading them with interested.
 
Interesting reading about Toms hinged centerboard, never come across anything like that before a very interesting concept. I designed and fitted a schilling rudder to our narrowboat, although that was for very different reasons!!  

This afternoons races where canceled (second time in 40 years apprently) so I took some other photos of the boat  showing the wedges (and tunnels) a less good one of the front buoyancy tanks.
 Would the wedges have been fitted to the boat from new then? Or where they just a common retro fit people added to crusaders? Gerry?
 The tunnels do seam to work,  the boat will sail dry given time, although compared to a topaz/rs200 i think its going to take a little more getting used to! 
 The sails seams to be dated 2001 and seam to be in fairly good shape. We also have a second set which are in less good condition, and also a firefly main.
 






 
Daniel

[gerry ledger]

The wedges and tank are not my doing. The wedges are more Baggy than Crusader and can come off with out problem but as previously stated the keel cant. The tunnels look a good idea.Good luck with the boat,Gerry