All Uni Catters,
Is this a great forum or what!
At the 2004 BVI Spring Regatta, the Trade Winds dissapeared and it was a 11 race regatta in 8-ish mph ( they cancelled day 3, no wind). When I was out there for the 11 races, I kept saying to myself,' so this is what light air-no wave sailing is about?). So, in my class were a Puerto Rican H 16, N 5.8 , two-P19mx and the I-17. It took me until race 11 to win one.
Point being, techniques differ drastically in the various wind/sea conditions.
99% of the time it is Trade Winds ( 15-20mph) and Waves ( 2-3 + ft) and that is were my Uni technique is forced to be.
The first critical point, with me as skipper, the I-17 and this wind range, in a tack sequence, the rig will love to put you in irons if it can! So, I was forced to learn that putting out ALOT of mainsheet ( as my head is passing under the boom as the boom shifts to the new position, I let go the uncleated sheet).
Then as I move PDQ forward, hooking up ( I have the ball-and-socket trap set-up, real nice too), I have to sit inboard until speed and direction is re-established about 66% before I can go on the wire( the hull has lifted to clear water, then I climb out, and get feet in straps set 1st, then moderately pull in m-sheet while micro-adjusting to maximun upwind course). M-sheet returns to preset formula for upwind and I never touch it again. ( ..we are talking 2-3 ft wave condition here)
By the way, the trav is out between 8-10 inches, in these conditions.
The second BIG consideration in tacking, is wave position. Wouter is 100% right, I start looking for a patch of water that will LET me tack. There is only certain positions where you can tack a Uni in a 3 foot sea,..and experiance will teach you this unmercifully,...a nice wall of water will enjoy putting you in irons and push you backward at the same time with the possibility of a reverse pitchpole becoming a reality....all when you are leading the pack!
So, tacking a Uni is just part of the fun of solo sailing! But once everything is dialed in,...what a thrill these Uni's are upwind,..nothing can beat them!
Bruce
No more Hurricanes this year
St. Croix
