How do you go fast?

[Pat Vierra]

I've never sailed a boat without a backstay before.I'm having a little success using the vang to control the sails upwind in stronger winds. Any Go Fast sailers out there with sail control tips?

 

[Ron Mehringer]

Tuning

I'm no expert on speed, but like most I try to get what I can out of my h26. I think the single biggest improvement to speed comes from properly tuning the B&R rig. If the rig is too slack, then so is performance.The 26 is lacking sail controls that many are used to, such as an adjustable back stay and traveler. Personally, I enjoy the simplicity.Ron Mehringerh26 Hydro-Therapy

 

[Pat Vierra]

The vang does helps going upwind.

Acturally, I was suprised at how much tighting the vang helps on my Hunter on a beat in stronger winds. It seems to make up for not being able to tighting the back stay.With a loose vang, the whole rig would go slack when I eased the main when a hard gust hit and it would be hard not to round up. With the vang tightned hard, I can keep both sails much flatter and both sails hold their shape better. Now I can point much higher into the wind and my speed upwind has increased and I'm not being passed by other boats. My rig is tuned fine and I have and use my traveler. I'm just looking for other tricks from sailers more experienced then me on a Hunter 26.Michael, do you really enjoy going wing to wing with a fractional rigged boat? I personally hate going dead downwind without a chute.

 

[Ashley]

Pat, Traveler and wing to wing

Pat, you put a traveler on your 26? Where did you put it and do you get enough travel to make much of a difference? Looks like you could put one on the floor of the cockpit, but doesn't seem like it is wide enough to make much diff. How do you guys sail wing to wing on the 26/260? Do you use a pole for the headsail? Being new to the boat, haven't tried it but once. I didn't seem to be able to let the main out enough due to the spreaders, pulled the jib over to the other side, but couldn't get it to fill. Kept pointing lower and lower until I felt like I was close to jibing so I headed back up. Have a spinnaker, but only used it once. Lots of fun though.

 

[Robert Avent]

Wing on wing

I have a Hunter 19 and sail wing on wing with a whisker pole. It hooks up in 10 seconds and makes all of the difference in the world sailing downwind. The pole holds the jib out opposite the main sail and prevents the jib from collapsing. On my rig, if you gybe, you have to manually move the whisker pole to the other side (easy).

 

[Pat Vierra]

Traveler

I have a two foot Harkin traveler on the bridge deck.Actually it's helps a lot with sail trim and easing the main in gusty conditions. As for sailing wing to wing on a fractional rigged boat with sweapt back spreaders, why don't you just broad reach and tack? It's faster, more fun, and doesn't kill your main.