"Fashion is always delighted with mystery and suspects common sense of being ill-bred."
-Sir Donald Francis Tovey

CLASS RULES AND BUILDING SPECIFICATIONS

Standardization — All Tempests are "as nearly as possible the same as regards shape and weight of hull and decking, shape and weight of keel, shape of rudder, area and shape of sail plan and in some other items which affect performance," according to the class rules, which are published in the ITA’s biennial yearbook. They and Building Specifications control design and measurement in several ways. For example, hulls must be constructed in moldings produced from a single plug, so they are as much the same as possible.

Safety — Figure 3 shows how the Tempest design incorporates two watertight buoyancy compartments and—for boats without spinnaker launchers—a third that’s "substantially" watertight, as follows:nts. Some of these that may affect selection of a used boat include:

Between the bow compartment bulkhead and the forward cockpit bulkhead.

Under the cockpit and side decks.

Aft of the after cockpit bulkhead, commonly known as the "lazarette," which is secured by the hatch cover.

The class rules prohibit "piercing ... the hull, deck, bulkheads, or cockpit" except by specific openings and by "holes for fastenings used to attach fittings" which must be "sealed to maintain the watertight integrity of the buoyancy compartments. No lines or controls shall pass through any surface of the hull, deck, bulkheads or cockpit ..." except through specifically permitted watertight tubes. You can, however, remove the rudder and keel without sacrificing the watertight integrity of these buoyancy compartments.

There’s another compartment forward of the bow bulkhead, but this one isn’t intended to be watertight. The class rules permit two drain holes of 7mm maximum diameter in this compartment. A boat with a spinnaker chute doesn’t need these holes because water can’t get in. However, a boat without a spinnaker chute has an aperture in the foredeck for the forestay and jib tack fitting—and water—to pass through, so in this case you should leave at least one of them unplugged.

Early Rule Modifications — The class rules were changed over the years as design refinements became desirable. The most significant was adoption of a thicker mast section and optional backstay in 1968 to reduce the risk of mast failure. (At the time, replacement masts were sold at half price to those who requested them.) Concurrently, sailmakers began producing sails to match the new mast. Only minor changes in sail design have occurred since then, so any mint-condition post-1970 sail would likely be competitive in the 90s at anything less than world-level events.

Until 1990, the class avoided other changes that would have made older boats obsolete, but made some minor rule amendments. Some of these that may affect selection of a used boat include:

permitting an integral spinnaker launcher (1975). All boats built after the 1976 Olympics incorporate this feature, except for those whose original owners asked for it to be deleted;

dropping the requirement that the rudder be mounted in a removable box. While the keel and rudder originally had to be removable from the hull, virtually all trailers accommodate them in place;

permitting two extra access ports (making a total of four) in the cockpit floor, giving access to through-bolted fittings near the bridge;

permitting the use of stainless steel keel fins (1975), and fins up to 13mm thick (1984);

and disallowing drain holes in the internal transverse bulkheads and transom (1984-5) to prevent the watertight integrity of the separate compartments from being accidentally jeopardized.

THE 1990 REDESIGN

By 1989, Leonhard Mader and his uncle Adolf had built about 300 Tempests. Not surprisingly, they had also developed several ideas about "improving the breed" over the years. When Leonhard realized he would need to replace his molds, he and Class Measurer Helmut Klug approached ITA Chairman Dave McComb with their suggestions.

The next year, in collaboration with designer Ian Proctor, the class developed these and other ideas into eight proposals to the International Yacht Racing Union, with the intention that none of these changes would render older boats obsolete. The major proposal was to change the hull/deck joint to make assembly easier and cheaper, and improve strength and watertightness. Proctor also developed new building specifications, so all new boats are constructed of sandwich foam, without ribs. Questioned at the 1990 ITA Annual Meeting, he was confident this would yield boats that were not faster, but that would last longer.

When the IYRU approved, Mader modified the original hull plug and built a new deck plug, from which they then produced new molds. Improvements in the deck mold include a covered trough in the cockpit sole for hiding control lines running aft from the mast, beveled side tanks that make hiking easier for the helmsman, and integral mast partners.

