I've fixed mine between the boom and mainsail foot, to date no problems with this position.

Mark,
I didn't realise that you drank water?

Hi Mark,

guess you are using it for washing face <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />. As it doesn't get hot enough there to get dehydrated, does it? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You boyz <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Gary:
In the picture you don't have your boards up, since you seem to have done everything else I wondered if this was intentional.

Made me giggle on a cold afternoon!

Hi Tony,

generaly I don't pull the boards up, as long as the boat feels balanced and is handling ok. Tends to be one more job than you need one up and a real pain when you need to put them back down in a rush. Have only had the odd occasion in large waves at odd angles where it seemed neccessary, hasn't happened on the Blade yet.

The photo (http://www.catsailor.com/bb_files/123598-DSC00843.JPG) explains a lot about the setup to reduce the amount of spinnaker sheet on the deck. I read the posts linked to above and was not getting it. So I assume this setup pulls the back of the sail (clew) in to the spinnaker sock earlier and deeper so more of the spinnaker sheets are pulled in and are therefore off the deck when the spinnaker is down. I'll have to try it (in the spring).

A Cats tend to have small tramp pockets so most of the A catters (at the recent Worlds anyway- and including Gashby who won!) just slide the water bottles between the mast and diamonds- I realize this might be a problem with spi/jib sheets but it's sure cheap and easy! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Kirt

Won't that upset the diamond wire related trim ?

Wouter

Well I would hate to see how fast Ashby and a lot of the top guys are when they realise that. Most of them don't see it as a concern and a lot of guys do it. Plus most water/sports drinks have a deep groove (for bike cages) so you really don't apply much pressure at all to keep the bottle there for the duration of the race.

I had never seen waterbottles kept there, one spot I hadn't tried.

With out getting the obvious reply, what happens when they capsize? Do they have something to hold it in place?

Nothing to hold in, so you lose it. But there were hardly any capsizes at the worlds anyway.

I keep my water bottle in the rear beam with a bungee cord holding the cap. Rather easy and unobtrusive position. And use the diamonds as a place to use the first bottle I will consume on the way to the start, so by the time the race has started (or about to) it is empty and thrown into a rescue boat.

We always store them in the hull at the back....

I don't think these pros would do it if it made a difference!!

Kirt <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />