Two of us went to Grafham to try the Vortex. Even though its not a catamaran we think it sails like one.
If you have read the Laser blurb you will recall that it tells you that the system of trying to create vortex beneath the boats was begun on Moths but became banned. Keep this in mind as you read on........
We were taken out to our boat by RIB - as we approached the Vortex we were to sail we studied it closely looking for anything out of the ordinary but no it sails rather upright and looks good but nothing unusual.
My colleague took the first turn.
We however have to go after the other test Vortex which is on its side we arrive just as he regains his position at the helm. He sails away quite slowly saying that he feels uncertain about going on the wire and the crew shout back that hiking is better anyway.
You immediately get that feeling that he is a little inexperienced and that you will not suffer a soaking because you are an old hand.
Meanwhile Richard on the other boat is off in the distance and jetting across the water. The crew of the RIB are impressed by his speed but as we watch he tips over. He rights it with some shouted instructions from the RIB crew and we go in so they can get a bite of lunch and drop off the helm we took of our Vortex.
Now its my turn.
As we head out Richard is really giving it some and blasting towards us two hulls in, then up on to one. As the outer hull lifts he controls it by easing the main but again it lifts and next thing the boat is going over with Richard flying into the air no longer near the boat he hits the water 12 foot clear of the Vortex and has to swim back to it. We pick him up this being his second soaking in less than 15 minutes.
The Vortex, now uprighted by a member of the crew, is ready for me to sail. Is this the way to sail - someone else prepares the boat - puts it away - and if it goes over puts it back upright for you? Yes I could live with that.
I climb on, it is very steady, not like a small dinghy which if you got on the side would fall over. I get seated and ease in the main and bear away the Vortex picks up quite slowly at first. It cuts through the water and feels perfectly safe. I give it a correction of both sail and tiller to go onto a reach. We go well I decide to sail with the boat absolutely flat to start as I want to see if as it goes fast if it lift its nose or digs in.
It does neither but I get a soaking - like a cat the lea bow throws water all over the crew. I go down wind and it is slow like a cat you will need to tack down wind.
I try moving forward and backward to see how much the crew weight alters the trim both up and down wind. Unexpectedly the position of the crew seems to have little effect. I do not adjust the twin daggerboards as in the wind of today I doubt it would have any effect.
At the London Show we were told the Vortex is about the same speed as a Dart 15. I doubt it. It does not accelerate as quickly as a cat but it does go about on a six pence. Its fun to sail.
To end my turn I decided to give a real go. I really flew on a reach with no sign of problems no nose dive no nose lift just ideal on one hull and away. This is fun!
I go about as the edge is getting too close and she just dives round but really stable - off on another reach one hull out I mean one side of the hull out and we really are zipping along. The side lifts too much I ease the main and down she comes, I even do it without that crash you get when you depower a cat too much. The side clears the water again, I ease again, again we are OK, off again and the side clears the water and for the briefest second the main cleats, I release it, but we are up, I dump the main completely and she is still going over, I hang out for all I am worth and slide onto the upper daggerboard but it won’t come back. I lower myself to the lower daggerboard and she comes up without too much effort. It is like a catamaran you can’t get back on without getting wet.
I hand the boat over to the RIB crew and ponder the situation.
I used to own a single hand windsurfer rigged monohull called a Tonic. It had been designed by MacAlpine-Downie before he did the Challenger. It was fast, on a good day, but very easy to tip over - just when you thought you were on top of it and things were going really well it would turn on you and bite. In you would go, so quick it, just nothing you could do about it.
The Vortex is the same. A real challenge. Remember Moth sailors invented the system and we all know how often they go over.
I can now add another magnet to my fridge - a Vortex.
The RIB crew take Richard and I straight to a Dart 16, rigged with the main reefed, helmed by a young lady from the Laser centre. We take the helm offered by the young lady - I take over and take her ashore so she can have something to eat and drink.
I fancy going on the wire so I pass the helm to Richard. Who immediately sets the Dart 16 flying on a reach. We rocket up and down a couple of times looking for the Vortex which now has two crew the helm being the RIB crew member who told us how to sail the Vortex.
As with any two boats on the water its a race.....
The Dart 16 comes from behind and easily sails by, but the Vortex is really going in these wind conditions. Both boats reach up and down with us constantly beating the Vortex. Our turning points are beyond the Vortex on each occasion and as we gain on them the Vortex tips in. It appears that even with practice it is a boat that goes over.
We are very impressed with the Dart 16 it is fun and fast even with the reduced rig.
Richard started by feeling that a Dart 15 would be faster (than the reef 16) but as his acquaintance with the boat rises he changes his opinion and believes the 16 is a top boat.
I feel that a confession is due at this point that we both love boats and want everyone we ever sail. If any boat makes it into production then it is by definition good and we love them all.
So now for our opinions of the two boats:
the Vortex: stable to get on and off, sails like a baby catamaran, but we are unsure how long, if ever, it would take to master its habit of going over once the boat gets beyond 30% from the vertical. With a monohull getting on from a capsize without getting wet is easy but impossible with the Vortex. This means in a mixed fleet race you can’t afford to tip over - which means you may not be pushing so hard. This is your debate.
Dart 16: a great boat for youngsters two up, a great boat for seniors single handed, a boat you can sail with more than two up just for fun and finally a good circuit is developing National Racing.
Two excellent boats thanks to Laser.
