To clarify that...they were actually hoping to be able to sail the chupacabra upwind as well as down in the light air. Even in light air, they expected to not be very fast downwind with that flat sail. However, they believed that they would gain more than enough distance upwind to live with losing a little time downwind.

Thanks for the help, I do understand the flat of the sail being different, what I am looking for is advice on angles and how to sail the boat as well as I can. Thanks for all the help. Ricardo.

Switching to a soft spinnaker, gave up on the Hooter in this application. It is a nice peice but not effectived going down wind. It is much more of a reacher than a down wind sail. Thanks again, Ricardo.

When we first discovered them, I was able to pull away from two very good sailors on same boats with full spins. You just have to stop watching them and sail your own race. They will go deeper, you go for the speed.
Ala the F18 v. N20 spins
RIck

Do these same principles apply to a 5.5 sl? Am absorbing all 5.5 info keep it coming.Thanks

wallzie
5.5 sl (muf-dvr)

which principles?

most of the stuff mention here has been about furling hooters vs asymmetrical chutes that are cut too deep for furling

the 5.5sl notmally only has a jib

making the more numerous nacra 5.2 more comparable

Thanks Rick for the input, spent my honeymoon at your place. The courses are short and the hooter can be fast but the sail area I am giving up is killing me. Part of the deal is I get the same number hit by our scoring if I have the soft (larger) or the hooter (smaller) sail. In the end I will have both and be able to rig either on any given day. Cheers Ricardo.

I remember when that hit for both sails was put in place. I believe it was Jamie Diamond doing US Sailing Portsmouth at the time and he was from Ohio and raced against me quite a bit. I had too much success with the Hooter, so they made it the same as a much larger sail. Still managed to kick some serious butt with it, nonetheless.