Help me point!

Alright, last nights club races I get good starts for both races to find that I can't point near as high as the competetion. On Austin lake the legs of the course are relatively short so there really isn't enough space to foot for speed so pointing is key (for the most part).
I'm probably 5 to 10 degrees lower than the competetion and with the same speed. I try to feather up to match but the boat just sits down with no speed. I'm set up with the sidestays in the second hole, jib halyard very tight, 10 kts wind so crew on trap.
It pisses me off as the lack of pointing ability cost me at least one of the races if not both.
Thanks,
John

What is your rake set to?

About 13 inches as measured by the main halyard differential (front bridle screw to just below the drain plug of the same hull)
John

How old is your boat?
How old are your sails?

'85 boat and sails. The boats that are even older are pointing higher.
Thanks
John

ok i assume your jib halyard is pulled down till there is 9"-12" of slack in the jib stay on the beach. the jib stay not the jib luff wire should have a little slack even when you are sailing hard to weather. your traveller should be centered at 10 kn, mainsheet almost block to block. your jib telltales should be pasted to the lee side of your sail, the windward ones should be just lifting. what about your fore and aft trim? your weight should be forward. your lee bow should be within a very few (2-3) inches of the water. what about your rudders, are they adjusted so they have 1/8"-1/4" of toe in? are your friends sailing carbon or fg rudders (stiffer) against your lexan (more flexible) rudders? what about your battens. they should be just tight enough to remove wrinkles, except the top two on the main, they should be tensioned to induce some curvature at the top. are you trying to sail so high that you are sailing too slow and you are slipping sideways? honestly, sailing to weather is the fine art of sailing. point till you feel the speed begin to drop, then very gently bear off for speed, then gently head up and... practice! : )

All good points from Marsh

To add some more, make shure the leech of the jib is tight enough (but not too tight) If you are pinned too low on the tack, with the old style jib, it will be hard to get the sail in enough before you two-block.

One more thing
Just to be sure
I'm assuming the competition that you refer to was also sailing in a Hobie 16

Yep, the competetion are all 16's

What is your crew weight? What are the weights of your competion? Sailing heavy (310+)will kill your ability to point.
If heavy you may want to try raking a little more forward and get in clean air fast.

we are about 300#, the competition is about the same

Make sure you are not oversheeting the main, even in 10 kts. of wind. The H16 has a definite upwind groove but it does take some practice to get it right.

19 y.o. sails will not help pointing.

This last item is difficult to describe in writing, it's kind of a feel thing: Your crew may be trapping too early and the boat is sailing too flat. Let the windward hull rise up and drive the leeward hull deeper to acheive better lift. I think this is especially true in moderate wind and flat water.

One thing nobody has touched on is the condition of your mast rotation stops.

I've noticed that as my boat ages (and it's only 6 years old), it can't point as high as it used to, even though I've got a brand new jib. Newer boats point higher. Two things I can point to: the mainsail is feeling its age (will be replaced before North Americans) and the mast rotation stops are worn (will wait this one out, since mast rotation controls will be class legal next year).

Could also be that the frame isn't a rigid as it used to be, but it's still pretty stiff.

An over-rotated mast will not help you point.

Matt,

Looking over old threads, I came accross this.

What do you mean mast rotation controls will be class legal next year?

Did this pass?

I know that my new sails and a crazy amount of rake solved my pointing issues. Learning not to oversheet is also helped.

My 27 year old boat seems to keep up with the newer competition well enough. I know it's not a nationals boat, but fast enough for local fleet racing

Now if I can learn to tack.

No, it did not. Rotation controls are only allowed on the 14 (and of course all the boats that come with them).

Add a post-2000 jib.
http://www.catsailor.com/forums/showflat...=true#Post74120