The new boats have been very successful, and it seems that Ian was right: most European observers believe this is not because the hulls are faster, but because of improvements in sails and the new mast rigs, which include "baby stays" running from the side decks to just above the boom for added bend control. They cite as evidence the success of Christian and Hans-Jörg Schäffer, who have become consistent top contenders, even in heavy air, despite the fact that Hans-Jörg weighs only about 160 lbs. and is not very tall.

BUYING A NEW TEMPEST

With 300 boats’ experience, Mader takes only about twenty man-days to complete one. Quality comes first: with mahogany or teak gunwales and superlative glasswork, a new Mader is a beautiful boat. Peter Harken has called Mader "the pre-eminent class boat builder in the world."

In 1996, a new Mader Tempest costs about $20,000 ex works, a new trailer runs $1800, and a suit of sails about $1800.

EVALUATING A USED TEMPEST

Value — Depending on age and maintenance history, used Tempests are available at $500 to $5000 in the United States. Before you buy one, however, here are some guidelines for evaluating its condition.

Mast — As already mentioned, a thicker and stiffer mast became the only legal mast in 1972. Most of these masts have diamond spreaders only. Some boats still have the older section (see Figure 4), which has both diamond spreaders and swept-back spreaders, which are attached to the main shrouds. Sails designed since 1970 fit the stiffer mast, so a boat with an old one isn’t competitive.

Boom — There are also "old" bendy booms. They’re not illegal, but they release power from the mainsail when they flex in waves, so they aren’t competitive. You can cut down an "old" mast section to make a good, stiff boom. Otherwise, a Proctor six-sided boom or an equally stiff section is best for serious racing.

Rig tension — A Tempest needs proper rig tension under a very dynamic load to be competitive upwind. You can probably pre-stress the forestay of any boat to a static load of 350 lbs. (e.g., as measured with a Loos Tension Gauge) if you pull hard enough. But if the hull flexes too much (e.g., when sailing into waves), the chainplates will pinch upward and inward, allowing the shrouds to slacken and the forestay to sag. Such a boat cannot be made to point, so it won’t be competitive. (See Figure 18, page 22.)

The only way you can measure the hull’s resistance to this type of load is to see how far you must trim the forestay (or jib halyard) to increase tension from, say, 200 to 300 lbs. A new Mader boat’s 5/32 inch (metric equivalent) forestay needs to be tightened only about 5/8 inch to achieve this increase, including wire stretch. To be competitive, you probably want a boat whose forestay must be tightened no more than one inch for the corresponding measurement. Note: May not be measurable on boats with "light" forestays—see page 15 for a description.

Hull stiffness — A Tempest hull is reinforced with stringers and ribs, but the bulkheads at the forward and aft ends of the cockpit (see Figure 1) are the major structural reinforcements. The hull is solid here, so here’s where the trailer should cradle it.

Elsewhere the hull may be soft. This is most harmful forward of the bow trailer support: a hull that absorbs wave energy is slower than a stiff one, especially upwind.

Check a hull’s stiffness by pounding on it with your fist. Pay particular attention to the area below the waterline, from the bow aft to the forward trailer support. Watch your reflection. A hull that feels rock-like when you pound on it hard, with no change in its reflection, may be a winner. A hull that feels merely stiff may be competitive, even when you can see it deflect. But a soft-feeling hull is suitable only for recreational sailing.

Ribs may loosen after years of sailing through waves, because of abuse, or because water has frozen and expanded inside the hull during winter. Sometimes you can hear them rattle when you pound on the hull, but not always. A good hull doesn’t have any loose ribs. Check for them by looking inside all inspection ports in the forward and center compartments to see whether they’re still firmly attached to the hull. Use a flashlight and mirror for a thorough job.

Also, find out whether the boat has been kept dry during every winter, and whether it leaks and where. Learn as much as possible about how it was cared for throughout its lifetime.

Hull weight distribution — A boat with a slightly high pitching moment of inertia will not seem different from a "normal" boat, so hull weight distribution is not a concern if you plan to use a boat only for recreational sailing or if you never expect to encounter a "short chop." For championship racing, however, a hull must be as light as possible at the ends, especially the bow. "Heavy"-ended boats plow into oncoming waves rather than pitching up over them.

