Kirt,

>>Made it back- Your CD is on the way (with a whole bunch of Taipan/F16HP stuff on it also).

Thanks, looking forward to it.

>>My hands were peeling for week afterwards after flying the spi on every downwind leg!

Geert is still using the single ratchet system isn't he ? I should have taken you along on my boat with the 2 autoratchets per side. That make a huge difference. Without excergeration, a person can hold the kite then with just two fingers. Seriously. You actually have to move your hand forward intentionally to sheet the spi out. Pulling in is the same but holding it is alot easier. I think this setup to be excellent for singlehanded spi sailing.


>>Definitely not the conditions this lake sailor is used to (big swells and big current) and it seemed to be giving Geert (as well as many of the other sailors) some trouble too!

I warned you all about the current ! It stuffs up your race if you don't compensate for it, doesn't it ?


>>and very friendly people with nice venue (nude beach RIGHT next to us - kept my sons entertained!)

Not to mention the other STUFF ! Like the blue moon (No that is not the same as the blue oyster)


>>Wouter's one up boat seemed to be having some difficulty staying with us consistently- best to let Tony/Phill tell that story.

My boat definately needs to be optimized; I also took out some prebend after the DCC and that helped as well. My boat had trouble pointing upwind and still does. But I think we know where the problem is to be found. Phill actually found a very good upwind trim during the racing but then tried to make it even better and stuffed up the trim completely. That is what he told me. But there is no mistake my boat needs at least a season of tuning and optimizing.


>>Boat under spi is just awesome if you can control it - I feel a flatter spi (possibly even smaller??) would have been faster in those conditions.

Yeas but then again in the light conditions of friday I was happy with a little bit of curve in the spi. It is always a compromise.


>>>Snuffing/launching was pretty good overall although I did blow a few - generally when trying to douse at high speed last minute coming in to the mark in the swells. I think the strategy here is to go deep (ie "overstand" the gate) and keep the speed up and the spi up and going like mad then drop and beam reach with jib through the gate and upwind.


Yes, Geert really wants to stay high at the leeward mark doesn't he. I've been his crew a couple of times and had the same issues. Also the trick is to first pull the retrieval line (really) tight and only then uncleat the halyard. This makes snuffing go alot more smoothly and with less force. Right at uncleating the skipper just dipps the bow down to straight downwind and with a continious and smooth curve heads up. When timed right the spi will go in very quickly and with ease. You can then do this really close to the mark; but then the crew needs to work together like a real team.

See ya next time Kirt,

Wouter