29er - Bethwaite's Baby Looks Set to Rule the World

MadforSailing tested Julian Bethwaite's new youth boat and were dead impressed

The 29er has great potential to become the world's favourite youth boat. The little sister of the super-champion’s choice - the 49er - is hot on the heels of the enduring status of the 420. Its popularity has been increasing rapidly since the first one hit the water in the summer of 1999. And the 29er has recently been selected by the RYA as the official Asymmetric Youth Boat. Teenage years and beyond can be filled by mastering this little speed machine.

The 29er was reviewed by Peter Bentley, while four-time World Youth Champion, Sally Cuthbert, and 420 hotshot Dominica Lyndsey did the sailing. Their skills were thoroughly tested in 20-25 knots of wind which, battling against a strong tide, created choppy conditions. Peter commented, ‘The 29er’s harder to sail than you think, but then kids can skateboard and adults can’t’ (the editor notes that PB speaks for himself).

The 29er is fundamentally a skiff, with all its attractions and drawbacks. It requires a different style of sailing than more conventional boats, but will serve well to teach the skills required to prosper in other high performance craft. The boat is one you have to run around in - there is no time to sit down when attempting to sail to perfection. It’s good news that the layout has had plenty of thought from the design team. Details like the upside down vang system to create plenty of space for the crew. And the lack of a central main sheet cleat ensures the centre of the boat is clear for the helmsman.

But the 29er’s MFS rating of 4 out of 5 was achieved largely through its stunning performance. It is simply electric off the wind, once the ample asymmetric is set. On the construction side, builder Dave Ovington has an outstanding reputation for quality performance boats. Using low-cost polyester resin to construct the boat has assisted in keeping the cost down, giving reasonable value for money. Other high scores went to the well developed rig, with two-parts; an aluminium lower section, and fast response composite top section. The lightweight, well-balanced feel of the boat means lightly loaded gear and another high MFS score. There is just enough purchase on everything not to clutter up the layout with miles of string.

In Ease of Sailing, the boat is not as scary as it first seems. It is easy to recover from a capsize, and anyone stepping onto a trapeze boat for the first time should not have too many problems. Again, the 29er scored above average. The lowest scores came in terms of gear quality - the fittings are rather cheap and their lifespan looks short. But even then Ovington’s overall build quality is well above average.

The race circuit is getting busier by the week, so there is plenty of racing action. Forty boats were expected at the 2000 UK championships. A great little boat, the 29er is genuine skiff sailing in a manageable form.

Rants Tippy at slow speeds
Raves Stunning performance in a manageable package

Photo by Peter Bentley

The Nitty Gritty

Ease of Sailing

Our initial fears proved unfounded. The 29er will undoubtedly be a difficult boat to sail well. But while the 29er has not been significantly detuned as compared to her bigger sister, modifications to the hull-form have made the smaller boat much more forgiving to sail. Getting from the launching ramp and into sailing mode provides a rapid introduction to the real skiff-like qualities of the 29er. Stability at rest is almost nonexistent and the fully battened sail always provides some drive in one direction or another. The result is a boat that needs pretty close attention from the moment it is in the water. Similarly, getting underway, at least in twenty knots, requires good coordination from the crew.

Upwind or down, the 29er teaches another facet of skiff sailing to perfection; the need to stay on your feet rather than sit down. The need for mobility and speed through the tacks and gybes, combined with the width of the boat makes it essential to avoid sitting, or even kneeling, if at all possible. Helm balance is light and positive with the boat at its best sailed really upright. In tacking, the key is to be positive and get the boat through the wind and moving away on the new tack as quickly as possible. Once the boat has slowed, stability and control drop away rapidly and it's easy to capsize.

There doesn't seem to be a huge need to get right down the back of the boat to keep the bow up downwind, although there is a foot loop for the crew behind the helmsman for when thing get really hairy. Gybing is no harder than tacking and provided one keeps plenty of speed on the kite comes through very quickly. All it takes is a small head up followed by a big bear away to get things rapidly on the move. Though probably giving away a fraction in terms of ultimate downwind speed, we never once saw any real tendency for the bow to go ‘down the mine’ as is so often the case with the 49er.

