Redshank Evo26
New member
Evolution 26 against First 27.
Wednesday Evening race Video, gusty and shifty wind.
- Thread starter Redshank Evo26
- Start date
Evolution 26 against First 27.
DJE
Well-known member
A mainsheet traveller would have been handy in those gusts.
Redshank Evo26
New member
Yes I use the traveler normally, but cant operate it from the leeward side and cant easily see the tell tales from the windward! What you cant really see from the video is that the wind was shifting all over the place as well as gusting hard. The kicker was set moderately so the top of the main spilled wind first, but as you can see some of those gusts ended up with hardly any of the main drawing. What I needed was someone on the main sheet, but the lady crew members are all quite new to sailing and probably wouldn't have been strong enough to heave it back in.
flaming
Well-known member
Get the helm up to windward. He's probably the biggest bloke on the boat and his weight is in the wrong place!
As soon as you're fully powered up there is no mileage at all in helming from leeward.
A little bit of leach and/or foot line to stop that jib shaking (assuming cars are set correctly) would probably help too.
As soon as you're fully powered up there is no mileage at all in helming from leeward.
A little bit of leach and/or foot line to stop that jib shaking (assuming cars are set correctly) would probably help too.
Redshank Evo26
New member
You are quite right on all counts! However I found being able to see the jib tell tails more beneficial than having my weight up, the wind was shifting 30+ degrees. I do normally helm from the windward side as its far easier and the traveler is usable, it was just unusual circumstances last night. What I needed was someone good on the main sheet, or someone good and light on the tiller!
Uricanejack
Well-known member
Looked like fun.
Achillesheel
Well-known member
The girl in the yellow lifejacket didn't seem to think it was fun!
Pinnacle
Well-known member
Could you not add extra telltales sufficiently close the the luff of the jib so that you could see them when sitting to windward? I'm with Flaming that you are sitting on the wrong side of the boat!
weaver_fish
Member
Trim
You should get the dead weight crew out of the cockpit - don't know your boat but I bet you are dragging your arse around the race course with the weight back. With them out the way you can go and sit up to windward much further forward, seeing all the tell tales and importantly playing the track not the sheet.
Another thing to do is get a good dialogue with the trimmer going so you coordinate. It looks like you are both doing your own thing.
Of course you might have just wanted to share a video rather than have lots of suggestions on going quicker, in which case sorry!!!!
You should get the dead weight crew out of the cockpit - don't know your boat but I bet you are dragging your arse around the race course with the weight back. With them out the way you can go and sit up to windward much further forward, seeing all the tell tales and importantly playing the track not the sheet.
Another thing to do is get a good dialogue with the trimmer going so you coordinate. It looks like you are both doing your own thing.
Of course you might have just wanted to share a video rather than have lots of suggestions on going quicker, in which case sorry!!!!
Birdseye
Well-known member
And the two females are hardly on the rail - get their legs through the guardrails and them leaning out rather than just sitting there watching!
Looks like pretty easy conditions though. Nice flat sea and a good beat.
onesea
Well-known member
+1
+1
Must admit first thing I sore was that jib shaking its self up and the board crew on the rail...
OK maybe why I have not often won races, just a thought for you...
Put one of the light crew new to sailing on the tiller, yourself to windward on the rail trimming the main (IMHO probably more important in gusty conditions than the helm).
Get the guy " trimming" the sheet to share the "work" out so the rest of the crew gain knowledge.. Cross winch the sheet to the windward side he can then get his weight further up on the rail with one of the crew tailing it for him or winching...
You might not win on the first race but a good fully motivated crew makes for much more fun racing and eventually higher positions....
Redshank Evo26
New member
All entirely valid points!
The most important is getting some tell tails in a position I can see easily from behind the traveler. We have one more crew than previously which has pushed me further back, so yes I agree I need another crew member properly on the rail, not sitting in the cockpit. Cross sheeting the jib is a problem as it saws away at the coaming around the hatch remarkably quickly, but yes it needs sorting. The flapping leach should sort with the leach line, but the foot is a problem, as it doesn't have a line. The jib, like most of our sails, has been cut down on the lounge floor and sewn back together on the wife's sewing machine! The clew is reinforced with car seat belt webbing!
Surprisingly, considering all the things we were doing wrong, we came second on handicap. Last year we were 181st in the RTI race, so cant be doing it all wrong!
I intend to take video each week, so watch out for improvements based on all the good advice given. You know how it is, you kind of know somethings aren't being done properly, but you sometimes need it pointing out to actually change it!
Stuart.
The most important is getting some tell tails in a position I can see easily from behind the traveler. We have one more crew than previously which has pushed me further back, so yes I agree I need another crew member properly on the rail, not sitting in the cockpit. Cross sheeting the jib is a problem as it saws away at the coaming around the hatch remarkably quickly, but yes it needs sorting. The flapping leach should sort with the leach line, but the foot is a problem, as it doesn't have a line. The jib, like most of our sails, has been cut down on the lounge floor and sewn back together on the wife's sewing machine! The clew is reinforced with car seat belt webbing!
Surprisingly, considering all the things we were doing wrong, we came second on handicap. Last year we were 181st in the RTI race, so cant be doing it all wrong!
I intend to take video each week, so watch out for improvements based on all the good advice given. You know how it is, you kind of know somethings aren't being done properly, but you sometimes need it pointing out to actually change it!
Stuart.
Lakesailor
New member
If you have a leech line could you move the car further back to pull more directly on the foot and deal with the leech using the line. Avoiding hooking the leech.
I'm not a racer, but it did occur to me once when helming from the lee that it would need two more crew on the windward rail to counteract me being on the "wrong" side.
I'm not a racer, but it did occur to me once when helming from the lee that it would need two more crew on the windward rail to counteract me being on the "wrong" side.
Redshank Evo26
New member
Thanks lakesailor, yes that's what I will do.
I have a feeling that having cut the "back" off a much bigger sail due to damage near the head, the leach is now slightly into the belly of the sail and the piece at the foot has become unsupported by the tension applied. But I am sure I can improve it from where we are now and it is still a better shape than the totally blown out old dacron no2!
weaver_fish
Member
Slowtack
Well-known member
As all above - plus - the water is flat and the gusts are very short duration so try copying how the other boat luffs up in the gusts and bears away a little in the lulls with little or no apparent trim adjustment or loss of speed.
Redshank Evo26
New member
Well that would be great if I wanted to stay behind them! The two boats are very evenly matched, constant trimming and course changes to get power out of the gusts without being layed over on our side and to keep us far enough to windward to avoid being luffed up, saw us overtake them to windward. I stopped the clip just about when we had them in our wind shadow, job done.
Redshank Evo26
New member
I should say though, it wasnt a beat, just a close fetch to the mark. If we had to put any tacks in, I would have taken the lifts. Although its unlikaly the other boat would have allowed me to remain where I was, he can out point us and knows it!
yoda
Well-known member
Looks like a cover on the compass, but I could be wrong. Always useful when watching for lifts and headers.