I agree with AG, keep the chute in front of the boat not to one side.
Pole to 45deg. and a bit low and leave it there. Don't square it up unless underpowered. Driver is at the mercy of the trimmers to a certain degree.
If your rounding down, blow the downhaul. But if you were prepared to blow the
downhaul, you were expecting to round down, and there is something wrong with
that. If on the border line I usually head up a bit to make sure I go the other way.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Easing or blowing sheet is effectively powering up the kite. If you are in a round down, you are probably by the lee, right? The apparent wind is "telling" the spinnaker that it is on the other gybe. When you ease sheet you are increasing the power in the spinnaker that is trying to pull you over to windward. Same with easing the vang, as others have stated. Try sailing a Laser DDW in breeze with the vang off. Look at the leech wrapping around forward, presenting all that area and leverage to the breeze that wants to push the mast to weather. When the boat starts oscillating, pop the guy forward 2-4 feet, depending on boat size. When things settle down (almost immediately if anyone has half a clue) square back and bear off again. Repeat as necessary. If you are oscillating beyond recovery, it is always better to bail high side than low. Never blow the afterguy (brace.) Ease it before easing pole downhaul. That may keep the pole off the sidestays. Twings down choke the kite well, effectively depowering it, but remember to free things up in the lulls.
We make damn sure there is not a stopper in the spin hal.
We make damn sure there is not a stopper in the spin hal.
SHort and sweet - death roll advice
head up 5 and grind the shit out of the kite...
or grind the shit out of the kite and head up 5
either way it works, fuck everything else
or grind the shit out of the kite and head up 5
either way it works, fuck everything else
Deathroll v gybe
First, be damn sure you know if you're dealing with a death roll or a broach! The responses are damn near opposite. For the death roll, you're trying to keep from rolling back to windward, for the broach, you're trying to keep from rolling over to leeward. For both, overchoking the twing helps, as it depowers the kite a bit. For the deathroll, the ease of the guy, really can help, as can the pump on the main. In both cases, you're adding net vector pushing the center of effort to leeward. In many cases, the death role includes the driver having gotten too far to ddw, and the center of the kite being over
rotated out to windward, Having the driver, head up, away from DDW (or, as per the usual advice, getting under the belly of the sail) helps, but you gotta watch that you don't just slam into a broach. On a fair number of boats, the driver needs to anticpate the next response. It's easy to start to deathroll, head up, start to broach, and then roll right back into the killer deathroll. As a driver if you pump up away from DDW, be careful as you end the turn up to not overdo it. Expect that the boat may load up and try and head back to leeward, and be ready to pump the helm to steady out on the desired course. Thsi also applies to trimmers and people playing the guy. Don't let the kite turn into a giant Yo Yo, this makes the driver's job really hard. Also talk as you do things, so people know. If you're going to dump three feet of guy, I want the guys two boats over to know about it!
Death roll is a capsize to windward. This happens when flow develops off of the top of the leach of the main either because the vang is too soft or the boom is out too far. When the boat starts rocking overtrim the main big time. This will pull the leach back and stop the flow. Also keep the pole back and drive the boat back under the sails. Once your under control start easing the main again until she starts to rock and then trim in again. It is fastest just before you loose control.
rotated out to windward, Having the driver, head up, away from DDW (or, as per the usual advice, getting under the belly of the sail) helps, but you gotta watch that you don't just slam into a broach. On a fair number of boats, the driver needs to anticpate the next response. It's easy to start to deathroll, head up, start to broach, and then roll right back into the killer deathroll. As a driver if you pump up away from DDW, be careful as you end the turn up to not overdo it. Expect that the boat may load up and try and head back to leeward, and be ready to pump the helm to steady out on the desired course. Thsi also applies to trimmers and people playing the guy. Don't let the kite turn into a giant Yo Yo, this makes the driver's job really hard. Also talk as you do things, so people know. If you're going to dump three feet of guy, I want the guys two boats over to know about it!
Death roll is a capsize to windward. This happens when flow develops off of the top of the leach of the main either because the vang is too soft or the boom is out too far. When the boat starts rocking overtrim the main big time. This will pull the leach back and stop the flow. Also keep the pole back and drive the boat back under the sails. Once your under control start easing the main again until she starts to rock and then trim in again. It is fastest just before you loose control.
More heavy air downwind tips
Depower the chute:
- Twings on
- 1 or 2 crew to leeward
- clamp down on the chute - overtrim.
