notice my block to the gennaker clew isn't attached to the shroud chainplate ; this is the proper setup.All people ( even none sailors) in life fall generally into two catagories: Luffers or Chokers. The F16 gennaker should NEVER be luffed (Wouter please write this into the class rules), in response to design limit exceeding gusts ! A luffing gennaker is more unstable (Bethwaite) than an overtrimmed gennaker ! The F16 gennaker must be choked hard in response to big gusts or big gusts in combination w/ rough seas, than driven gently lower until cohereence returns. A kite with a chain plate mounted clew block cannot be choked...
While i'm writing about the gennaker , at one regatta I recall revelling at rounding the windward mark ahead (damn rare) of Poulsen.As we approached the next mark full on W.F.O
under kites I doused (brilliantly) and set up for a longish shy beam reach.Suddenly, from below, Doc blasted past me , wiring with his gennaker still set!Over the next 1/2 mile Eric pinched , footed and (blah), luffed a 100 yard advantage that I could never close... My point is that the gennaker is a lethal damn weapon and mastery reaching w/ the kite means you're neveer out of a race so long as the wind blows from astern.It doesn't hurt to be a little crazy too (sorry doc)!

Hey Paul, that picture is SICK. By the seastate it looks like there's no more than 4-5 knots of wind yet you're on the wire. What point of sail are you one--looks like little mast rotation.

I still need to digitize my Huntington video--similar conditions and you'll see that I'm doing everything wrong. I guess I'm more of a luffer than choker. And I'm also a tack-blower and a capsizer. I'll move my blocks and give choking a try, though. The problem I have with choking, philosophically, is that it stalls the flow of air on the spinnaker more than a mild luff. Maybe I should reread Bethwaite.

Also, being at least 40lbs heavier than you may affect what works. I know I just can't trap upwind until it is at least 8 knots steadily; otherwise I'm better off hiking in and out. But maybe an adjustable height trap is that answer for me.

Hi pkikenny,
Thanks for your thought provoking posts. I certainly agree with some of what you say and have already addressed trap height ajustment and sheeting the spinnaker inboard from the sidestay in my rigging of Altered. Although your pictures could prompt some alterations before launch.

I must urge some caution though, in the sheeting of the spinnaker as individual designs can have a bearing on this. Eg. Mosquito at 7'2" wide sidestay sheeting, has a narrower slot than Altered at 8'2" wide sidestay sheeting. Also pole length/foot length of spin. effect the overlap or not of the spin. with the mainsail which effects the size of the slot.

I must say Iam a luffer rather than a choker. Certainly you will get more power to get you on trap. flying a hull etc. by sheeting closer/tighter, but speed can only come from a clean exhaust so I am back to easing the spin. luff until it curls as soon as the hull is out and drag has reduced, reducing the need for power.

Remember the F16 motto the only real need. "IS THE NEED FOR SPEED". Yeah and being a bit crazy doesn't hurt either, especialy for us one up sailors.

Regards Gary.

Gary,

...ah, good points all and of course you're right.I'm pretty weak on the correct sailing lexicon at times - should have substituted "Flogging" for "luffing" probably...

Paul

would you by chance have any up close shots of your block set up for your kite....hints on single handling a kite??...thanks,,,

Vicatman,

see attached for blocks. As for sailing w/kite single handed-
see "Kites,Krashes and obese angels" thread and "F16 one up"
thread.If you've a specific question post it as there are some really good sailors who often reply. Eric Poulsen has a video that shows really good tecnique that he'd compress and E-mail you if that would fit your computer bandwidth etc...

Best To You,

PK

Hi Vicatman,
have a look at the Victorian Mosquito website, Tim has done a heap of work on this, lots of pictures and hints and most of it of one up boats. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mosquito/

Regards Gary.

thanks much for the info....now if I can just get out on the water....waaaay tooo much overtime right now..