Hi all,

just recieved a CDR full of these from Portland Y.C. Commodore, some great shots.

Close racing.

And More Racing

Hot Taipan

Hotter Viper

FCA Blade makes this so easy <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

A monomaran sailor accused me of having training wheels last weekend, I told him I only have one hull in the water at a time <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Danny was flying his kite like this on purpose and was very fast in light winds.

thanks!!

Thanks Gary, great photos. You posted the last one twice - I think maybe you missed the shot of Danny.

Hey Gary-you always look so in control flying the hull downwind from the wire. I was wondering about boat speed vs angle of heel downwind. Do you have a wider groove you can work in off the wind and not lose speed if you get a puff and raise a hull too much?? I understand the basics of projected sail area going to weather. It's the effects of hull drag vs heel-off the wind (for a Blade) I don't quite understand. Thanks, Greg

Hi Mark,

wouldn't you know it that was the only one I didn't check. Sorry Danny, try this.

On the water Danny's kite looked symetrical, not assymetrical.....didn't seem to slow him down any <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

At the risk of starting the discussion again... it is simply EASIER to balance the boat with the spin up on the wire! The only problem is when there is decent chop in which case it gets a little dicey. The hull comes up slower in the puffs, you have a better leverage point to steer from(feet on the hull, pulling back rather than sitting on the tramp and fighting the tendency to slide accross the tramp) , better leverage to sheet in the spin, etc etc. It may seem odd, but you are less likely to fall off the boat if you are on the wire too (no rolling backwards overboard from steering too quickly, etc)

IMO, keeping the windward hull maybe a foot off the water is the fastest point downwind. This was with the low prof boards all the way down.

PTP-your last sentence regarding how high to fly the hull is what interests me. It seems that Gary's hull is high in most of the photos. Since he does well it leads me to think there is a wider groove for proper hull height off the wind. Yes?

It is hard to make a blanket statement like I did, so I guess I need to qualify it a little- depends on wind strength of course, etc. Maybe a little higher than foot but too high is definately slow. Up AND down is slower... balancing is key

Idealy maximum leverage is gained with the hull just skimming so I guess that should be fastest. In reality I probably fly a hull to high at times <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />, but I prefer to do that than have the hull touch down, which greatly increases drag, also if trying to get depth flying higher reduces leverage which allows you to sail deeper. It's realy about what feels fast and staying in control <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />, generaly I find it still seems to be fast to the point where the centreboard lifts out, that is too high <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. So I think anywhere in between is cool <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />.

I think you will loose more by correcting hull height with sailtrim/rudders than you will by accepting the hull to fly higher than optimal.

Still think your kite should be hoisted all the way up and cut with more twist Gary, but that is my pet peeve <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Hi Rolf,

couldn't agree more re spin. Have a new spin now I picked up after portland. It was 2 hours short of being ready for the event <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. It goes full height but probably still needs more twist. Am working on that.

Hi guys,

I still have to learn a lot about sailing downwind.
I've started to sail now with the hull well out of the water but I'm not sure about spin tension.

I see a lot of boats rigged like Gary's (with the spin not entirely up). This gives the spin a rounder, fuller shape, whereas mine is entirely up and is straighter in front.
I have the feeling the spin isn't pulling enough so I guess it could be the set-up. How do you know/see you need more twist, ...

Gill