- pole forward some - maybe a foot on the J24 ?
- leave the vang on to drive the boat upwind. (think about it ...if you let it off to prevent a round up, wouldn't you want to do the oppsite for a round down ?)
If you're chasing the chute downwind, it's going to be a matter of time before you crash - don't let the clew of the chute near the headstay ... Stablize that puppy and come up slightly to keep the boat from rocking, then work down again until you start to feel uncomfortable -- then start the process again. If you keep the boat on a plane, the less likely you're gonna crash. Once the boat stops planing, come up, because the rig is loading up and you're gonna get more unstable.
Once your rudder hits the air, there isn't much you can do, except bend over and kiss you ass goodbye I'd do everything you can to get the pole out of the water (release the guy, downhaul). I've seen more than one rig come down from the pressure of the pole on the ring at the mast.
- Twings on
- 1 or 2 crew to leeward
- clamp down on the chute - overtrim.
- pole forward some - maybe a foot on the J24 ?
- leave the vang on to drive the boat upwind. (think about it ...if you let it off to prevent a round up, wouldn't you want to do the oppsite for a round down ?)
If you're chasing the chute downwind, it's going to be a matter of time before you crash - don't let the clew of the chute near the headstay ... Stablize that puppy and come up slightly to keep the boat from rocking, then work down again until you start to feel uncomfortable -- then start the process again. If you keep the boat on a plane, the less likely you're gonna crash. Once the boat stops planing, come up, because the rig is loading up and you're gonna get more unstable.
Once your rudder hits the air, there isn't much you can do, except bend over and kiss you ass goodbye I'd do everything you can to get the pole out of the water (release the guy, downhaul). I've seen more than one rig come down from the pressure of the pole on the ring at the mast.
Death Roll cure
When going DW, unlike a reach, we'd keep the mast guy and anyone not busy in the middle of the boat, than with a puff hit, they'd move immediately to stabilize. The mast guy always had a hand on the vang and if he could was looking back for puffs talking to the trimmer who was talking to the helm- lots of communication and everyone needs to know what has to happen in a puff- vang off, pole forward, than sheet off...... than hold on.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
REEFING - VARIOUS THOUGHTS:
We use 'two line reefing'. Our tacks have a line deadended on the mast near the goosenecks, which runs up to the tack reef grommets and back down the a check block on the mast to get the exact right reef line angle and then down to a winch (actually back to the cockpit winches but you would likely not do that on a race boat). The line is 10mm spectra single braid - slippery and does not chafe. This is virtually friction free and gives you a 2:1 purchase so you can easily pull in a reef even when reaching and the main is plastered on the spreaders and you don't have to drop the sail to far (and then rehoist) as you do with reef hooks. Works really well - harken and Dan Neri's (North Sail's 3dl) recommendation.The clew reef lines have the normal setup, also using the 10mm spectra single braid. You do need to put an 'internal sleeve' in the spectra to beef it up where it is in the clutches to give it something beefy to grip on.We have a flattening reef, but its primary purpose is to drop the sail just enough so the big roach clears the backstay. When tacking and gybing in under about 5kts that gives us better speed that having the roach hang on the backstay every manouver.
I don't really like the design of the boomkicker; if it is windy and you blow the vang the Boomkicker will fall out of the fitting unless you limit it and then you can't really blow the vang as much.
Don’t reef below spreaders – loads – crank on baby stay.
don't forget, as i always do, to blow the vang before winching away on the leech reef
Mastman pulls sail down to new tack point and hooks on, while pit takes in on reef line. Once made mast man helps halyard back up. Total time ~10-20 seconds.
Tack goes on hook. Line from end of boom goes through leech cringle, down and around boom. Tie a bowline around the standing part of the reefing line. That way it pulls out and down. If you are really clever, a timber hitch on the boom works if you know just where to tie it.
Frac 40'er. We haven't reefed...ever. In a true wind about 32 - 35 we're comfy with it all bladed out (see adjustments noted above) and a nice #4 up front. Higher gusts take a bit of feathering. Much more than that and you're not really racing. Reefed, you don't have the balance in the sail plan to keep the bow up and keep pointing and punching.We have taken the main off when it gets really breezy. But that's "arrive alive" time.You reef most true racing mains these days and you make the phone call for a new one at the same time.
On a modern rig, you first blade out the main with traveller down. if that still can't keep you on your feet (up to 30kn) then you dump the vang, max the cunningham, traveller UP and cenerline the boom. This lets the top of the main twist off (essentially like reefing), but without loss of shape and draft control.
