tonystott wrote:
I am a bit taller (6'4") and a bit lighter (115kg) than you, but right from the start (when I weighed 130+ kg), I set my TI up for sitting up front. This puts the weight almost perfectly amidships, and all photos I have seen show the rudder properly buried and working well (eg, rudder lines only a few inches above the water.). I have never noticed poor rudder response...
I believe if you sat in the rear seat, your stern would be close to being submerged, while your hull would tend to have a reduced waterline length. I am not sure "lightweight" people could appreciate this!
Tony, you were SO right! Evidently, the weight of the rider is a key factor: I tried sitting on the back this weekend, while I tested the Torqeedo motor. Oh my oh my...
1. With the motor only (sail totally reefed), the nose off the hull was barely touching the water (almost "planing"), and both amas were floating in the air up front
2. With the sail 1/2 open, the amas touched the water MOST of the time, but barely. Granted, I was running light on the sail because I was testing the motor, but still...
So, I shall do as you do: front seat it is for me (also, want access to the tramps, I am not that agile any more).