Hey all
I was wondering about what people think about rig tesion on how tight it should be because at the latest regata i had lots more rig tension as others and i was pointing higher and it seemed to me that i was going faster but at the end of the race i came out third youth. In the light winds do you have the tension on so much that its not flopping around and i know in the heavyer stuff its on alot more but how do you really know what to set it at?

Jules

Pointing higher and going fast sounds good. Where were you losing them? Downwind?

cheers
Bill

Yeah i normally beat them to the top mark but it was down hill from there. I was pointing higher then ten all the time to keep the boat moving but that wa the problem they were about 10-15 degrese lower than me.

Rig tension will straighten your mast. It will not fall sideways as much. That will make it easier to get your jib tight if you've been bottoming out on the jib sheet. That could help you point higher if your jib is too twisty.

Was it light, medium or heavy breeze?

Sounds like it was on the light side. I assume that your main was traveled all the way out and the boom past the corner casting. Jib should be out too, maybe 20 inches between the blocks and the cleat, but roughly parallel to the main. Weight all the way forward. One rudder up if your rudders work well enough to be sure it locks back down.

After that its a matter of not moving the rudder too much and steering low. 90 degrees on the bridle vane. If there are any waves go lower when they are pushing you.

You need to go as low as the boats behind you or you'll loose them. Rig tension tight pulls the mast forward so it should help you downwind unless you are raked more than your competition. I would just work on your downwind. It's harder to get than the upwind.

cheers
Bill

In the first race i had my travelor out on the hiking strap line o it was easyly at least 15knots but we think it was in the 20-25knotes area. I have no trouble catching people up wind but not down. I noticed they also had their jibs in closer than i did say about 30 inches out and i had more. By the way i was up against the Hobie youth champ and the former tornado champ and lots of other great sailors. So it always tryed to copy them down wind but i couldn't keep up to see what they were doing.

It is good to know what others are doing, but the only way they found out to do it that way was to try something different. If you copy everyone you will never find an advantage.