dagger boards confusion

Being a proud owner of a Capricorn since two weeks, I read more closely the owners manual. The advice on the dagger boards actually do confuse me. Going downwinds with spi I always thought they should be fully raised in all wind conditions. The manual, however, says that both should be fully down at low winds, 20-30cm up in medium winds, and 50cm in strong winds. Another Cap-sailor told me that he has the leeward daggerboard always fully down, and the windward one according to the aformentioned rules. I think there should be general principles?!

Congrats on the new boat - everyone loves getting something new!

I've generally gone by the book on daggers and not spent too much brain sweat on it. I noticed the US champions on a Tiger leaving their boards down all the time maybe six years ago...

There have been several threads on the issue with gybing and fixed board boats - do a quick search. My conclusion was and continues to be that the guy who wrote the manual on my boat has more time on the water and on the boat than me. If I can prove him wrong, I might try something different. I am secure in the knowledge that I am not an innovator - further, I am not averse to trying something new. It works for me.

Light winds the boards help to lift the windward hull. Thus all the way down.
Moderate winds. Hul has lift already boat wants to Trip sideways over the board so a little bit raised.
Heavy winds Boat needs to spill power by sliding so more raising the boards.
Thats how it was explained to me.

Also remember that less board means less surface area which means less drag = faster...generally.

Going downwind last weekend in light air, I stumbled across another reason to keep the boards fully down in light air (at least on a 2005 Nacra F18).

With the boards raised ~30 cm or so, I had to keep the rudders 20-30 degrees to windward to go straight. Put the boards down, and it's back to neutral helm. With more wind (and more speed through the water), less daggerboard area is needed to balance out the sail plan.

You are talking about both dagger boards, right? You don't make a difference between the lee- and the windward board?

Hi Baltic
when I got my new Landy main earlier this year he sent me some crib notes that touched on the dagerboard settings and are as follows; - " The capricorn itself is a little unusual to sail downwind. the Centerboards are very sensitive. Unless it is blowing 20 knots, never lift the board more than the V cut out in the board. 10 - 12 cm is enough. Any more and you are slow. The boat is so boyant that it need most of the board to lift and go forward."
Cheers.

GBR6 - that is very interesting indeed. My boat has Landerberger sails, too, and after phoning them they promised to send a tuning guide according to my generation of sails (2007).
John, to which "book of daggers' do you refer? Do you own a Capricorn as well and mean the AHPC tuning guide?

Yep - I have a Cap, too. Between he owners' manual and the tuning guide, I think they covered all the basics quite thoroughly.

At least the owner's manual is not the last word in dependability (<- correct word?). Greg admitted already two mistakes in the downwind section: the main downhaul should be off on all wind conditions and the adjustments for the main traveller is listed twice with conflicting recommendations. What else might be wrong? I have to confess that this alienates me as a beginner a lot.

... to avoid a wrong impression: Greg knows of these mistakes and promised to update his tuning guide soon.

Baltic,
Your attachment shows latest AHPC guide? Did you get Landy's guide as well?

JFR, not in table form like AHPC's - do you have one? I'm planning to make one on my own in EXCEL, based on the information and corrections from AHPC and Landenberger, and send it to check to Landenberger . I am in conversation with Felix Egner there who makes a very cooperative impression.