Light Air Learnings

[Hunt]

I am interested in what you all learned this weekend in the light stuff. Here are the highlights of what we learned:

Upwind.
1. Constant main trim was key. Before this weekend I had handed Kris the main in light. But the load on the Ashby seems heavier (or is it that I dropped purchases). Regardless, Kris drove and I trimmed - it seemed to work once I got really gentle - more a squeeze than a pull.

2. Also, I played the rotator a lot. This was new as I had just changed the system so I could play it. When we hit a lull I would ease a bit of sheet to just open the upper leech and then ease the mast rotator. as the breeze came on I would squeeze the sheet and bring the mast back.

3. Weight all the way forward. Ths is easier for us with fly-weight Kris in the back steering. Fat boy here was sitting on the front beam almost all day and often leaning forward onto the pole or forward deck.

4. In the tacks I started following WFs's lead and going around the mast - this seemed faster from a choreography standpoint at least - seemed like the bows were pushing more water but still we seemed to come out of the tacks well.

Downwind.
5. Wind Thing didn't really work well for us - kris is too light - or maybe we just need practice. Only did it a couple of times when REALLY light. Most of the time I was sitting on the beam up against the mast with my legs extended under the mast to leeward.

6. Smooth / gentle adjustments to the sails and the helm were key.

7. Our jibes were really fast. We made pretty big gains jibing behind other boats. we did a couple of things. First, Kris took a really long line / big radius to keep the boat moving. This kept speed up as much as possible, and also we probably got a length or more downwind. The sail didn't snap around, but it probably wouldn't have anyway in that breeze. Second, as we headed off, she would east the traveler, then centerline it when she wanted to bring the main across, pass the tiller extension, drop the trav on the new jibe and then pull it gently back to centerline as we accelerated. Finally, it was totally key to get the chute flowing on the new jibe and not lose it as the boat accelerated.

Don't know if any of this is new or helpful but thought we woudl share it. Anyone else learn anything.

Hunt

[Bob Hodges]

Hunt,

Thanks for this post, great ideas. I'll add my input.

1. Main trim upwind - In light non-trapeze conditions, I play the mainsail. I agree you cannot keep it cleated and expect to go fast. In the puffs and lulls, I was playing around 3"-6" of 10:1 trim. Amazing that you feel a difference but I believe it was working. I never stalled the top telltales, not really sure they ever flowed (always had the weather telltale lifting up). When we saw big chop and slop, I would head off slightly and ease the main even more (close to 12") to punch through. I would pump the main 2-3 times as I trimmed back in after the waves.

2. Rotator - We set the rotator and did not play it. With me trimming the main and WF basically sitting forward, it would be easy for him to do. It's not convenient if you are out on the wire.

3. Weight position - I was sitting in front of the shroud, WF was sitting just behind the main beam with his upper body leaning on the forward hull. I agree this is fastest. We never put weight to leeward upwind.

4. Going around the mast is very convenient but I am also concerned that you are pushing a lot of water around. At the Alter Cup last year, Jason Sneed sailed with me and he stayed behind the mast on tacks. We felt we were tacking the boat better than anyone (now this was in big waves and trapeze conditions). I felt our light air tacks were quite good yesterday. I tended to start the tack sitting on the weather side right behind the shroud. The main would stay sheeted in until it pops on to the new tack and then I would immediately ease at least 12" of sheet. I'd then switch positions. The main thing I was trying to do was to not sink the sterns.

5. Wild Thing Downwind - What you were doing is worth testing in a non-race situation against other boats.

6. Smooth trimming/helm - Absolutely agree.

7. Jibes - Agree with everything you say. Glen Ashby in a recent interview about fast wild thing jibing on an A-boat recommended easing the traveller to get the mainsail working right after the jibe. The F-18HT mainsail is very big, you don't want that sucker to stall. You aced us in the second race on the last downwind yesterday because of a horrible jibe we did. Another tip for the driver. Look forward as much as possible so you know where in the turn you always are.

Hunt said:

I am interested in what you all learned this weekend in the light stuff. Here are the highlights of what we learned:

Upwind.
1. Constant main trim was key. Before this weekend I had handed Kris the main in light. But the load on the Ashby seems heavier (or is it that I dropped purchases). Regardless, Kris drove and I trimmed - it seemed to work once I got really gentle - more a squeeze than a pull.

2. Also, I played the rotator a lot. This was new as I had just changed the system so I could play it. When we hit a lull I would ease a bit of sheet to just open the upper leech and then ease the mast rotator. as the breeze came on I would squeeze the sheet and bring the mast back.

3. Weight all the way forward. Ths is easier for us with fly-weight Kris in the back steering. Fat boy here was sitting on the front beam almost all day and often leaning forward onto the pole or forward deck.

4. In the tacks I started following WFs's lead and going around the mast - this seemed faster from a choreography standpoint at least - seemed like the bows were pushing more water but still we seemed to come out of the tacks well.

Downwind.
5. Wind Thing didn't really work well for us - kris is too light - or maybe we just need practice. Only did it a couple of times when REALLY light. Most of the time I was sitting on the beam up against the mast with my legs extended under the mast to leeward.

6. Smooth / gentle adjustments to the sails and the helm were key.

7. Our jibes were really fast. We made pretty big gains jibing behind other boats. we did a couple of things. First, Kris took a really long line / big radius to keep the boat moving. This kept speed up as much as possible, and also we probably got a length or more downwind. The sail didn't snap around, but it probably wouldn't have anyway in that breeze. Second, as we headed off, she would east the traveler, then centerline it when she wanted to bring the main across, pass the tiller extension, drop the trav on the new jibe and then pull it gently back to centerline as we accelerated. Finally, it was totally key to get the chute flowing on the new jibe and not lose it as the boat accelerated.

Don't know if any of this is new or helpful but thought we woudl share it. Anyone else learn anything.

Hunt

[Peter J]

Agree with all of the above. Ashby is a big fan of easing the rotator out after tacks too.

Clint Clemens shot several hundred photos on Sunday. I felt that when we were free to sail our own way downwind, that we were the quickest. When you look at the photos, we consistently had the weather hull out clearly out. No one else really did this, and it is clear in the photos. When you consider that we're the heaviest combo out there, there must be something to our downwind technique. I am a firm believer in the wild thing with crew to leeward up to conditions where the crew is marginally trapezing upwind.

[Bob Hodges]

Peter,

Question about your wild thing technique. If you get a puff that really pops your windward hull up in the air, do you ease the spinnaker sheet as you carve downwind? It would be a subtle trim change to prevent the chute from stalling.

Do you ever adjust mainsheet tension or just leave it alone? Are you centered on the traveller or do you ease it any?

Thanks for the feedback!