[Public-List] Hand cranking an Atomic 4

[Gordon Laco]

That all sounds like good advice.  I can see that if the engine backfired
the dissengage facility in the handle wouldn't work, and the thing could
give a bad spin in the wrong direction.   I see the sense in the upward pull
you describe... That way if the engine gives a bang in the wrong way one's
hand is already moving away and is more likely to be missed if the crank
does a revolution backward.

I am glad to have the handle as a back up, but I will treat it with great
respect.

We had a great race last night... Wind about 5-8kts water flat, course was a
triangle, which I like much better than the up and down.  Did a quirky start
running the line during a lull in the wind - the gun went just in time
before we got to the pin end.  The herd was all behind us on the favoured
end... We tacked onto port on a header and crossed all their sterns ending
up in clear air.  They were all in a mob pinned by the right hand boats who
didn't notice the shift and by not tacking held the rest on starboard.

Did a long board out on port tack to the lay line, only two other boats came
with us.  Tacked onto starboard and found we'd gained enough on the herd
that as they came up to the mark on port we were able to either cross their
bows or triumphantly call starboard on them.  Sweet.

Had a painless reach to the gybe mark, painless spinnaker set and dowse...
But on the beat stayed more toward the centre of the course which cost us a
place.  We finished in second hot on the heels of our foe; nobody near us
behind.

Someday I will race with other A30's so I can see how I am really doing!
Someday.

Gord



Gord  #426 Surprise




On 15/09/10 10:56 PM, "crufone at comcast.net" <crufone at comcast.net> wrote:

> 

Gord, 

My understanding is to engage the crank handle at about 7:00 o'clock
> position. Hold handle with four fingers and your thumb on the lower side of
> the handle. Pull up directly toward 11:00 o'clock position smartly. Quickly
> with gusto. Allow the crank to disengage as the momentum of the motor rotates
> itself past the 12:00 o'clock position. For the second try re-engage crank
> between 6 and 7 o'clock slowly pull toward 7 o'clock and then with gusto pull
> directly up toward the 11 o'clock position. 



The idea to prevent breaking
> your thumb or wrist is to keep your thumb on the same side of the crank as
> your fingers and never continue pressure on the crank handle past the 12:00
> o'clock position. When, not if, the engine backfires is what causes accidents.
> In that case, you want the handle to pull off/out of your hand which can't
> happen if your thumb is on the other side of the handle or you are pushing
> downward at let's say 3:00 o'clock your wrist will be broken. 



Most engines
> which I have hand cranked had a way to retard the spark. This feature helps to
> reduce but does not eliminate backfires.  This procedure is reversed on the
> clock references for counter rotating engines. Good luck. 

Michael #133
> 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net> 
To:
> "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
Sent:
> Wednesday, September 15, 2010 3:25:50 PM 
Subject: Re: [Public-List] Hand
> cranking an Atomic 4 

The handle I bought this week is the same; I don't see
> much chance that the 
engine could give it a spin out of my hand. 

Regardless
> I kept my face away and made the starting torque a pull up on the 
handle
> rather than crouching low and winding it about. 

When the engine started it
> threw off the engagment part of the crank smartly 
and I was left with it in
> my hand, not connected to the engine.  It wasn't 
violent at all. 

That said
> - I'd still like to read how to do it 'properly'! 

Gord 







On 15/09/10
> 3:15 PM, "Tom Moffatt" <tmoffatt at xplornet.com> wrote: 

> On the hand cranking
> - when I had my Alberg 30 in the late 1970s I started 
> the Atomic 4 several
> times by hand. I think I must have had one of the 
> "factory-made" ones - The
> teeth were angled on the backside and there was no 
> problem with it
> automatically disengaging when the engine fired up - which 
> it did easily.
> 
> 
> Tom Moffatt 
> 
> 
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