Capsized, the second use for the kick bars becomes apparent, with the non-slip aluminium tubes making excellent handholds. Provided it hasn't become too tangled round the forestay, getting the kite back in the chute is a matter of couple of big pulls. While it's tempting to then get the crew to swim round to the centreboard to help right the boat, Dave Hall recommended a return to the "RYA Method" that most young sailors learn during their first week at sailing school (one person on the centreboard, the other in the water between hull and boom, to be scooped up as the boat comes upright). One person can easily right the boat, and the presence on board of the second crew once the boat comes up, makes a huge difference to keeping it the right way up.

Systems and Layout

Before actually sailing the boat, rigging proves simple enough. The mast steps easily in the boat and the systems have been designed in such a way that only a few lines have to be rerun once it is up. Like the 49er a fixed length forestay attaches to the bow fitting after the shroud lengths have been fixed. Tension is applied via a purchase attached to the trapeze wires and bow fitting. This is removed once the forestay is fixed.

It might come as a surprise to those moving on from more conventional boats to find that the crew works the main sheet, and more significantly, there is no cleat. The sheet comes down skiff-style from a ratchet block on the boom and it really is necessary to play it with every gust and every wave. Tacking takes some practice, though under the expert guidance of Dave Hall, Sally and Dominica got the hang of it very quickly. Though the crew has the added responsibility of taking the main through the tack, there is the benefit of a self-tacking jib to make life easier.

With a fully battened Mylar sail, the cunningham becomes a principle power control. A multi-block purchase makes it simple to open the upper leach and flatten the sail. Similarly, in the absence of a traveller, the vang becomes a primary control for leach tension.

Getting the kite up proves simple enough. In the best skiff sailing tradition this is a job left entirely to the crew and from here on the helmsman has to take the main sheet. Given the performance, one might expect the loads to be significant, but in fact the opposite proves to be the case. Because the boat is so light and easily driven the sheet loads remain low, both upwind and down, while the other systems have been carefully designed to minimise friction. Everything has just enough purchase to make adjustment easy without leaving the boat cluttered with miles of string. The performance is matched by the simplicity of the set-up.

Performance

Make no mistake, the 29er is fast upwind, but like any small boat there will always be limitations imposed by length and available righting moment. But downwind, once up and sheeted in, the performance is simply electric. No sooner have you headed up to get the kite full and build speed than the boat takes off like a scalded cat, bringing the apparent wind forward with a vengeance. With plenty of breeze, the little flier needs a big bear away just to keep it on the rails. Stunning, sizzling, take your breath away sailing.

Build Quality

If there is a criticism of the fittings and equipment, it might be that some items are just a little too lightweight and cheap. While there is no doubt that it is important to keep both the weight and cost down, any gains in both performance and cost could be negated by the need to regularly replace gear. Similarly, the decision to build the boat in relatively low cost polyester resin has a welcome benefit in terms of a lower initial purchase price, but at the possible expense of longevity and resale values. That said, Dave Ovington, the UK producer of both the 29er and 49er, is hugely experienced in producing high quality, high performance boats, and the general build quality of his latest offering looks well up to standard.

Construction is a vacuum bagged glass and polyester lay-up over a foam core. More unusually, the foils are manufactured from a two piece slot-together aluminium extrusion. The rudder lifts in a cassette type stock while the centreboard drops down the slot and effectively remains fully down on all points of sail. Though undoubtedly very tough and durable, repairs to the aluminium foils will prove harder than those to more conventional GRP or wood ones.

Up in the sky, the rig is well developed and benefits from a fast response composite top section. The lower aluminium part is in two pieces and in the event of breakage it is only necessary to replace the broken section. Should it be required the sections can also be broken down for transportation. Sails for UK built boats are from Hyde, and the class is working hard to ensure they are identical to the Australian built sails from North.

Anticipated Durability

Only the fittings are a cause of concern, as explained in Build Quality

Quality of Race Circuit

With boats being built on three continents (Britain, Australia and Canada) fleet numbers are already growing fast. It seems likely that the 29er will become a de facto youth class around the world - it has already been selected by the RYA in Britain. That can only produce a race circuit of the highest quality.

Value for Money

Overall, it’s very promising, with the boat’s potential to become a world-wide class underpinning resale value, and providing great racing while you own it. The only quibble is over some of the choices made in the actual construction. While there is no doubt that it is important to keep both the weight and cost down, any gains in both performance and cost could be negated by the need to regularly replace gear.