If I want to, I can pull 8 numbers on my downhaul = 8 inches = 203 mm I could pull more if my boom wasn't in the way. The 1:12 cascades system is a dream. with one hand I can pull it down all the way to the boom; Only the last 20 mm I have to pull hard the rest is downhauled easily with one hand. A while back somebody asked me what to get for the downhaul 1:8 or 1:12; and for sloop sailing the choose is not that clear but for solo sailing I would definately opt for 1;12. But only when using a 2-STAGED CASCADED downhaul system. Non-cascaded or single cascaded 1:12 systems just have too much friction in them to make them work better than 1:8 systems.

When I pull everything on really tight (mainsheet and maximum downhaul = 200 mm) than my sail is really flat all over. But I shouldn't have put my boom any higher than it is now as I'm always quickly approaching the boom with the foot of my sail. I have fully done away with the bottom flap that curls up. There is simply no advantage to it. In the really light stuff there is hardly any wind that low above the watersurface to justify having any area there. And at about 8 knots my straight foot is only about 30 mm of the boom anyway. At 15 to 20 it is as good as right on the boom. What use is there to close of this 30 mm ? It is better to have the area in the flap put in the head of the sail.


Phill Brander is telling me to sail with less tight outhaul to improve speed upwind and get a little better pointing. I was using about 25 mm upwind in cat rigged mode (1-up) as you but he says that he uses 3 to 4 inches upwind (when using a mainsail cut for sloop sailing). He uses this with good succes. He mentions that the groove is a little narrow and you really have to look for it. He also mentions that pointing on a Taipan comes mainly from having good boat speed.

Main idea behind these settings is that you are trying to make the lower part of the sloop cut mainsail fuller by letting out more outhaul. On a specialized cat rigged mainsail this is not necessary of course as the required extra draft is already cut into the panels and luff curve.

Personally I never adjust my outhaul from its upwind value. I just pull a kite and head downwind with the same setting. Sometimes I may slacken my downhaul just a little but even that is only done when I have time or when the winds are lightish. Only things I do adjust when going from upwind to downwind is the mast rotation to make my top stand up against the pull of the spinnaker and I run my main traveler a little bit further out. I feel that adjusting the other stuff just takes too much time when going around A-mark for hardly any noticeably gains, but also that finding the correct settings again on the next upwind leg after round C-mark negates any gains ever made by modifying the trim in the first place. I feel that a proper upwind trim for the given conditions is already a very good "ball park" setting for downwind spi sailing in the same conditions. Quick hoists and being on your way soon can easily account for several to many boatlengths of gains. Much more then any gains made through optimized boatspeed through adjusted trim.



It is good to hear that you are using lower diamond wire tensions as well. I found the tight wires set-up (?42 loose gauge?) impossible to maintain. I couldn't get the boat to work like that. But then again I often sail at 145 kg overall crew weight so I want a big of power up high and so I want the top to stand up. Also my larger squaretop mainsail seems quick to spill air. So I'm not at all looking to have my top fall away by having tight wires.

Only real concern I have with loose diamonds is the closing of the jib slot in gusts. However scientically speaking their is no such difference between tight wires and tensioned wires as long as neither wire goes slack during sailing.

Also longer spreader arms (which I have) actually make the middle section of the mast bend less into the jib slot for a given wire tension then shorter arms. So I think I'm already well covered in the jib slot area.

Wouter