I recently bought an International 14 monohull (I also have a Prindle 18-2). I haven't sailed it yet, but have had it rigged a couple of times in my front yard. What strikes me most, apart from the mass of lines compared to a cat, is that it doesn't have a traveller. Instead it has a line that fixes the mainsheet at dead center.
What do you do to set the main, for example on a reach when I would have let out the traveller and flatten the main with the mainsheet?
Thanks

You use the boom vang to keep the leach tight as you ease the main.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_vang

http://www.sailingusa.info/sail_shape.htm

Oh, OK. I guess that's why cats don't have vangs until they become big cats.
Thanks

Hobie 14s and 16s had vang attachments on the boom, but I have rarely ever seen the used

Works great until you gybe without releasing the vang. (Don't ask me how I know)

Been there done that!


We had a no yelling rule on the boat, it got real quiet after the failed gybe.

As other's have said, you use the vang to control leech tension on a mono. I had an I-14 for a while that was built in the early/mid '90s - full carbon hull and spars and huge assymetrical spin. Very cool boats, but a lot different from cats. If you have minimal or no dinghy sailing experience, get ready for a steep learning curve and be prepared to get wet a lot. I enjoyed sailing the boat the few times I had it out, but the problem was always finding someone with enough experience to crew on it. The boats are a blast though when you get them dialed in.

You may want to check out the forum at international14.org.

sm