Joe wrote:

OK..Hoping for a bit of expert advice.
A few questions:

1. Will you point higher if you move your Jib forward by installing a
bowspirt?


Possibly, but not necessarily. It will add power to the rig
by getting more air flow thru the slot, but it's most likely
to hurt pointing IMHO.


2. Can you point higher if you un-rake your mast a bit?


No, other way around. Rake the mast more to point higher. If
the boom is scraping the transom, take out a tiny bit of
rake


Any tuning suggestion to get your boat to point higher?


A bunch of little things can help, but the basics of
pointing are designed into the boat with the rig & foil
geometry.

The jib sheet angles make a big difference. If you can bring
the sheet lead in toward the centerline, making a narrower
angle to the centerline of the boat, that helps. Most
one-design classes restrict that adjustment for this reason
(although there's always a point of diminished return,
overdo it and the boat goes nowhere). You also want to get
the jib sheet lead adjusted fore/aft so that it pulls down
on the leach just the right amount to control twist of the
sail. The jib luff should "break evenly" which means it
should start luffing all up & down at once... not luff at
the top first (move the lead forward) or the bottom (move
the lead aft).

Depending on the rig geomtery & the cut of the sail, the rig
tension, especially on the forestay, helps pointing. Most
boats point best with a tight, straight forestay. Try
tightening first and see it that helps.

Don't ignore the underwater foils either. You've goot what
looks like an awesome rudder, is the centerboard in the same
shape?

And skill is a factor. You have to get the boat up to speed
before you can point high. If you just aim the boat at a
tight angle to the wind, the underwater foils will not have
good flow, the boat will make more leeway, and the flow of
air over the sails will not develop. There is a knack I have
worked at learning for years, where you get the boat up to
speed, then slowly pinch in the sails bit by bit without
distrubing the flow, so that in the end you are going 99% as
fast and pointing 5 degrees higher. Makes a big difference
on a crowded race course.

Coffee cup empty, time to go to work. Hope this helps.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King