daft wrote:
Taco: I wonder why my taco shape is dysfunctional vs an asym spinnaker. The rear wing is too tightly folded, even on a beam reach as I recall. I think this is true on most monohull boomless kayaks on a broad reach or ddw, but mine may be worsened by mast raked too forward so the sheet pulls down instead of back. I raked this to keep my pushed-forward pedals clear of the sail downhaul bungee, but I'll try looping it around the front of the mast and rake forward via the shrouds (helps me reduce lee helm too).
The mast prevents the mainsail luff from projecting windward like an asymspin being driven deep. In the video above, you can see that the boom helps keep the foot extended so all the camber is centered into a "U" shape between the two spars...very similar to the old Polynesian crab claw when heading off wind. When you don't have a boom or any headsails, you will be fastest to leeward keeping the apparent wind just aft of abeam. Use the telltales on the mainsail to trim the mainsheet--pay most attention to the outboard telltale, the inboard one will probably lift.