Last Sunday we were sparring with our Blade against a Nacra Infusion. Our Blade is a US Blade with EU daggerboards. The wind was about mid 10 knots in the beginning going down to +/- 6 knots. The Infusion crew sails quite good within the F18 class and in regattas we normally finish behind them. We weigh 135 kg and they weigh probably 140 kg. Sunday was the day to check why we finish behind them ;-).

What are your thoughts on my ideas?

Upwind ->
10 knots: we could both double trap. Speed was the same. But they sailed higher. What could cause this? Below is the setting like it was on our boat and all seems ok? Am I missing something?
Our jib traveler was just before the 3rd hole on the track (I guess 15-20 cm out of the middle). All jib tell tales from top to bottom windward and leeward were flowing.
Mainsail centered, sometimes a bit of Cunningham. The top three batten telltales were flowing. The leeward telltale against the mast (spreader height) was flowing, the windward one was hanging down. Mast rotation was pointing to the daggerboards.

The wind dropped: the Infusion could still double trap, while we could only single trap -> we were slower. Again everything on board seemed to be ok but a huge difference in speed between the boats.

Downwind ->

10 knots: Kathleen trapping out, daggerboards about 2/3 to 1/2 up, mastrotation out, cunningham released, main centered, main sheeted so the tell tales of top three battens could flow. In 'gusts' I eased the traveller a bit. We were sailing the same speed again, but the Infusion could sail deeper this time.
Second run we left the daggerboards down and I played the main (left the traveller in the center). In the gusts I sheeted in and in the lulls I sheeted out, so the tell tales kept on flowing all the time. Now we sailed faster then the Infusion, but about the same wind angle as we did on the first run, so higher then them.

Any ideas or findings? I haven’t yet asked our sparring partner about his trimming so I have no input from him yet.

Gill