Walt wrote:
I've done some big boat racing, and the process of tweak something -
look at the gps, tweak it again, look at the gps is somehow unsatisfying...


It's also why the hotshot dinghy racers usually clean
everyone's clock in the big boats.




The new Laser vang is 15 to 1. More and more classes are understanding
the value of a powerful vang. Of course, all that force can break the
gooseneck if you forget to ease it when you bear off...


IMHO most of that purchase is wasted on bending the boom,
it's real benefit is that you can set the vang tension
without wrestling for it and you get a very fine adjustment
increments.




The top boats come roaring down the starting line planing on a port tack
with 40 seconds to go before the start, find themselves a gap, roll tack
the boat to a dead stop inches to leeward of the next boat, and then
foot off into the gap to accelerate into the front row. It's quite the
sight.


Heh heh the starting line is too long, or there are too many
people in the class settling for a second-row start. In
Laser & Lightning & J-24 & intercollegiate starts, the line
length is the total beam of all boats in the start - 1. It's
better when the guys who think they're hot stuff are
fighting for the favored end, then you can get a good open
slot 1/3 of the way down the line. Although I hate giving up
completely on the favored end, once in a blue moon you can
pull off one of those
'win-the-whole-race-in-the-first-5-seconds' starts that are
so memorable.



The good teams are really "one" with the boat. It's like they're
wearing it, rather than riding in it.


Yep. Plus it's really really fun. All it costs is time in
the boat plus some deliberate testing of limits.

DSK

DSK wrote:
Walt wrote:

The new Laser vang is 15 to 1. More and more classes are
understanding the value of a powerful vang. Of course, all that force
can break the gooseneck if you forget to ease it when you bear off...


IMHO most of that purchase is wasted on bending the boom, it's real
benefit is that you can set the vang tension without wrestling for it
and you get a very fine adjustment increments.

It depends on the boom. Yes, the Laser boom bends at higher forces. So
does mine, but I've got an older Proctor boom. The newer SuperSpar
booms don't bend nearly as much. The mast on the other hand...but
that's the point, isn't it?

But what you say is mostly correct. Ease of adjustment and fine tuning
is a bigger part than sheer gorrilla-osity. Especially with the halyard
tension, which I have not found to improve things with increased tension
after a certain point.



The top boats come roaring down the starting line planing on a port
tack with 40 seconds to go before the start, find themselves a gap,
roll tack the boat to a dead stop inches to leeward of the next boat,
and then foot off into the gap to accelerate into the front row. It's
quite the sight.


Heh heh the starting line is too long, or there are too many people in
the class settling for a second-row start. In Laser & Lightning & J-24 &
intercollegiate starts, the line length is the total beam of all boats
in the start - 1.

Yes, there are some RC that set a cruelly short line, but I think you
exaggerate with the total beam -1 figure . It's not musical chairs, you
know.


For instance, I was RC for the Laser districts this spring. We set a
reasonably generous line, and it wasn't even really blowing. This was
at the direction of the poobah District important-sounding title guy.
And at the intercollegiate races we host at our club we shoot for a 1.5
ratio for the starting line. Sometimes we'll deliberately set a too
short line for practice, but the norm is to allow enough room for the
entire fleet to be on the line at once. (and of course they aren't -
second and third row seats abound)

BTW, I think there's always a gap in the line somewhere, bucause with
90% of the fleet camped out with a minute to go nobody can see the
entire thing. Except for the hotshot coming down the line on port...


It's better when the guys who think they're hot stuff
are fighting for the favored end, then you can get a good open slot 1/3
of the way down the line. Although I hate giving up completely on the
favored end, once in a blue moon you can pull off one of those
'win-the-whole-race-in-the-first-5-seconds' starts that are so memorable.

And the other non-blue moon days you're stuffed up with a dozen other
boats trying to win the end. No thanks.

That good open slot 1/3 of the way down is pretty attractive.
Personally, I'll gladly give up a boat length or two for clean air.

//Walt

"katy" wrote in message
...
Scout wrote:
"Thom Stewart" wrote in message
...
Nice going Scout,

How much of a job is it? When I had the "Venture" on the trailer,
raising & setting the main, Launching the boat and securing it to the
slip, driving the car and trailer to the parking lot, Hooking up the
Boom and setting the sails up; I was ready for a nap rather than a sail.

