Daggerboard Shockcord Setup

B

brendanjcollin

New Member
I've noticed more and more racers running their daggerboard shockcord to their upper spar, sometimes back to the daggerboard. I know that one advantage is to help hold the sail out in light air. Has anyone used this method? Any feedback on other advantages or disadvantages?
 
I use that method. Although I really must say, I haven't really noticed that it helps keep the sail out too much, especially if you are healing it to windward going downwind. But it does keep the daggerboard up nicely, and you can pull on that to hold out the spar. What I will end up doing a lot in light air, is loop the tail end of my hailyard around the tack of the sail, and back to me, and I will hold that to keep that sail out when doing downwind. When you are going up wind, however, in light enough air, you will be healing the boat to leward to keep the sail shape, and that will make the sail go out anyway. A lot of the people I race with have rigged up a line with 2 bungee cord that loops around the splash guard, and the centerboard goes in the middle of them, but it really dosent keep it up when going downwind.
 
In both of these cases, the bungee cords aren't tied tight enough. If you have it stretched tight enough, it will hold your sail out going downwind. They will also hold your daggerboard at a specific height, so long as it is tight enough.
 
Thanks for the input. I've used the bungee/splashguard setup before with little success for a consistent hold going downwind. Seems like I was constantly having to adjust. Any tips on securing it to the spar...rolling hitch?
 
Sorry for the double post. I set my gaff to daggerboard back to gaff bungee cord length by adjusting it on the water. It has to be tight enough that it pulls the sail out (I race so I have my dagger board raised when broad reaching and running with the bungee along the back of the dagger board. I don't put it through the hole as I've had it get doubled over into the dagger board trunk that way and that's a major problem. I also rig a 2-36"-bungee-with hooks and tension that with overhand knots to hold the board where I put it. See: at Yahoo Groups:
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/kNj2RZ...D5cGpfOFob/Safety Equipment/Bungee Cord 1.jpg

You'll need to "establish an account" to view it, but all the details are there.

I haven't done an illustration like that for the gaff-to-daggerboard version yet. This year.
 
I saw a neat shockcord setup at Midwinters: the cord runs through the "eye" in the boomcap at the tack end of the gaff (the same way the outhaul runs through the eye on the boomcap at the aft end of the boom). And with the middle of the cord up by the tack of the sail, the ends clip or tie together at the daggerboard.

I usually use clove hitches with stopper knots to tie my shockcord to the gaff; I'll be trying the above setup next time I'm out...

Kevin
 
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