Bloopers

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Cerddinen

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I was recently given an old book on sailing techniques. What caught my eye were the colour pictures of entire racing fleets sailing with bloopers. I cannot recall every having seen a blooper in action. Why is it that something which was obviously common 30 years ago has entirely disappeared? Were they simply a consequence of exploiting some aspect of the racing rules? Or are there old hands on here who still regularly hoist their bloopers?
 
Cerddinen said:
Were they simply a consequence of exploiting some aspect of the racing rules?
Click to expand...

Essentially, yes.

They were designed to add a little speed, but mainly to help stop the rolling when deep down wind in the old IOR designs. Modern designs don't sail so deep, as they benefit from hotting up and playing the angles. They also don't roll as much, due to hull shape, and they have much bigger mains - meaning that there is no space outside of the main for a blooper.
 
I've flown bloopers, as Flaming suggests, on old IOR boats. Pigs. and I doubt that with all the fuss and bother they ever gained a second on the opposition. Mind you, the opposition would have been flying them too. In theory, they are set on a very loose halyard, so that they are carried out to leeward and collect breeze going past the main leech, and coming under the boom. Fun to play with, pretty, but effing useless. And if you do broach, it's one more complication.

2674387964_242c2be7e5.jpg


PS, you have to play the halyard as well as the sheet. Means you need plenty of staff, considering you've got a kite to look after as well.
 
Blooper death

I'd expect that most bloopers were thrown away in shreds, I certainly managed to oversee the demise of 6 or 7 of the things. Organisationally a nightmare to prepare for hoisting , keep set and almost impossible to successfully Gybe. Gave the large crews something to do and some owners thought they were good news, but hard on their pockets!
 
only ever worked when the IOR rule favoured huge genoas and small high aspect ratio mainsails. The bloopers were flown out to leeward as far as possible when sailing very deep to counter the effect of the spinnaker set out to windward.
As soon as the rule was changed encouraging more balanced sail plans ('78-'79) and when fractional rigs bacame favoured, bloopers were all but eliminated. Very often the hassle and complications of them negated and perceived advantage.

Lots of fun on a windy day but not something to go all misty eyed over. A mid 70's IOR racer with a narrow sern, tumblehome, huge genny and skinny main going downwind in 20+ knots and a big sea was quite an experience. Rolling like a pig and just digging a deeper hole in the ocean when a gust came through, wire halhards, no self tailers, no clutches, stretchy ropes, small tight cockpit and sails that defored with each gust (pre mylar/kevlar), Henri Lloyd Consort Jacket, Nylon non breathable oilies, yellow wellies wrestling with a blooper.
No AIS, Plotters, VHF, Colregs, Digital instruments, GPS
How did we survive!!!!
 
A very nice picture. Look at the sail trim, mainsail leach tell tales, pole angle to boom. Very sweet to look at.
 
Blooper

Nice photos,
Brings one back in time!

I've just unearthed my one from a 1/2 tonner. Hoping to recut it into a gennaker for light airs assistance.Perhaps the area won't be great and may not justify the trouble?

As others have said it was hassle to rig along with the spinnaker so it is little used!

The spinnaker staysail prevented wraps.

Instead I had a few light lines on rings which slid down the forestay almost like a net to prevent wraps.
These nylon rings got pushed up to the top of the forestay when the Genny was hoisted, leaving the light lines (about three) just slack loops. Was a source of comfort on long offshore races and never caused any other problems.
 
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