fivepointfive - April 2023

can be smaller and still remain within that low drag
bucket on each tack. Its effect, therefore, is to allow
a smaller fin to be used but if the fin is already large
enough, for the reasons mentioned, to operate within
the narrower low drag bucket of the uncambered foil,
then a trim tab becomes surplus to requirements and
getting rid of it simplifies the handling of the boat with
no loss in performance.
IMPROVEMENTS
So, can she be improved upon? It is very easy to
say that she can’t, but it was just such a remark
that made Morty, Jean Genie’s owner, determined to
prove that theory wrong and resulted in the design and
building of the boat. Everything produced by man can
be improved if indeed you want to improve it.
So where do we go from here in an effort to
improve her? I think, in a previous article for this
magazine, I said there were three solutions to the
5.5 Metre design problem and I still feel that to be the
case. Briefly, there is the overhang at both bow and
stern concept, which is the design path that Jean
Genie follows. Then there is the vertical stem with
stem in the water with a long stern overhang and finally
there is what I call the Laurie Davidson bow which is
somewhere between the two previous concepts with a
cranked bow and long stern overhang.
We have designed boats to all three concepts
and yes there is room for improvement, but it will
not be as big as the advantage over existing boats
shown by Jean Genie. However, because that
existing advantage seems to be so large, I think the
concept to which the rest of the fleet seems to be
designed has perhaps run its course, thus, if you
want to win, maybe you should consider a new boat
for next year?
APRIL 2023 • fivepointfive • 31