That would all change the minute the sails started :drawing and the
motor was shut off. It did get to be a PITA though, an the slip was a
welcome addition.

Looks good Scout. Happy Sails!!

Thanks Thom,
It wasn't bad at all really, once I got a feel for it. I had no help
raising it yesterday. With help, it'd be a snap. Still, I have a slip
lined up for April 1. I like riding the motorcycle to the boat and
spending time on the water without an Olympic sized workout.
Scout
But think, you have the best of both worlds...you have a boat that can be
slipped but if you want to go somewhere, you can load her up and travel to
a new destination.

That's right Katy.
In my priority list, the ability to trailer the boat was secondary to the
ability to maneuver in shallower waters and then go open ocean. I had
planned on doing a slip from the onset, but it is nice to know I could do
the Bahamas from here in 4 days (one way).
Scout

"Ellen MacArthur" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"Scout" wrote
| the mast, she is raised!
| http://sports.webshots.com/photo/281...97509592kFvzbv


What's that skinny thing on the back of the mast on top? How come the
stay doesn't
bend it down? It looks like it's connected right on the very end of
it.....

Cheers,
Ellen

Great question Ellen, I've since learned that:
1. it's called a crane.
2. it allows for a shorter mast, which in turn makes trailering more
feasible.
3. the sidestays are swept back and provide additional rear support for the
mast.
Thanks!
Scout

"Scout" wrote
| Great question Ellen, I've since learned that:
| 1. it's called a crane.
| 2. it allows for a shorter mast, which in turn makes trailering more
| feasible.
| 3. the sidestays are swept back and provide additional rear support for the
| mast.


I had a good laugh this morning. One of those big 18-wheeler cranes passed me and it had
*Icabod* written in big letters on the side.

Cheers,
Ellen

Did you get it up yet?

SV

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
"Bart" .@. wrote in message
...
Describe one rigging change you made to your boat that
made you life easier. [1 pt]

Getting a boat with a mast raising system.
The Seaward DVD arrived yesterday, btw, with some
instruction on the use of
same, as well as details of construction. I don't know
when I'll get to the
Bahamas, but I like the idea that the boat was designed
specifically to
shall shallow back waters but still make the occasional
jaunt across open
ocean to the islands.
Scout

Aye! http://sports.webshots.com/photo/281...97509592kFvzbv
Scout

"Scotty" wrote in message
...
Did you get it up yet?

SV

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
"Bart" .@. wrote in message
...
Describe one rigging change you made to your boat that
made you life easier. [1 pt]

Getting a boat with a mast raising system.
The Seaward DVD arrived yesterday, btw, with some
instruction on the use of
same, as well as details of construction. I don't know
when I'll get to the
Bahamas, but I like the idea that the boat was designed
specifically to
shall shallow back waters but still make the occasional
jaunt across open
ocean to the islands.
Scout

Scotty wrote:
Did you get it up yet?

SV

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
"Bart" .@. wrote in message
...
Describe one rigging change you made to your boat that
made you life easier. [1 pt]
Getting a boat with a mast raising system.
The Seaward DVD arrived yesterday, btw, with some
instruction on the use of
same, as well as details of construction. I don't know
when I'll get to the
Bahamas, but I like the idea that the boat was designed
specifically to
shall shallow back waters but still make the occasional
jaunt across open
ocean to the islands.
Scout




That's kind of a personal question, isn't it?

Looks good. Sorry, I didn't see the other thread till
today, I'm still catching up, I was sailing for a week.

Scotty





"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
Aye!
http://sports.webshots.com/photo/281...97509592kFvzbv
Scout

"Scotty" wrote in messag
...
Did you get it up yet?

SV

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
"Bart" .@. wrote in message
...
Describe one rigging change you made to your boat
that
made you life easier. [1 pt]

Getting a boat with a mast raising system.
The Seaward DVD arrived yesterday, btw, with some
instruction on the use of
same, as well as details of construction. I don't know
when I'll get to the
Bahamas, but I like the idea that the boat was designed
specifically to
shall shallow back waters but still make the occasional
jaunt across open
ocean to the islands.
Scout

"katy" wrote in message
...
Scotty wrote:
Did you get it up yet?

SV



That's kind of a personal question, isn't it?

You would think so, but he's the one posting pics on the
Internet.

SV