Rocket on the launch pad

As some of you may know, we keep out Rocket on a modified HydroHoist in a slip. This allows us to "dry sail" the boat while keeping it in the water and avoid using any bottom paint. It is tied to the hoist with four dock lines. It turns some heads as the deck is some 8' above the dock!

In the two years we have been using this hoist, the boat has survived sustained winds of 60 mph and recent storm burst of 70 mph with no problems whatsoever. Every time a bad forecast is issued, the marina manager gets real sweaty and I cross fingers, knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, and say my prayers, but so far so good.

The floats can be stood on for any bottom maintenance, and it is quickly lowered with the turn of two valves. The hoist offers a great way to "dry sail" the boat.

Jim Lanter has asked me about my traveler arrangement.

The photo to the right shows the line and block arrangement under the deck. The line goes out of the block at the top, and across the deck and pod to the other side (see below). This allows me to travel-up in light air (from the leeward side) and gives me the mechanical advantage in heavier air.

lifting point photos

Fred Chasey with hull #14 has asked me about the lift system that I use to lift my Rocket. The following photos show the method of my madness. The left photo shows the lifting points at the top of the keel (orange) and hull (yellow) straps.

This photo shows the stabilizing blue line P & S to the jib cams.

This photo shows the 1/2" 316 ss bolt with 3/16 SS plates on both sides of the keel trunk as the lifting point. The plates were epoxied to the trunk and butt up against the UHMW top of the trunk.

Northwest winter sailing

We had a good sail on Sunday with mild temperatures at the first Goosebumps Series race on Lake Union in Seattle. This is an informal race with one start for all boats and is just first to finish. There were three Rockets out and a Pocket Rocket. We ended up with a few extra people showing up so we sailed with 6. This
worked out fine and we all had a good time. After we had some problems that got us late to the start we passed most of the other boats that were out but couldn't catch the other well sailed Rockets.

From the letter I sent out in October to all the owners, I received a few responses that included some good questions. I will begin to respond to these questions as I have the time. First read the question below from Brian, and then my above response. While I have sailed my Rocket 22 a bunch, I certainly do not qualify as an expert or professional sailor. My hope is to get some discussion flowing from all the owners (not just me!) as to your experiences as well. Please feel free to add your thoughts, photos, & videos to this discussion.

In really light air (under 5 kt), I have every line and the rig tension eased. Make sure you concentrate weight around the keel and give the boat a little heel. The sails are full, but not that much twisted off. Traveler/boom down a few inches from center and vang off. In 5 – 8 kt of wind, I keep the rig tension eased, but sheet in, and vang on a little. Try to have the jib luff evenly along the forward telltales. Unless I have lumpy conditions, once I get some speed on, I find I can sail with pretty flat sails in light air. Have a look at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paqWs74XhLo&NR=1 for some 5-6 kt wind sailing.

Jonathan
**************************
HI Jonathon,

I haven't been able to get out this year for a variety of reasons. This weekend just past we had a very light air double handed pair of races. While we finished at the line second in both races we got killed on handicap, finishing fourth. Setting aside the tactical blunders I made, the question I have is how are you tuning for very light air? I followed my previous practice of easing everything: rig, halyards, outhaul, cunningham and the sails were quite full. We had the jib twisted open at the top and kept the slot quite open. Nonetheless, the boat felt sluggish. I am now thinking that we would have been better served to keep the sails flatter in order to keep the flow attached. What is your thinking?

Thanks,
Brian Pickton
Hull #11

2009 newsletter

Rocket 22 Owners,
Welcome to 2009, and another a year of great sailing is coming up. This past year was a banner year for the Rocket 22; starting in June with the Seattle NOODs one design start with six boats on the line, and national press in several magazines. We did the Delta Ditch down in the SF bay area. In addition, Whidbey Island Race Week (WIRW) hosted the 1st ever Rocket 22 North Americans. Excellent weather, perfect wind, and tight racing all around were the order for this great event.
Roman Cooney brought #4 to Calgary; Craig Berg brought #5 to Nelson, BC; Tim Star brought #13 to New Mexico; and John Plut brought #3 to Seattle; and Fred Chadsey brought #14 to Mobile, AL. Sylvana Yachts (builder of the Rocket 22) has begun building-up hull #15. A new Rocket 22 is currently priced at CND$39,995 – which is something like $33K US. Pretty reasonable for a new sportboat!
This coming year, we will again be hosting the Seattle NOODS, but in lieu of not getting our own one design start, we will enter the 20ft sport boat class start. We will for sure be holding the 2nd Rocket 22 NA’s at WIRW. The date of this event is July 13 – 17, 2009. With six months to plan, every one of you should have the ability to make it there. If not for the whole week, then plan to come up just a few days. My hope is that you would bring your boat.
I know that the local Seattle boats will be there (John Plut, myself, and Mike Mechaelis). A few of you with boats on the east coast/south (Jan Arps, Jim Lanter, Brian Picton, Tim Star, and Fred Chasey) are welcome to fly out by yourself or with crew, and we will get you into a boat. The rest of you owners (Troy Parrott, Mike Seth, Roman Cooney, Craig Berg, John Ommen, and Vincent Parkin) should make an effort to get your boat out for this event. Not only will I guarantee that you will learn a lot about sailing/racing your Rocket, but you will have a great time doing so. Please let me know if you need help with this regatta’s logistics. Do not wait to the last minute to make plans for this event!
In addition to the 2009 racing, the Rocket 22 website has a new curator – John Plut will be updating and pimping the site with stories and photos of your boat, which you send him! The site has a regular blog viewable by the public and is the spot for race results and fun Rocket 22 stories (please add yours here). The owner’s blog (http://www.rocket22sailors.blogspot.com/) is only available to owners, and accessible only through invitation. This blog is the spot to post questions, tips, thoughts, and your experience sailing and racing your Rocket. I plan to post to it on a monthly basis, but I hope that you all will contribute to it as well. I would check the blog on a weekly basis. Any questions or thoughts should be directed to John.
Again, for 2009 I hope you will sail your Rockets as much as possible, plan on attending WIRW in July, and contribute to the blogs. See you out there,
Jonathan Little

phrf

OK, here is my first post on this blog. Let's see how proficient I am at posting this. Doesn't look too hard.

I recently purchased Hull #5 and it was brought back from New York to the Northwest (Alan Barnes actually organized this and helped facilitate my purchase - thanks Alan) where I think it will be more appreciated. The boat was hardly used and I am happy to say it is in great shape. I need to update a few things that have worn out more through age than use. I'll have questions on that in a future post.

For now my question regards the boat's rating. I will be sailing mainly Kootenay Lake and Okanagan Lake in BC. I understand that PHRF BC mainly deals with ratings in this area of BC, but PHRF NW handles the rest of BC and the balance of the Northwest. Which PHRF do others use and why? Other than a small $9 difference in cost, should I register with one rather than the other? Will staying with one or the other preclude me from participating in specific regatta's?

Craig
Hull 5