I am doing some light wind racing (10 knots and less) and am struggling to get the boat to point tight to wind. I do not have a furling mast. I set the stay tension based on the owners manual (stretch and measure technique). Has anyone got some hints on tuning the mast? I have a second problem with the stanchion bases loosening up and leaking (although I don't get much rain out here in the desert). Has anyone rebedded their stanchions. I could use some advice about how to best get to the nuts under the deck. Did you add additional plates to under the deck to stiffen them? Thanks
- Status
Since you asked for advise
concerning the stanchions, Yes you do use plates unde the nuts and washers. Think of your stanchions as long crowbars trying to pull the bolts out of the deck. You,re job is to make that as difficult as possible. So spread theload over as wide a surface as is practical. I presume that you have a hull liner since you ask how best to access the nuts. That is someone elses question. I don't have a liner in Bietzpadlin.
concerning the stanchions, Yes you do use plates unde the nuts and washers. Think of your stanchions as long crowbars trying to pull the bolts out of the deck. You,re job is to make that as difficult as possible. So spread theload over as wide a surface as is practical. I presume that you have a hull liner since you ask how best to access the nuts. That is someone elses question. I don't have a liner in Bietzpadlin.
Racing in light wind
Once you have the rig tuned to factory specs trim as follows: 1) tighten the back stay to flatten the main as much as possible. 2) trim the main sheet for plenty of twist. 3) if you have outter leads for the headsail use them to open the slot as much as possible otherwise bring the sheet lead aft to flatten and open up the headsail leach. The big problems in light wind are 1) maintaining laminar flow over the surface of the sails and 2) chocking off flow between the headsail and the main. Also you may not necessarily want to point as high as posible! Get a polar diagram and shoot for the target speed that will get the most VMG toward the mark. US Sailing Association used to publish performance packages including polars for most production boats.
Once you have the rig tuned to factory specs trim as follows: 1) tighten the back stay to flatten the main as much as possible. 2) trim the main sheet for plenty of twist. 3) if you have outter leads for the headsail use them to open the slot as much as possible otherwise bring the sheet lead aft to flatten and open up the headsail leach. The big problems in light wind are 1) maintaining laminar flow over the surface of the sails and 2) chocking off flow between the headsail and the main. Also you may not necessarily want to point as high as posible! Get a polar diagram and shoot for the target speed that will get the most VMG toward the mark. US Sailing Association used to publish performance packages including polars for most production boats.
- Status