Longbikermike wrote:
Basher,
Check inside your sail bag, the sheet may still be in there. If not, try to contact your dealer or let me know and I will scan and email mine to you.
I'm not really expecting to much speed from the sail, but the experimentation to achieve maximal speed will be rewarding enough. Since all the Mirage Drive boats share the same sail, I'm thinking the Oasis (the heaviest of the fleet) will have a lesser ability to plane (hydrodynamic lift) compared to the other boats. Less planing ability = more drag = less speed.
This is also my first boat with the mast in the middle of boat. I may have sailing experience, but my understanding of mast placement and sailing speed is minimal. I'm doing Internet research, but I do prefer "hands on" knowledge. Personal experience is best instructor. My issue is not having a boat for comparison. Once I have my boat dialed in, I would like to compare it to a Revo 11 or Outback.
It's seems we have started our Mirage Drive Sailing Adventure at the same time. I was wondering if you would like to share our experiences? If so, feel free to email me at
[email protected]. I'm heading out tomorrow with the goal of trying to dump. I've said before that dumping would take a conscience effort. I should have my answer tomorrow.
Sounds good mike.
Today we went out again. I also did find the hobie instruction sheet. I will say that at this point I am still doing something way wrong. If not, I am highly disappointed with the Sail Kit. When "running" I could not outpace my wife in our outback. It was my daughter & me in the Oasis. Yes, technically I WAS sailing. But when Close Hauled, it seems barley more than a drift, and no where near fast enough to keep up with the wife who was merely sauntering into the wind with the OB. Most of today was on a larger lake with a head wind and we had a destination. I was close hauled and tacking most of the way (or so I thought) and for the most part had to pedal to get there. I paid close mind the entire time on the tell tails and had them flat against the sail going backward, but never really experienced a "lift" or forward momentum feeling from that. No the sail wasn't rattling in the wind, it was bowed out and was trying different methods of trimming to gain momentum and speed. When we turned around to head back the wind really picked up on us. We were scooting a long, but I think it was more the wind pushing as my wife without a sail was right along with us and barely kicking (she was moving the same pace without sail.)
While we did thoroughly enjoy our evening, it seemed like I was holding the sail sheet and fatiguing my right hand for nothing as there was little feeling of purposeful movement of sail power. My expectation with the sail kits is that when deployed you would feel the boat heel over, and feel the movement of the boat. Not Hobie cat hanging off the side, but at least throwing up some sort of spray off the Amas. As of now, more study and experience is needed.
Is sailing tough to do (like learning to golf) or is it pretty simple and intuitive?