moncasta08 wrote:
don't crank on the outhaul... you want some sail shape for power... don't crank on mast rotation... same thing, you need power.
I agree about the outhaul in light air, but the mast rotation... there's two schools of thought. The first, by keeping the mast rotation tight (less rotation), you're forcing the mast to bend on its major axis, which it doesn't like to do, so it remains stiffer/straighter, and forces the sail to develop more of a shape, giving you more liftin lesser wind speeds. However, you also create an "indentation" in the leeward side of the sail, where it meets the mast, causing potentially some disturbed flow/separation right at the leading edge, as the air transitions from the mast to the sail.
Conversely, letting the mast rotate more and keeping it loose will result in more mast bend and a flatter sail, but a more streamlined surface that will encourage the wind to stay attached better. If you don't oversheet, your mast won't bend TOO much, so you shouldn't end up with a terribly flat sail, but it's certainly a compromise. In light wind, I usually experiment with it. Sometimes I try less mast rotation, sometimes I try more, and see how it behaves. I haven't developed a hard and fast rule, but I generally prefer the streamlined entry point/leading edge. I think that particularly in light wind, that is more critical.