I'm under no illusions; I'm a mediocre sailor, struggling to absorb the wealth of go-fast tips, tricks and strategies on this board and on the beach, and in Rick's book.



A few weeks ago, with my *old* sails (one season used, dacron, elliiot/pryce, made 10 yrs ago) I followed 6 other boats for a 5 mile mostly downwind sail home in light air, on my N5.0. I couldn't point deep for sh|t; which didn't surprise me; others on this board suggested the 5.0's a footer, not a pointer, especially DW. I started 10 minutes late, arrived home 30 mins late. Pointed maybe 120 degrees, tack-to-tack, downwind. Yee-ouch. I could not effing believe how high I had to go to get moving at all.



Well now.



I finally got these here new-fangled pentex mylar laminated computer designed square top you-name-it. Took 'em out in light air, *with my rotator line left in the trailor* and I pointed deeper, went faster, and generally had a wonderful time. I didn't really dig it at the time, but in memory, I do believe I was making 95, maybe 105 degree jibes at most.



In a 3.5 hr event, I was 8% longer in elapsed time than the lead boat, a P19, also sporting new sails. Of course, I was solo, he had crew, and in light air that's a very big thing, but still, those sails made one heckuva big contribution. Now, if I'd set the jib halyard tension right, and tied the knot in such a way as to *remain tied* maybe the jib wouldn't have sagged into an actual set of wrinkles and creases on the forestay... (which came into play on the upwind half, believe me)- - see what I mean... the sails performed in spite of me!!



I don't feel entirely comfortable making personal endorsements of any commercial product on a discussion forum, but I"d say the same thing to the guys on my beach, if they weren't already crediting my improved performance to the sails (can't possibly be the 'nut on the tiller' - - I've been blaming my poor sailing on my sails for years! Now I'm fresh out of excuses...)



Thank you Randy Smyth. It was worth waiting for. Now the pressure's on me to match my equipment.



Ed Norris