FORCE 5's NEXT GENERATION IS COMING !     

                                                        FAST FUN FOR EVERY SAILOR !

                                                                     Stay Tuned to our website for details ! 

                                          Second Testing is scheduled for Blue Point, New York  Summer 2006

Brian Weeks sails the Force 5 EXT off of Tavernier Key, Florida.  April 2006

  Prototype Nears Completion February 2006    (proprietary property)

   Prototype from above, nearly 7' wide                    Yard Dog, Morgan approves!

     Prototype Construction...September 2005 at Weeks Yacht Yard        The new configuration was born out of our F5 mold        (Force 5er Magazine photos)      

       Prototype Sail Design (proprietary info only)

THE CONCEPT : 

Brian Weeks, the R and D guy at Weeks Yacht Yard has been studying skiffs and fast single handed

dinghy design for nearly a decade now and he has come up with a design born out of the Force 5. 

Here is the Force5er magazine interview from May 1, 2006

Force5er:  What made you think of the prototype concept?

Weeks:  When I first started sailing Force 5's I felt that something was holding the boat back just a bit.  

              I've sailed all kinds of dinghies and just like everyone else I just want to go a little bit faster.

Force5er:  What is the end result that you are after?

Weeks:  I think that people in our country are a little less technically inclined in their sailing style. 

             We look at the European and Australian dinghy classes and say: that's cool but that looks expensive and difficult.

            Americans just don't have the time.  I'm trying to come up with a fast, sit down dinghy for one or more sailors without

            a trapeze and a million strings to pull.  I want people to know it's safe, comfortable, easy to sail and fast.

Force5er:  Do you have a name for the boat yet?

Weeks:  The working name has been the Force 5 EXT......That seems to be sticking with everyone.

Force5er:  We understand this is kind of the second run through. Is that true?

Weeks:  I actually started studying skiff information years ago.  I started building the boat in 2000 and sailed it once with a Force 5 rig.

             It was fine but I didn't like the cockpit design.  It was too much like a bed.  Then I got elected to public office for four years.

            Talk about a free time killer.  Now I'm back to sailing again.

Force5er:  Give us some dimensions.

Weeks:  Well, she's 14' 6" without the rudder.  The hull is 4' at the widest but 7' across the wings.  We added more chine and a plum stem to help the steering

               and promote planning.  We'll sail her for now with a stock Force 5 daggerboard but I designed a new rudder.  I can practically imagine that she'll be fast

              and we'll be wanting to throw an asymmetrical head sail on her for down wind sailing.  We'll see.

Force5er:  How much sail area?

Weeks:  Henry Bossett (North Sails NJ) and I have come up with a 100 sq. foot full batten composite sail plan.  She should really cook when the wind blows.

Force5er:  How did your first test sessions go?

Weeks:  She performed excellently and better than expected.  I was sailing the boat in fairly light air in the Keys.  It was blowing about eight to ten with small waves.

              Although I kind of screwed up the tiller set up, and a couple of other minor things, she sailed great.  She was fast, reacted quick, was not

              tippy and handled well.  The wings act as a brake if you are not hiking hard enough.  The sail was perfect and she is very comfortable.  I can't

             wait to get her into some pursuit races this summer.  I am very happy with it. Just a fun boat to sail.

Force5er:  What was she like downwind?

Weeks:  In that air she was very stable but slow, I think.  We either have to add an asymmetrical spinnaker as an option for speed demons or else just tack

            downwind, as I suspect is the fastest way to sail off the wind anyway.  She was very stable off wind, but straight downwind is too slow, for now.

Froce5er:  Good luck with the changes and the next test sessions. We'll talk to you again soon.

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Copyright © 2005 Frank M. Weeks Yacht Yard
Last modified: 09/03/10