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PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 7:15 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:46 am
Posts: 108
Location: Brookings, south dakota
Sailing with other waves and they are able to point better than me. I on the other hand can sail faster when we they are using the same tack as me. . How to I tune the boat a bit. Clark in South Dakota.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 6:11 am 
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Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 10:08 pm
Posts: 172
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Well, hard to say, but ... let's talk about me.

How much do you weigh compared to the guys you're sailing with? Heavier guys have to sail lower to keep the power up to push the boat through the water.

Steer gently and have patience. Watch the tell tales. When you want to go down pull the tiller extension a bit and wait until the boat turns down and the tell tale is correct again. If you want to go up ... well you can guess. I'm a fan of using magnetic tape as a tell tale. Two strips taped to the bridle wires about 1.5 feet from the adjuster. Not long enough to reach the mast. They're sensitive in light air, and great for downwind.

Going upwind the windward tell tale wants to point towards the back (leeward) side of the mast. Any tape will do but I prefer 1/2 inch VHS tape from your basement or a thrift store. This will give you a lifetime supply for your whole fleet. Cheap too.

Two high contrast telltales on the sail (black is best but impossible to get now, so orange it is), 1/4 of the way down and head to tail with the gap in the middle at 40% back from the bolt rope (luff).

Make sure your mainsheet jammer is set so that if you pull on the mainsheet it jams automatically. Then learn to release it with a downward flick. You want to check the telltales on the sail about every 20 seconds or so and reset the mainsheet as the wind strength changes.

You could grind (taper) your battens so that they all have the same tension in bend and put the max draft around 40%. It doesn't seem to make much difference but the sail looks nicer and you can feel that you've made the effort.

You're a lucky guy to have other Waves to sail with and you're already learning from sailing with them.

Good luck.

Charles


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 8:03 am 
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Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:46 am
Posts: 108
Location: Brookings, south dakota
Charles thanks for the thoughts. Battens tighter or looser ? I will play around with the shape of the sail. Not sure if I will trim the battens thou . Been on small sail boats for 60 years, dad had me out when I was 3 years old. hobie about 12 years . Guys usually chase me unless we are tight up wind. So I assume it is something about the boat , most of us have Jibs. (standard hobie jibs). Happy sailing in South Dakota.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 10:21 am 
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Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 10:08 pm
Posts: 172
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Careful Clark or you'll get an hour and a half lecture from me on tapering battens. The real truth is that the shape of the sail is built in by the sailmaker and you can help him a tiny bit with battens ... well, with battens like mine.

How old is your sail? Time takes it's toll. Full (stretched out?) sails are faster, particularly off the wind, but don't point as high. Try more downhaul in that case. Set the downhaul on the beach and don't mess with it on the water. You can't get it tight enough if it's windy. :shock:

If I had to make a guess, if you're an experienced catamaran guy you're trying to go too fast, like a full size cat. The Wave has a handicap just a touch slower than a Laser, so think monohull. Surprising amount of downhaul, battens just snug enough to take the wrinkles out or a touch more, Sheet in a tad tighter and you'll point. It's slower, but you'll point.

Good luck and have fun.

Charles


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:39 am 
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Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:46 am
Posts: 108
Location: Brookings, south dakota
Charles , I have a 1997 wave. Sail is kept inside during winter and taken down when done sailing for the day. Not as crisp as the two boats that I am thinking about. Just had our annual regatta on our lake, mostly all tight into the wind course. (Didn't start out that way when we put out the marks, the Wind shifted.) One of the two boats beat me to the finish line (by a few seconds) We didn't use the same line through out the race. I had many more tacks as they did. Not sure I can tighten more on my down haul. But I will give that a try. I think my battens are tight or that they hold the sail tight. I usually tighten the down haul on a windy day and loosen on a calm type day. Our wind Saturday was right in the middle. about 12mph.

Just a note. I noticed that a national H16 and H20 regatta is in on the Missouri River , Hobie Beach, Yankton, south dakota this week. 75 to 80 boats.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 7:59 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 8:40 am
Posts: 3
I Sail mostly an FX-1 with spinnaker. I also crew on NACRA CARBON 20, F-18's and GETAWAY, Also sailed SEASPRAY-15 and PLAYCAT.
I am being asked now and then by BRAVO and WAVE owners "HOW can I get this boat to point?" These are seasoned sailors but often familiar with mono-hulls and the old HOBIE-16s . I have nothing for them. I have agreed to try to take this guys Wave out and give it a shot but what am I up against?


Any TIPS? Web Resources on how to sail these small plastic cats.


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