ISAF Worlds Tiger Set Ups

Greg / Jacques,

Please can you share with us a little about the set ups of the Tigers supplied to the ISAF Worlds as these are the same boats we'll be chartering in the Tiger Worlds / Cangas?

I've been looking at some of the photos & it looks like:

- Spi halyard cleat is on the mast (like many at last Santa Barbara Worlds)
- Spi sheet block on front crossbeams

Can you confirm this? Also was the downhaul the same 16:1 mast 'ladder' system at last Santa Barbara Worlds?

Were there any other equipment "upgrades" compared with the Santa Barbara boats? eg the stick?

What differences did you find with the spi sheet block moved inboard and forward - presumably the spi has been recut... How did this affect your downwind "hobie style".

Lastly did you find out anything new about the spreader rake settings for the STX compared with the ST?

Hope Jacques' eye is fixing itself.

See you in Cangas!

Peter Davies
Hong Kong Fleet 179

Errr, looking at the pictures, they are sailing 16's with spin's. So, I'm not sure asking about diamond wire tension will help

Correction: I'm unobservant. Tigers and 16's. Nevermind, carry on

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Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

The boats used at the ISAF Worlds will be the same charter boats used at the F18 & Tiger Worlds in July. The only real difference for us was the spin halyard cleat on the mast and the seperate tack line for the spi. After using this system and talking with other Tornado crews, I think we'll be sticking with our current set up of one spin halyard line on the forward beam which hoists the spi and pulls the tack out.

The spreaders we set (no adjustment allowed) at 60mm. We normally run ours at 45mm so we we're guestimating the diamond tension at around 40 on the loose gauges we were borrowing. We were able to sight the prebend in the mast and this tension looked to give us about the same prebend as our boat at home. Sound like most sailors are running with the same mast setting for the ST sail vs. the STX sails.

The downhaul system was a little different than the new boat last year but they still have the 16:1. Hard to describe, I'll see if I have any pictures of it and post later.

The spinnaker was the new F18 cut which we had not sailed with before. The cut is a little bit flatter and I found that the fast groove was much smaller. The sheet block was located on the trampoline, tied off to the forward 2 grommets in the trampoline where the crew trapeze bungees run. I think I have some pictures of this as well which I'll try to post later.

Another thing, the forstays were longer and the shrouds shorter, so measure your boat at home as you won't be able to use the same settings on these boats.

I think that answered all your questions, any others let us know.

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Greg Thomas
Hobie Factory Team

Greg:

It sounds like you are saying the the foot of the newer cut spinnaker is less than the older one and that sail overall is flatter. Do you think that the draft of the spinnaker is forward or about the same spot? Does it take more strength to hold the spinnaker sheet with the flatter cut?

Thanks,
Dan

Dan,

Not sure about the draft, I never got a great look at the spin as it was being sailed.

Because of the new position of the spin sheet block, as the crew is trapping and moving toward the back of the boat, the angle that the sheet goes is probably only 20 degrees which makes it VERY difficult for the crew to hold. After the first day of sailing it was blowing probably 15 knots and pretty much all of the crews were having problems holding the spin sheets. We put in a special request with the organizers to add additional blocks for the spin sheets and they obliged with adding one block onto the tramp where the mast rotation hole went, not ideal but it worked.

When the wind was lighter and the crew was trapping forward downwind or sitting on the boat downwind, there was no issues with holding the spin sheet.

If we ever decide to start using the new cut spin on our boat I think we would definately be adding the second set of spin blocks to make it easier on the crew. Your Welcome Jacques.

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Greg Thomas
Hobie Factory Team

Greg,
We just got a new spi for one of the Surf City Tiger teams. We placed the new spi on top of the old one and took some measurements. The new one is definitely flatter and has around 15" more luff!! The other dimensions are different too- I can't remember exactly- but the foot is smaller. I guess this would be the new F18 cut spi?

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Greg / Jacques,

thanks for the speedy reply.

It's very difficult to prepare to bring your own gear for a charter boat and to anticipate "operational" problems when you can't be sure of what you are getting! Your information is extremely useful - any photos you can add would be a bonus.

So as you were swapping boats, everyone had to keep the same 60mm spreader setting - correct? And 60 is considered "medium"?

The spi sheeting point sounds like a nightmare for the crew once it gets loaded up. Did the boats have the old block attachment points by the dagggers? At least this would give us the option of bringing our own (old cut) kites with us.

Clearly the new spi must have a fuller head to balance the shorter foot if the area is to remain at 21m2. This will make it more tweaky: small changes in sheet tension (or pole bend) will have a greater effect on the leach.

Could the boats easily be converted to the standard single spi halyard / tack line if you brought your own gear?

Love to see the new downhaul system if you can. We call the one used at last year's worlds "the green vom" on account of that tasteful green cordage. Is the final cleat still the same mast mounted swivel?

Nice tip on the forestay length too.

Cheers....

Peter.

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Hong Kong Hobie Club Fleet 179
Tiger "Rum Tum Tugger", Hobie 16

There was no changing the spreader rake, so everybody was stuck with the 60mm setting which we consider VERY swept back, we set our spreader rake at 45mm.

The old spin block attachment was on the boat so if you want to bring your old cut kite, no problem. That is also our plan to use the old cut kite as that is what we are used to and prefer.

I'm sure you could figure out how to convert the boat to the single tack / halyard line system. That is our plan as well.

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Greg Thomas
Hobie Factory Team

Greg,

thanks again. Looks like I'll be needing a realy big bag for all the extra bits!

Peter.

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Hong Kong Hobie Club Fleet 179
Tiger "Rum Tum Tugger", Hobie 16