Hi JBkiwi, liked your link to Optimist.
I have the earlier Graupner Gracia which I also believe is a German class yacht.
It has B over 24 already stencilled on the sail as per the kit.

I did try and find some history of this 8 metre class but either I have forgotten where or there is nothing on the Internet.

Any ideas on history or if Gracia is a genuine name?

regards
Roy

Garth, WYC is possibly the Weser Yacht Club in Bremerhaven and the CYC is probably The Kaiserlicher Yacht Club (known as CYC) Probably sailed for both of these clubs between 1967 and 1969 in the one ton cup races. She won at Le Havre in 67,Heligoland in 68, but lost to Rainbow 2 (NZ) in 69.
Article on Optimist

https://www.optimistclassicyacht.com/copy-of-history-awards-1

Hi Garth,
the original wire in the kit was a very fine multi strand tinned/galv wire which had a habit of fraying with age, and causing red fluid to leak from the fingers on occasion. I redid mine with stainless single wire fishing trace, crimped onto the original turnbuckles. Sounds like you've solved the problem with an easy method. The mast was always a pain to remove with the original wire stays, as they used to tangle when you bundled them all up.

Luckily my Optimist will just fit in the car rigged up, so saves a lot of mucking about. I use a large capacity NiMH battery, with a charging port in the cockpit, to save de-rigging.

Nice job on re-creating the pulpit. Original pushpit and pulpit brass tube pieces came pre bent and nickel plated (needing soldering together) with the small holes pre drilled for the tiny split pins for the safety lines. (pics)

JB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litz_wire

I forgot about turn buckles, make sure they are the right way up when you use them but they can be a little frustrating at times.

If you use them then make a loop that locks into the deck from underneath and to make them look just a little better use some tiny washers over each leg of the loop, glued down to the deck.

When doing the standing rigging I use white 3mm heat shrink tubing to cover up unsightly knots or ferules. Slide it on and apply edge of cooling soldering iron to get it to shrink down.

Roy

I agree with Roycv, I use wire fishing trace on my Iom and have never had any issues. Side stays connected with turnbuckles and the back stay partly the wire trace then braided nylon and bowsie.

For standing rigging try fishing tackle outlets. Either use whipping cord, non-stretch line or try nylon covered stranded wire.

If you use the wire buy some 1mm brass tube cut into 1cm lengths to use as ferules. I use 0.7mm steel wire to make my own hooks. Feed the the wire into the ferule then through the hook and then out again and then clinch the ferule or knot it and glue it with super glue. But to tension the rigging you will need to be able to raise the mast with a screw system or a very heavy spring.

I prefer the string method with bowsies, try and keep the bowsies as low profile as possible. Lately I have put the bowsies at the top of the mast they do not notice there and are easy to get at.

For the sheets I use (fishing line) woven line that does not tangle, you only need one sail to have an adjustable sheet so they run in parallel.

If making sails make sure the selvedge runs along the longest length of each sail otherwise you get a wrinkle formed when tensioned..

Good luck

Roy

Looks good to me