In strong winds u want to trap, the boat will then be less prone to nose diving and u will be more in control and more powered up, also u will be in a better position for over taking people.

getting out on wire with the kite is easy, dont use the handle of your trap just go out on the toe straps, then uve got 2 hands to control the boat with.

NK,

Please engage a few regattas with the F17 racing against a top fleet and tell me what you come up with. It sounds like you sail a F18 in EU where the F17 sailors are way behind in techniques. They will catch up quicker if they read certain posts on this forum.

Let us know what races you plan to attend and provide pics please! Besides, Q: if it's faster then why isn't the USA fleet doing it? A: It's because we tested and saw the light years ago. And that's why we post here; to share the knowledge.

Have a nice day,
Bob

yeah Kid...
didn't you notice that the Master Unirig Sailor had spoken?!!?

All I know is that it is really slow when you're dragging behind the boat. Our when you haven't added footstraps and you stuff it hard and dance to the front of the boat. Which sometimes plays out. Since your going forward, and are hanging onto the spin sheat it'll pull out. Sometimes...

When its getting windy I throw the wings on. Trapping off of them going upwind is sweet, downwind not so much. The wings do extend past the transom a couple of inches so I can really get my weight back that way. Somewhere in there it doesn't matter and it still sticks the bows more than I'd like. Hence the other thread about pulling the boards up. I'm learning, slowly, and I'm getting real good at righting the boat. I'm a bit in limbo about the wings. The extra weight is definatly noticeable in the lighter stuff. Dragging the extra weight around isn't a good thing no matter what, but I'm right at minimum weight and in any wind over 15 I have alot of trouble holding it down going to weather anyway, and the added leverage helps alot. I did sail it one day with out the chute, or the wings. Wow, very responsive when you ditch probably 50lbs of hardware!


Bob- How long is the F17? The FXone is 17', 2-5/8"

Rather than one rule of thumb, doesn't sea state have quite a lot to do with it too? I mean, if you need to head up a little and get out on the trap so the boat takes a better angle to the waves, wouldn't that be faster than sitting in and running the bow into the backside of the waves and slowing on every wave? just curious because where we sail the waves are short, steep and really close together.

Guys...
Remember we are talking about 17 foot singlehanders here....

Bob

What I meant to say is we just get the hull flying and the hull length takes care of the rest.

Bob

Agreed.; But my Inter 17 was far worse down wind than my F16 with T foils when it's howling. I pitched by 17 in a few times, but this was in loads of wind, I've sailed the F16 in similar without problems.

My view that it is partly due to how a fleet evolves.

My F16 is better downwind in marginal conditions simply because it has T's.

Hmmm... apples to oranges. Your former Nacra 17 had the smaller alum mast and bigger spin than what we are running now in the USA, taller mast, higher aspect mainsail and smaller spin. It is quite balanced and easy to push when the breeze is on. It really is "when the competition backs off we keep going"!!! I'm glad to hear your T foils work so well.

Happy Holidays!!

Bob