Introduction Peter - Take Five

Hello all,
My name is Peter. I live in Germany and I am one of the very few Force 5 owners in Europe. We sail on a lake in a low mountain range of West Germany.
Because I like Jazz, I named the boat "Take Five". I bought it last year and it is rather old, probably from the 70s. There is no sail number. I have no documents about it but I love it and it is great fun. I am not a professional sailor and I don't participate at competitions. So this older boat is okay for me.
The Force 5 is not well known in Germany and other countries in Europe. But I try to change this.
If you know anybody else from Germany, who owns a Force 5, please contact me. If you like, you can contact me anyway.
Best Greetings
Peter

Welcome Peter!
Nice photo and it just feels good to know you are over there in "Take Five" - great name by the way (also jazz fan). I have a son moving to Stuttgart next month and will be there for a couple of years. I learned to sail in Norway 50 years ago and the Force5 caught my eye in the late 70's - finally got one 6 years ago. It is a nicely designed boat, ENJOY. Thanks for letting us know you are out there and the folks over here have parts when you need them, like the boom ends. Well except the cast rudder assembly - take GOOD care of the one you have! - be well RobK

Hi RobK
Thank you for your friendly welcome.
Indeed two weeks ago I had a problem with the rudder. The bolt broke at the upper hinge. Because this special bolt is not easy to get, i fixed it otherwise. I cut the bolt and I made a second short bolt out of something else. So now it works with two half size bolts and the spring between. It works fine and there is no need for me to get the original spare part.
What is your son doing in Stuttgart? Is he a student or is he in the army? There is a big US Army base in Stuttgart.
What did you do in Norway? Are you from Norway and moved to USA? We love Norway and Sweden too. This year we panned a sail yacht trip in Sweden, but we had to cancel it because of the corona-infection.
Best greetings and stay healthy!

Sorry for the late reply Peter. Son is military, Public Affairs Officer (photo journalist, writer) and has moved from the Navy Reserves to National Guard special forces airbourne (Stuttgart) for the next two years. Norway was back in my 12th summer, for the whole summer. Learned to sail there and still have friends of the host family I stayed with. WWII friend of my fathers... who's son raced and taught sailing aboard a "Trapeze" a one design class boat that I beleive was the predisesor to the 5o5. It's sail number was 211...
Glad you have fixed your problem - but keep in touch here cause some day the class will be designing and approving a new rudder assm. - its gotta happen some day
be well
RobK

Hi RobK, Hi everybody,
Yesterday I found out, that there is a second Force 5 at the lake, where I sail. That is nearly a wonder, because the Force 5 is very rare outside the USA. It is so rare, that the German Sail Federation did not publish a Yardstick number until now. And the D-PN cannot be compared with the German Yardstick numbers.
Possibly I can get into contact with the other Force 5 sailor there and we can found a very small German Class Fleet. Then I can be sure to win the the second or the first place if we sail a little regatta
My Hull Identification Number is AMF10780M74B. So the boat is from 1974.
Yesterday I removed a flat floatation panel, that was sewed in the the top of the sail. I found out, that the shape of the sail in not perfect with this panel. So I will risk a complete rotation, if the boat capsizes, I think this is not a real problem and a better sail is more important.
Best wishes
Peter

Peter just a thought for when you may meet the other force5 sailor. We have a great supplier of Force5 parts - some may be ones you can't find elsewhere. If that is the case you and the other Force5 owner could build a list place your order together and save on shipping. I'm sure Great Lakes Marine Outfitters will do what they can to help!
www.glmo.net/
Did I miss the name of the Lake you sail on?