Posted under "First Pics" ... now duplicating here where it follows the thread better.
If you can't point with the sloops then something is wrong. To me it sounds like you are suffocating the rig.
Yes, I felt like I was not fully powered.
In fact I likely "overtrimmed" as the wind was up and the seas were high and choppy. My goal was to not capsize so I made for a flat sail (succesfull upwind -- not so under spi' -- note previous post).
Is your traveller of centre by at least 4 to 6 inches, if not then try that
.
Traveller centered to weather.
Mast rotation in these conditions should be somewhere halveway between rear centreboard case and rudder stock. It is actually one of the first things to reduce (less rotation) if the boat is flightly. Second is downhaul.
Flat ... pointing towards rudder stock.
Add a few leech tell tales to your mainsail. I did just the day before yesterday and found that I (taveller) sheeted my mainsail in to close and didn't fly the lower leech tell tale. I was sailing with the traveller about 4 inches off centre. The F16 superwing rig really doesn't like it when the traveller is centred on the 1-up (uni-rigged) sailing trips.
The leech tell tales should be placed : halveway up from leech, halveway between top and mid point of leech, in the middle of the upper panel.
Good luck next time !
Wouter
Thanks, lots to learn (and re-learn). The race(s) were fun and except for the chase boat having mechanical failure on Saturday (90 minute race delay) the races were ... well, exciting.
Sunday races were in lighter winds (occassionally trap'ing), with modest seas (2-3 ground swells). Race 1 I was over early as I got caught between the committee boat and one of the caps and had to come up (almost to irons). Additionally I had a problem with the head of my spi' twisting (several turns) ... I sailed the race that way passing one of the F16 sloops near the finish only to jibe and catch my life vest buckle on the outhaul---blown jibe and actually a 360 before I could get myself "un cleated" and back on course.
Race 2 I was over early again -- down the line and couldn't "dive down" under the F18's so I sheeted sailed over and past them around the leeward mark, turning back on port start. Chuck (F16 709) was over early too, so we both raced each other (he went back and out on Starboard). We met at A mark, Chuck a little ahead. Down wind on the spi' run I caught and passed Chuck. But met again at A mark (clearly Chuck was tuned better for upwind legs). Rounding A mark I was fully expecting to chase Chuck down ... however, my spi' had many twists and I couldn't hoist it all the way up.
I decided not to push it and head for the beach for a quick repair.
It turns out that my spi block at the top was broken and not allowing the pulley to turn--causing the rope to jam in the block. I think this is why I had twists in my spi -- the rope wasn't allowed to twist so the spi' did.
I couldn't get repaired in time to make the start of Race 3 so I (unfortunately) watched from shore. I really like the way Fleet 80 set the course. The committee boat some 300 yds offshore with the "gated" C mark just ahead. A mark in usually location. Various courses of AC(g).
From the shore the "cats" were very visible at the start and finish and each time they came down for C. I'm sure the casual spectator didn't have any idea of what was happening other than it was colorful when the spi's were flying and a "controlled chaos" as the boats seemed to interweave thru one another.
Oh, two Capricorns (F18) were present. One hadn't seen the water before Saturday as the skipper and crew were rigging and drilling on the mast Friday afternoon. Very fast and beautiful boats.
