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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2023 1:45 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:48 pm
Posts: 90
Location: South Carolina
I sailed in race today with very light winds, on a Hobie 16. We had several unintended tacks. The boat was not moving significantly, so no rudder control. I am thinking the reason for the tacks might be too much mast rake, and not having our weight forward enough. Thoughts?
I have seen this with other boats in other races, but in this race a H14 and H18 were able to keep their heading.

Other than not sailing in light winds, what boat set up is needed to keep the boat pointing in the desired direction?


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2023 8:52 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
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Location: Jersey Shore
It is important to make sure that you are always aware of the wind direction. This can be tricky if the wind is very light and flukey. It is important to always keep the boat moving and don’t over-sheet your sails as they can very easily stall in these conditions. It’s better to run with some twist. Weight should be as close to the front crossbar as possible.

Do you have a wind vane installed on your boat? Telocats are good. VHS tape attached to the bridles is the best in very light wind. Also watch the boats around you as they will give you advance warning of approaching windshifts.

sm


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2023 4:48 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15036
Location: Oceanside, California
Weight too far forward will reduce rudder control. Going to weather crew can sit leeward and just ahead of the shroud. Skippers laying down just to weather of the mast and able to slip aft if rudder control is lost. Caution on over sheeting. That is a common error in light air as you try to get more speed you tend to sheet harder. Get some tail tells on the main leech as noted in a FAQ I wrote some years ago,

mmiller wrote:
Tell Tails are used for a variety of wind indications:

Up high on the top of the mast or on a support stay (shrouds, forestays and bridles on catamarans), would be free to indicate apparent wind direction and undisturbed by the sails.

In the body of the sail to indicate air flow over the sail surface.

On the leech of the sail help to indicate under or over sheeting as well as sail twist.

We simply place the basic sail body ones as a starter. These are the most common used in sailing. I like the leech tails and always have a free swinging wind indicator if I'm racing. I have a couple of diagrams that might help. Designed for Catamarans, but really similar on all sails.

How to place them:
Image


How to use them:
Image

The basics are to try and get both standard tells flowing. I would rather see the windward one stall than the lee side. Sheet out or change course until they flow. Then sheet in a bit.

The upper 3rd of the sail is a good location for "leech" tell tails. If you sheet too hard the tell tail will wrap to the lee side. Not sheeting hard enough and the tell tail flows straight aft. The right sheet tension typically causes the tell tails to flow aft then wrap to lee and repeat... alternating. Very difficult to get it all flowing correctly on a Kayak sail due to the limited tension and sheeting controls and no traveler. Catamarans have battens, downhaul, outhaul, and travelers on the sheeting systems... all work together to trim properly for different points of sail (directions you are sailing compared to the wind).

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2023 6:33 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:48 pm
Posts: 90
Location: South Carolina
Thanks for the recommendations.
We had our weight forward, but probably could have been more forward, and had the problem. In a test, we move aft, either windward or leeward, and that made the issue worse, which tells me the top of the mast (given the rake and the stern-to tilt of the boat) was well aft, picking up the breeze above (always more as you go up), and turning the stern like a weather vane.
We also had weight distributed more to leeward to help keep the sail out, and, mostly, not over-sheeted. In some cases, there was no pressure in the sheet.
One issue might be the foreign 1990s pop music cassette tape on the bridle. Probably should have stuck with Motley Crew or Van Halen. Will experiment with that.


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2023 10:24 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4178
Location: Jersey Shore
I would also add that there is a reason why the sailing instructions for a race/regatta generally specify a minimum windspeed requirement. Racers tend to get a little testy when a race is run in drifting conditions. Light wind racing is one thing, but when the windspeed is so low and inconsistent that the fleet can’t consistently keep moving or maintain a heading, the race should be called.

sm


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