Sail number stencilled on ?

[Sven]

Our La Petite is boat number 29 (thanks Bob) but the mainsail number is 340. The roller furling, grass stained (?) genny is number "US 2853" which appears to have come from a J24.

Back home we could identify boats by their sail numbers. When you saw a pretty boat you just looked it up in the "Matrikel" using the sail number as the identifier. I'm not sure US sail numbers are quite that reliable ?

Anyway, on to the questions. The mainsail numbers seem to be stencilled on. If they are, how does one remove them and am I correct in assuming that the hull number is the proper number to replace the 340 number with ?

The second question is why is there a number on the genny ? Are there class rules that require that each sail be identified for handicapping ?

The second question is less important than the first as we'll probably just remove the number when we take the genny down for cleaning, but I'd still like to know.

Thanks,




-Sven

 

[Bob in Va]

Sail number Solution

Sven, indeed your boat is the 29th one of the series, but your hull number is considered to be 229, which would be a good number to use on your sails. However, 23229 would be just as valid and perhaps less confusing to a race committee if there were competitors of other manufacture with the same or similar 3 digit numbers (assuming a phrf race situation.) Where I am, it is a pretty low key issue, mostly just a matter of making your boat easy to identify - don't know about you high octane guys in Carnoldfornia.

 

[escapade]

sail numbers

Bob is correct in stating that 229 would be an appropriate number to use on the sail. The US # on your headsail is a number assigned by US Sailing for identification by a race committee. This number is required on the main, all overlapping headsails, and all spinakers. Using a number like 23229 might be confusing to a race committee if you decide to get into racing someday. If you want a US Sailing assigned number (only useful if you plan on racing) contact your local sailmaker.
BTW, most sail numbers are "sticky backed" numbers. They just peel off. Carefully start at a corner and you should be able to remove them if you want. You can get new numbers from your sailmaker or www.sailrite.com.
Have fun & sail fast
Bud E34 "Escapade"

 

[Seth]

Sail #'s

If you are racing in a US Sailing spomsored event, you are required to have sail #'s assigned to the boat by US sailing, and they must be on the mainsails, any headsails with an LP greater than 129%, and spinnakers.
If you are racing in a casual, backwoods, or informal fleet, almost any numbers will work-the hull number is usually acceptable.
The number on your Genoa was assigned to the J24 and cannot be used in official events.

We would remove the stenciled numbers (if they are part of the cloth by now) by cutting out the cloth where they are and replacing it with a patch, and then installing the normal stick-on numbers on that patch. Today, we only use steciled numbers on light air nylon sails.
Hope this helps!

 

[Loren Beach]

We've got Your number......

Seth is right, as usual. For local races I would advise going with your "one design" number (29) if you are going to properly number all of your sails.

FWIW, my Olson 34 is #8, even tho the factory put it down as 108 in the HIN. I have seen others like this also -- I assume it was/is a marketing gimmick to make the model line look successful right from the start... when they start at 100.


Our boat came with US Sailing national numbers on all sails, so we kept it that way as we have replaced sails. (If we ever want to race Swiftsure we would need the national numbers anyway.)

Locally, we could have just as easily gone with OD numbers. The race committee for local races just needs you to be easily identified at a distance, in a crowd. Whatever you do, have the same numbers on all your sails. I have spent too many evenings trying to sort out the finishes of a 50 boat mob that all finished within 10 or 15 minutes, many overlapped!

In my area, for club racing, we would gladly score you as E-23 #29.

Here's a Thought! What with so many E-23's out there, it is possible that you could find several more to race OD with....?
Here in Portland, you could race with 3 boats for one trophy, and 5 boats for two trophies. Five is the preferred minimum for a class, but clubs are flexible because OD racing is the fairest and most fun.
You did not ask, but if you are trying to entice some other E-23's to enter, agree to race with working sails only, or limit it to gennys, so that everyone will have a fair chance to stay together around the course. It's no fun to win OR lose by a large margin.....


Best to you in the new year!

Loren in Portland, OR
Olson 34#8

 

[Bob in Va]

Response to Loren

Loren, please refer any E23 owners you run across to our registry of these fine boats. We have located about 40 across the nation, so far, and are always looking for new blood in our organization. Though the newest ones are over 25 years old, many have been well kept and are in great shape.

 

[Sven]

Thanks to all of you for the sail number information.

