Phill, I used to wire downwind on the Inter 20 but on the Blade I have found it is faster, A to C, to sail it deep on two hulls in a good blow, rather than wire, especially when alone on a shifty, puffy day. Every time I have wired, I have stuffed the bows deep, going round the forestay more than a few times, and that is slow.

At our last regatta I was passing F18's and I-20's downwind, who had crew on the wire, as I was sailing nearly as fast as they but going much deeper by sitting at the back of the tramp, for a shorter distance sailed. I was catching them at C mark...untill I had to slow down and snuff the kite. What I need is a 30 lb. string monkey to get that thing down while I steer round the mark, on the inside of them instead of the outside. And I -hate- doing fiberglass reapair work so I don't like to put myself into a possition that might require it.