Hey Gary-you always look so in control flying the hull downwind from the wire. I was wondering about boat speed vs angle of heel downwind. Do you have a wider groove you can work in off the wind and not lose speed if you get a puff and raise a hull too much?? I understand the basics of projected sail area going to weather. It's the effects of hull drag vs heel-off the wind (for a Blade) I don't quite understand. Thanks, Greg
At the risk of starting the discussion again... it is simply EASIER to balance the boat with the spin up on the wire! The only problem is when there is decent chop in which case it gets a little dicey. The hull comes up slower in the puffs, you have a better leverage point to steer from(feet on the hull, pulling back rather than sitting on the tramp and fighting the tendency to slide accross the tramp) , better leverage to sheet in the spin, etc etc. It may seem odd, but you are less likely to fall off the boat if you are on the wire too (no rolling backwards overboard from steering too quickly, etc)
IMO, keeping the windward hull maybe a foot off the water is the fastest point downwind. This was with the low prof boards all the way down.