Originally posted by Bob in Va
Loren, please refer any E23 owners you run across to our registry of these fine boats. We have located about 40 across the nation, so far ...

Bob, do you have a 23-1 in Marina Del Rey with the name Foul Play (I think that was the name) ? From the dock she looks like she is very well kept so I assume she's actively sailed even if we haven't seen anyone aboard.




-Sven

 

[Sven]

Measurements

Hi Seth,

Originally posted by Seth
We would remove the stenciled numbers (if they are part of the cloth by now) by cutting out the cloth where they are and replacing it with a patch, and then installing the normal stick-on numbers on that patch.

Since I have you "on the line", do you have the standard dimensions for an E23-2 main ? The foot on ours seems about 6" short.

Thanks,



-Sven

 

[Seth]

Your command...

Your luff:25.33. Your foot: 7.5. Measured from aft sde of mast to fwd. end of blac band. Often there was room for another 6" but the org. was 7.5'
Beware: Used are not usually the way to go....

 

[Sven]

Re: Your command...

Hi Seth,

Originally posted by Seth
Your luff:25.33. Your foot: 7.5. Measured from aft sde of mast to fwd. end of blac band. Often there was room for another 6" but the org. was 7.5'
Beware: Used are not usually the way to go....

I'll have to measure when I get back down there again. I'd guess there was a 6" space between the black band and the sail, but I don't know if the boom is the original.

I'm assuming that the cockpit mounted traveler was owner installed, replacing a fixed block ? If so, then the boom may have been changed too. The charms of a 29 year old boat

I'm not in the market right now, but what is a ballpark cost for an E23 main with two sets of reef points, sail number and the Ericson logo ?

Thanks,



-Sven

 

[Seth]

Mainsails

Sven-there is very often 6 " or more behind the black band-allowing you to install a bigger main than originally designed-and if it were me, I would do it-the boat can use the power (unless you sail mostly in big air).

You can expect to pay between $700 and $900 for a new sail-depending on fabric choices, roach profile, etc.-You may find cheapie sailmakers slightly less, but for this price range we are talking very high quality in cloth and hardware. When you are ready to look more closely I can prepare a formal quote-hope this helps

 

[Sven]

Re: Mainsails

Hi Seth,

Originally posted by Seth
Sven-there is very often 6 " or more behind the black band-allowing you to install a bigger main than originally designed-and if it were me, I would do it-the boat can use the power (unless you sail mostly in big air).

The 6" I'm talking about are between the end of the main and the black band, leaving a gap, not the other way around. IOW, the main does not reach the black band with the outhaul tight. A storm main ?

Originally posted by Seth
You can expect to pay between $700 and $900 for a new sail-depending on fabric choices, roach profile, etc.-You may find cheapie sailmakers slightly less, but for this price range we are talking very high quality in cloth and hardware. When you are ready to look more closely I can prepare a formal quote-hope this helps

For a new, quality sail that sounds like a "worth it" price range. There are higher priorities right now, but I'll definitely be back when the time comes.

Thanks.



-Sven

 

[Seth]

Allrighty, then

Yup, sounds like your sail is indeed short-and since you can probably gain between 6-10" (if you ignore the band) of foot length, you will have a very pleasant surprise when you finally replace that sail- I will bet it does not have much roach, either. Sails today can support bigger roaches due to better fabric stability.
Add the bigger roach and foot length and we are talking a significant amount of sail area. You know wher to find me!

 

[Bob in Va]

traveler

Actually, your boat probably came from the factory with the traveler, as boats were equipped both ways. There will be a little piece in the next issue of Tell-Tales about traveler upgrading. I do not have the Mk 1 you speak of registered yet and am delighted to learn of it. Please try to get the hull # if you can and leave a message for the owner to contact me if possible. We did an article on Mk 1 boats in issue # 4.

 

[Sven]

Re: Allrighty, then

Hi Seth,

Originally posted by Seth
Yup, sounds like your sail is indeed short-and since you can probably gain between 6-10" (if you ignore the band) of foot length, you will have a very pleasant surprise when you finally replace that sail

I was right, it is short !

The foot measures 6' 9" so for some reason 9" are missing. I didn't attempt to measure the roach but there is very little.

We'll see how long we last before we contact you about a possible reaplacement

Hauling, replacing all through-hulls and bottom paint has to come first.


-Sven

 

[Seth]

of course

Sounds good