Thanks to Justin, my wife and I are coming to Marblehead to race Nationals. We'll have our pal Simon, owner of the Melges 24 that we race on. Simon will call tactics, Mer will get fabric up and down, and I'll drive.
Given the amount of fine-tuning that y'all have been doing this year, I figured it was a ripe time to ask for the latest tips for fast driving and main trim from the class - that way the level of my public humiliation can hopefully be reduced somewhat.
Keep in mind that we are coming from a competitive M-24 program, and know how to handle a sportboat, so you don't need to explain the meaning of "planing." ;)
Thanks in advance.
AL
In the words of Buddy Melges " start first and extend your lead ". Just kidding, but as a new guy myself, just have fun and the boat will follow.
1. Upwind. Keep it flat - you need every inch of that keel in the water.
2. Downwind. In breeze- you can get on the plane fractionaly faster by heating up and then a sharp hike to flatten the boat and go. She will jump on the plane just that bit quicker if flat.
3. In light air, in Marblehead, getting to the next line of pressure is more important than main trim, jib trim, shifts, current, rum, sun block, gorgeous Viperettes (including Mer), world peace, global warming and the number of posts on 1000 days at sea. Just get there.
4. Main trim. Not very different to other boats. Once there is enough breeze to get the boat trucking then enough mainsheet to get top batten parallel to boom. Little bit twisted off in the light stuff. Pre bend in mast should be set up to match the luff curve. The vang/Gnav puts additional curve....very effective for controlling the power as the breeze picks up. Be careful with Vang tension in the start and pre-start, too much will make you slow accelerating away from the line.
5. Its a big tall jib. Jib set up is important. All the usual, nice even leech curve and tell tales breaking evenly.
Simon and you will figure it out very quickly. Its not a difficult boat to get up to speed and you have more performance boat experience than most.
Leech telltale on the jib, so you can tell when you're overtrimmed. 1/8" -1/4" of jib sheet can make a big difference. He who hikes hardest goes fastest upwind.
2 years driving and I'm still botching hand and foot work during tacks and gybes, but that's as much because I'm overweight, out of shape and have close to zero flexibility!
Great fun to steer the boat up and down with just the driver's weight while planing downwind! Don't be shy about scooting in and out to head up, down or fore & aft to work the boat through the waves, (w/in rule 42).
Dan
(aka RockHead)
P.S. I think you guys are staying with us, might be one on the floor though... should have a bed for one, couch for another. I should just pick up an airbed, you'd all be more comfy. Or might have real beds for all if Maureen doesn't get a skipper & a SKUD here for herself!
Good stuff, guys - thanks a ton. What about fore/aft trim in the light and heavy? (and dan - yes on the airbed - stoked!)
Also -
No traveler and backstay makes me think that depowering is the same as on my 14 - Cunningham and Gnav provide the mast bend, as does a hard mainsheet (after getting up to speed). Correct?
What about rig settings?
Do you need to tune the shrouds constantly like on a Melges?
Upwind:
1. Get your weight as far aft as possible. The wide flared aft section causes some extra drag but the venturi effect shoots you forward.
2. Pinch as high as you can. It feels slow but you are pointing at the mark.
Downwind:
1. Weight aft again.
2. Soak it low. If possible wing and wing. Don't try and get on the plane.....all that humming and bubbling water rushing by might sound fast and give the crew an uncontollable case of the grins..... BUT consider all the extra friction and you are not sailing straight towards the mark.
Mast Bent? Sorry about that, we will try and get you a straight one.
I heard shrimp are starting to run off of Marblehead. They tend to swim downwind so dropping your kite in the drink and getting a tow from them can gain you an extra knot or so. You?ll be a rocket if you combine this with the wing-and-wing technique. You also get the benefit of a peel-&-eat after the days racing.
Harv
Dont you love a forum where Clean is a newbie?
Quote from: Justin on July 09, 2008, 03:19:30 PM
Dont you love a forum where Clean is a newbie?
LOL! Funny...
Quote from: Justin on July 09, 2008, 03:19:30 PM
Dont you love a forum where Clean is a newbie?
yes. :)
Quote from: Justin on July 09, 2008, 03:19:30 PM
Dont you love a forum where Clean is a newbie?
Very funny, amigo. I'll be practicing those techniques on thursday. Wing and wing, right?
See ya soon.