Procedure is 1. Lower main to "drop" mark, taking slack out of reefline as sail drops, 2. Hook reefing tack onto hook, 3. Tension halyard to "reef" mark, 4. Tension reefing outhaul, 5. Put safety line on reefing outhaul (in case the reef line breaks), 6. Roll and tie up bunt of sail, 7. check halyard and outhaul and retension as necessary. The halyard should be marked, and the boom should also be premarked so you know where the reefline will be positioned. The reefing outhaul should come staight down, under the boom and then over between the boom and the foot of the sail, and deadend with a bowline or timber hitch around the standing part of the reef line. With everthing pre-positioned, you should be able to reef in less that a minute.That said, with a modern rig, you shouldn't reef until you have the #4 up, and are overpowered. I haven't reefed in a very long time, but last time was going to windward in 30+ on the Kau Coast on the Round the State Race, and by the time it hit 28, we already had the #4 up, and we REALLY needed to reef. On offshore races, you should have the reefline in the boom and a messenger from the clew through the reefing outhaul cringle, so when it hits the fan, you are ready to rig the reefline.
Also, it's not just a matter of keeping the boat on its feet - I've been in situations where the boat's upright fine (in say an F5 with full main and #4), but she just feels "funny".We diagnosed that the sail was so flat we were just getting no power out of it, and that every time we tried to power up, the COE moved too high and we went over. Solution? Whacked in two reefs and saw our speed jump by 2kts. Gave us the power to get through waves and got the flow over the foils again.
We use a flattening reef on a Schock 35. In anything over 15 knots the jib is driving the boat and the main just rags. If we trim the main until it looks good, we lose a few tenths. Weird, I know, but we've played with it plenty of times trying to figure out what works. The flattening reef allows the main to be trimmed correctly and speed picks up a tenth or two.
1) Have your sailmaker build you a sail that is MEANT to reef. As some one else pointed out, if you are reefing a true inshore racing main (ie one with IRC reef points) You'd better be on the phone with your sailmaker ordering a new one at the same time.2) Have a solid gooseneck. 2 years ago, we got hit by a front during a distance race. While taking the reef, the gooseneck exploded, driving the boom forward at exceptional speeds. As the clown standing in front of the mast to set the tack in the hooks, I was distinctly unimpressed. Fortunatly, I was slightly to windward and the boom chose to go to leeward, but if it had not been so, I think I would have a pretty good dent right now. Thanks for that brown boxer moment Fluffy.3) Single line reefing sucks.4) Those that tell you not to reef, have never been offshore. Reef when necesesary, flatten, spill etc first. Then reef. If the Figaro racers reef, so should you. They're the best in the business at pushing boats to the max for insane periods of time. Remember, you can still carry a kite and do easy double digits reefed, its hard to do this on your ear.
We use 'two line reefing'. Our tacks have a line deadended on the mast near the goosenecks, which runs up to the tack reef grommets and back down the a check block on the mast to get the exact right reef line angle and then down to a winch (actually back to the cockpit winches but you would likely not do that on a race boat). The line is 10mm spectra single braid - slippery and does not chafe. This is virtually friction free and gives you a 2:1 purchase so you can easily pull in a reef even when reaching and the main is plastered on the spreaders and you don't have to drop the sail to far (and then rehoist) as you do with reef hooks. Works really well - harken and Dan Neri's (North Sail's 3dl) recommendation.The clew reef lines have the normal setup, also using the 10mm spectra single braid. You do need to put an 'internal sleeve' in the spectra to beef it up where it is in the clutches to give it something beefy to grip on.We have a flattening reef, but its primary purpose is to drop the sail just enough so the big roach clears the backstay. When tacking and gybing in under about 5kts that gives us better speed that having the roach hang on the backstay every manouver.
I don't really like the design of the boomkicker; if it is windy and you blow the vang the Boomkicker will fall out of the fitting unless you limit it and then you can't really blow the vang as much.
Don’t reef below spreaders – loads – crank on baby stay.
don't forget, as i always do, to blow the vang before winching away on the leech reef
Mastman pulls sail down to new tack point and hooks on, while pit takes in on reef line. Once made mast man helps halyard back up. Total time ~10-20 seconds.
