The Captains Master wrote:


Yep, Etchells chutes are very big headed. My preferrred one the Ullman
"Fatboy runner" pretty much says it all.
We fly the pole high as possible but would definately drag it down a
bit if the luff started to look like yours...I take your point that
you were in front...beats me :-)

Well, I started trimming chutes this way after reading Buddy Melges book 'Sailing Smart.'
He talks about sail trim in a very unconventional but practical way, so far his advice
seems to work. Since then I've been eyeballing the spinnaker luff trying to get the luff
curl way up high, and carrying the pole higher than usual. I also carry the halyard looser
than other people, get the sail out in front.



My spinnaker techniques are not conventional, but most of the time we're among the
fastest boats off the wind. I've heard a lot of people say "your spinnaker is trimmed
wrong" as we pass them. Kind of funny........

Yep, I'm always being asked why we carry the pole so far back in heavy
air. "Makes the boat really unstable" but it sure is fast living on
the edge and that really is the essence.
If it works for you...so be it.

If you can keep the leach from getting too open and rolling the boat, yes.

Another thing is that people usually overdo windward heel. The usual reasoning is to get
the center of effort over the hull for 'more efficiency' but that produces lee helm and a
very uneasy ride. If the leg is DDW, I pull the CB all the way up and use just enough
windward heel to get a neutral helm.... maybe slight lee helm.

In Lasers, everybody is sailing on the windward rail and using the leach for the luff
nowadays. I have not perfected that trick, it looks strange.



Mate, lots of the time they just don't hear no matter what....and I
really do try hard to avoid punching that neat little triangle in
their side...Honest!

Hey, if you had rights and they shut the door... sometimes ya can't help it





Etchells bows make really neat holes :-)

Yeah, that's a bummer. But it gives the crew something to do... BAIL, DAMMIT!

Yep that keeps em busy.
I've seen and completed races with quite big holes in the boat.
Twin double acting pumps are a distinct advantage :-)

Wow, you have twins for crew? Cool!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King