While I'm thinking about new sails, how about a new mast?!

My last time out the sloops just walked away and there was nothing I could do. Is that just me or is there some other sail/mast combination that would help even the playing field. As things stand, Imo the sloops are just faster in winds over 10 knots.

Were you Uni or two up? The jib gives the back side of the main a 'turbo boost' vs. sailing Uni, which is supposed to be offset by having less weight (no crew) on the Uni.

I've found in very light air, I'd rather have that turbo boost (with a very light crew, say, 100 lbs.) than go Uni. But in 10knots, a Uni should be able to keep up with the sloops, going upwind.

Uni.

Racing against Terry & Kris, I stayed with them in the 1st race (light air) but in the 2nd the wind picked up to 10-11.

My thinking is that the A class has done an awful lot of experimenting with mast/sail comibnations. Not so much experimenting with the F16 uni.

Did you happen to notice Kris picked up three 3rds at GYC? What, she's been driving a year now?

I guess it is -as you said- just you. It is because you said that with more wind the sloops are faster than you.
As Timbo said you need the "turbo" jib in light winds, once you are fully powered (e.g. trapezing) you should be equal or better as uni in upwind conditions . Well, in theory. An uni is more difficult to sail. If you bear away too much the flow around the first sail stalls and you have in case of an uni no power (first sail = main) and in case of a sloop just a bit less power (just the jib(=first sail) stalls, but not the main).
The good news is that you don't need to buy new sail(s) but just a few tell tales and sail more often to learn not stalling the sail.

Cheers,

Klaus

I'm confused Klaus. Let me state it differently.

I sail uni (mostly). After about 10 knots of wind the sloops are able to sail better upwind. Is any one else experiencing this? If so what are you doing to minimize it?

Stretch out, lower down, and get out on your toes while trapezeing. Leverage, downhaul, sheeting and steering with wind/waves does the rest. That is, unless the game have changed while I have been in my workshop.

The uni F16 is as fast or faster than the sloops upwind in medium breeze. So with 10knots you should have no trouble living with the sloops.
The Achilles heel for the uni F16 is boat handling in anything above 15knots. However upwind in this level of wind the two modes are still fairly even.

That sort of fits in with what I've always believed. I'd read years ago that physics favors the uni or "cat rigged" boat upwind because the jib tends to bring the bows down.

As soon as a sloop pulls 2 strings, a cat will not keep up. That has been my experience in f16s and Taipans. 2 on the wire and they truck upwind.

Is there a physical law describing this situation? Something designers hang their hats on?

What about the A class? Does anything go to weather better? Oh, and the C class comes to mind.