Builders try to prevent "heavy" ends by using as little resin as possible. Unfortunately, this problem is almost impossible to detect. So the best you can do is to look for modifications or repairs that may increase weight in the ends. Otherwise, you can only rely on the builder’s reputation and the racing record of the individual boat. These not only provide clues that a boat may have been damaged or improperly stored during winter, but may be evidence that weight has been added. Here again, the best advice is simply to buy a Mader boat if you wish to be competitive.

Hull fairness — A good hull is fair. Sight along the hull for local distortions, especially near the forward cockpit bulkhead. Only minor ones suggest a hull may be competitive; avoid evident distortions if you want a championship hull.

Hull smoothness — A smooth hull isn’t important for recreational sailing, but is very important for racing. Most Tempests have been dry sailed, and therefore have had no need to be painted. The best hulls have been sanded with 400 or 600 grit sandpaper or not sanded at all. On a championship boat, any painted surface has probably been sprayed, not brushed, so that it’s as smooth as the original gelcoat.

Deck stiffness — Some builders produce decks as light as the Building Specifications allow to minimize weight in the ends of the boat. A soft deck normally doesn’t affect a boat’s competitiveness, but it may warn that the deck ribs will require future maintenance. Verify whether the deck is sound by walking entirely around the boat and checking inside with your flashlight and mirror.

Keel fin — Any smooth fin is competitive, despite what it looks like, if its leading edge is round, not sharp. The fin is made of mild steel, so corrosion may eventually cause cosmetic maintenance problems, but you can fix this when the time comes (see page 30). Feel the fairness of the fin, don’t just look at it, to find out whether it will need work.

Keel bulb — A good bulb meets the same fairness and smoothness criteria as the hull. Its aft tip is sharp or squared off with a maximum cross-sectional diameter of 1cm. (A squared-off tip is just as fast and easier to maintain.) An ugly bulb, alone, doesn’t mean the boat is slow, and you can easily restore it with auto body filler or similar material. But inspect not only its top and sides, but also its bottom, to find out how much work you’ll have to do. While you’re checking, be sure its "equator" is parallel with the waterline.

Rudder and tiller — For recreational sailing, you need only to consider whether the rudderbox fits snugly in the hull and is easy to remove. For competitive sailing, however, the rudder must meet the same fairness and smoothness criteria as the hull and keel. Its shape also is important: the leading edge should be parabolic, the maximum thickness should be 30 to 35 per cent aft of the leading edge, and it should be flat or even concave within two to three inches of the trailing edge, which should be sharpened or squared-off. When installed, less than 5mm inch of the shaft should be visible; less is better, as long as the blade can turn at least 90 degrees without binding against the hull.

The tiller should fit the rudderpost fitting without play—shake it while someone holds the rudder to find out whether it does. It should also be able to turn the rudder easily, without friction or slop; either will eventually drive you "nuts." Its extension should be in good condition, without play at the connection and with protection (such as a ball) at the end. If it telescopes, play with the mechanism to see whether it will lock reliably.

Partners — While early Tempests had fiberglass partners bolted through the forward cockpit bulkhead, metal partners secured to the deck have proved more rigid and less likely to break. You want rigid partners that fit the mast snugly and incorporate a means of controlling fore-and-aft mast bend: the mast on a championship boat will not move within either the step or the partners once it is set.

Fittings — The "standard" hardware layout (see page 10) has stood the test of time. If you’re interested in racing, be sure you can live with any departures from this standard, and see whether everything actually works. Don’t forget to check cleats for wear.

Trailer — A Tempest can suffer more wear and tear on the road than on the water, so a good trailer can be very important. In addition to cradling the boat under its bulkheads, such a trailer also prevents the keel from swinging laterally when the boat is being towed. Check for this by pulling hard on the keel when the boat’s on its trailer.

A good trailer also has 38cm diameter or larger wheels (smaller ones usually aren’t intended for highway speeds) and fenders you can climb on. For safety, find out when the wheel bearings were last repacked, be sure the hitch size matches the size of the ball on your towing vehicle, and check out the electrical system.

Finally, remember we class members want you to enjoy your boat, so don’t make a mistake because you weren’t sure what, whether, or whom to ask. Get a second opinion if you have any doubts.