Tack goes on hook. Line from end of boom goes through leech cringle, down and around boom. Tie a bowline around the standing part of the reefing line. That way it pulls out and down. If you are really clever, a timber hitch on the boom works if you know just where to tie it.
Frac 40'er. We haven't reefed...ever. In a true wind about 32 - 35 we're comfy with it all bladed out (see adjustments noted above) and a nice #4 up front. Higher gusts take a bit of feathering. Much more than that and you're not really racing. Reefed, you don't have the balance in the sail plan to keep the bow up and keep pointing and punching.We have taken the main off when it gets really breezy. But that's "arrive alive" time.You reef most true racing mains these days and you make the phone call for a new one at the same time.
On a modern rig, you first blade out the main with traveller down. if that still can't keep you on your feet (up to 30kn) then you dump the vang, max the cunningham, traveller UP and cenerline the boom. This lets the top of the main twist off (essentially like reefing), but without loss of shape and draft control.
Procedure is 1. Lower main to "drop" mark, taking slack out of reefline as sail drops, 2. Hook reefing tack onto hook, 3. Tension halyard to "reef" mark, 4. Tension reefing outhaul, 5. Put safety line on reefing outhaul (in case the reef line breaks), 6. Roll and tie up bunt of sail, 7. check halyard and outhaul and retension as necessary. The halyard should be marked, and the boom should also be premarked so you know where the reefline will be positioned. The reefing outhaul should come staight down, under the boom and then over between the boom and the foot of the sail, and deadend with a bowline or timber hitch around the standing part of the reef line. With everthing pre-positioned, you should be able to reef in less that a minute.That said, with a modern rig, you shouldn't reef until you have the #4 up, and are overpowered. I haven't reefed in a very long time, but last time was going to windward in 30+ on the Kau Coast on the Round the State Race, and by the time it hit 28, we already had the #4 up, and we REALLY needed to reef. On offshore races, you should have the reefline in the boom and a messenger from the clew through the reefing outhaul cringle, so when it hits the fan, you are ready to rig the reefline.
Also, it's not just a matter of keeping the boat on its feet - I've been in situations where the boat's upright fine (in say an F5 with full main and #4), but she just feels "funny".We diagnosed that the sail was so flat we were just getting no power out of it, and that every time we tried to power up, the COE moved too high and we went over. Solution? Whacked in two reefs and saw our speed jump by 2kts. Gave us the power to get through waves and got the flow over the foils again.
We use a flattening reef on a Schock 35. In anything over 15 knots the jib is driving the boat and the main just rags. If we trim the main until it looks good, we lose a few tenths. Weird, I know, but we've played with it plenty of times trying to figure out what works. The flattening reef allows the main to be trimmed correctly and speed picks up a tenth or two.
1) Have your sailmaker build you a sail that is MEANT to reef. As some one else pointed out, if you are reefing a true inshore racing main (ie one with IRC reef points) You'd better be on the phone with your sailmaker ordering a new one at the same time.2) Have a solid gooseneck. 2 years ago, we got hit by a front during a distance race. While taking the reef, the gooseneck exploded, driving the boom forward at exceptional speeds. As the clown standing in front of the mast to set the tack in the hooks, I was distinctly unimpressed. Fortunatly, I was slightly to windward and the boom chose to go to leeward, but if it had not been so, I think I would have a pretty good dent right now. Thanks for that brown boxer moment Fluffy.3) Single line reefing sucks.4) Those that tell you not to reef, have never been offshore. Reef when necesesary, flatten, spill etc first. Then reef. If the Figaro racers reef, so should you. They're the best in the business at pushing boats to the max for insane periods of time. Remember, you can still carry a kite and do easy double digits reefed, its hard to do this on your ear.
Duff Beer Racing
Wednesday Racing - schedule; competition; ratings; charts; RESULTS, etc MRSA
TIPS: BASIC * DEATH ROLL * TACK * HEAVY AIR * MORE
Must do events:
SCREWPILE
Annapolis to Solomons (to get to Screwpile)
Want to do events:
Annapolis Race Week
Around Kent Island
Dreaming of:
Round DelMarva - Tuna Expedition
Key West Race Week
Must do events:
SCREWPILE
Annapolis to Solomons (to get to Screwpile)
Want to do events:
Annapolis Race Week
Around Kent Island
Dreaming of:
Round DelMarva - Tuna Expedition
Key West Race Week
Cool boats thinking of getting:
Farrier F22
Corsair Dash
Rocket22
FT7.5
Olson 29
Dreamin of getting:
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