Hi all,
So I've moved to a place where there's an amazing H16 racing fleet, probably like 3rd best in the world. Depends who you ask.
I've done a lot of racing, but not with competition this high. I've noticed a lot of things that these guys do different than I do in setup/tear down of their boats. However, some of it is over the top I think, and I'm wondering... does it really make THAT much of a difference?
1) Stretchy sails. Loosening the battens after every sail, and tightening them up again for each race. I can understand their arguments on sail shape and what not for racing. I know this makes a difference so I've started to do it too. However, I was wondering if anybody knows about how much of a speed difference this actually makes?
2) Tightening/Loosening literally every shackle with a shackle key. This includes the Main and Jib heads, Jib Clew, Main sheet at the boom, etc. I've done these things hand tight and never had a problem in any sailing condition for years. I understand it's not fun if it somehow, someway, comes loose, but really... do I have to do this on EVERYTHING?!?! It's so annoying to take the shackle key out, tighten/loosen it, then have my crew ask for it 2 secs later and we end up handing the shackle key back and fourth 5 times when we get to a new shackle.
3) They are refusing to let me use a quick-pin to hold the jib tack, and instead are using the bloody ring dings! Nothing even brushes past this area would press the button. Why can't I use the quick pin?
4) I know that EPO 3s get UV damaged, especially long term in the sun. However, when setting up the boat I took the rudder covers off near the beginning instead of the end of the process, and one guy said "you'll want to leave those covers on while setting up". Does 15 minutes of sun on the EPO 3s once a week while setting up make THAT much of a difference? I'm sure for how durable the rest of the boat is, that the rudder can take 15 mins of sun?
Otherwise, I totally understand the adjustments they make (mast rake, rig tension, shroud holes, trapeze heights etc.). As for the stretchy sails, I'll just get a pair of racing sails, and a pair of recreational sails. No biggie.
Thanks
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