Hi Aussiecat and welcome to the Mozzie forum. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

There is no minimum crew weight so you can go as light as you want. A lightweight skipper/crew combination is great for light winds but not so good when it starts to blow heaps.

The lightweight crew combination needs to set sail as flat as possible in heavy conditions and as you indicate this depends on diamond rake (more rake allows the sail to be set flatter) , diamond tension (looser diamonds allows the rig to bend/give more), pre-bend (controlled by downhaul set-up 6:1/8:1) and to a lesser degree rig tension. Some of your questions can also be answered by reviewing some of the threads on this forum.

Ideal crew weight for a cat rigged boat ranges from approx 65 kg through to 90 kg although I expect there are some skippers outside this range that are still highly competitive. It also depends on level of expertise and what wind conditions you feel most comfortable in.

The tuning manual can be purchased from the VMCA and details can be found here: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mosquito/shop.htm

It is currently under revision/update but all the information in the current version is relevant.

Regards,


Peter Foulsum