It depended on the wind conditions. Sometimes I had to foot on the H-17 or it would stall. And we can't compare A cats. Those things are so DAMM light they will sail in anything. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Yes I meant as SOON as you go head to wind crack the sheet loose about 2-3 feet of main sheet. As said you must be sheeted in hard with speed as you start the tack or that to can cause you to go into irons. Just takes practice with that type of boat. All are a little different. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Doug

If I am not mistaken unirigs always poit higher than sloop rigs. But in most cases sloop rigs make up for this difference with power and speed.

I can point much higher with just my main up. The jib will collapse way before the main starts luffing. I don't know the science behind it all, or if it is faster (VMG), but uni points significantly higher... for me.

I think Doug means discount all uni rigged cats that point high which are the majority of them in my experience.

if his hobie is stalling shouldn't he put more down haul on ??

I used to race against hobie 17's when I had a Unicorn A Class they didn't seem to point any lower then, and In the Unicorn I often sailed races were I didn't even have to tack even to lay the winward mark whilst Tornado's etc tacked below me , the beauty of them was you could really screw it into the wind in gusts , without stalling .(though I admit this bit I had on Hobies )

infact I would be so bold to say that designed to be uni rigged cats forte is upwind sailing


my comments are only based on my experience racing cats in uk , perhaps things are different across the pond .

pretty good description, by Cary Palmer:

Tacking a Uni is not hard. It's just a series of well timed motions. You
have to come into it with some degree of speed. Sit on the Windward
stern, Drop a bit of mainsheet just as wind blows across center line,
Steer down to about 45 Degrees below head to wind, and come forward to
the new windward hull ONLY after the boat is through the tack and moving
again. Sheet in slowly to the old position as you come across and sit
down on the front crossbar. After you gain speed then try to point the
boat up, too soon and you'll end up in irons. Trick is waiting out the
tack on that new windward stern until the boat is moving, Come forward
too early and you'll blow it and be in irons. Hardest part is when the
wind is really blowing and timing it right to sit out the tack while a
strong wind fills your sail and flies a hull while you're tacking. I
figure I've done it just right if I Have to do a power sit to push the
hull back down as the boat takes off again.
Happy Tacking
CARY

I don't know, maybe I have a weird duck, but my Mystere 4.3 will point higher than my H-17 ever did. But we were taking about uni tacking. Just takes practice. Tami way will work great, just take a few times to get it down. Especially in a blow, may get wet a few times.

Doug

Correct me if I am wrong Doug, but your 17 had an aftermarket sail on it, and if I am not mistaken, didn't you fly a jib on that boat as well?

Collin:
Yea I had a Pentex squaretop, and sometime I flew the reacher. Just this little 4.3 will go 30-35 degrees at times. NEVER got that out of the H-17. Still it was a great boat. Hope Greg is still sailing with you guys?

Doug