Improving pointing in light air

T

TacSailor

New Member
I don't seem to be able to point as high as other in light air. I start off on the same line but eventually end up many boats lengths to leeward over time. What can I do to improve my pointing ability?

My sail setup is like so:
- outhaul is in to allow 1 1/2 fists to 2 fists between boom and maximum draft in sail.
- No cunningham tension
- Vang on a little.

Body Position:
- sitting on centerboard

So what can I do to improve my pointing angle? Is more vang the solution? More outhaul tension? More Cunningham? A combination of all three? I sure I could point higher by more outhaul and cunningham, although I'm going to guess at somepoint you lose some power if you flatten your sail to much.
 
It would help if you give us the wind strength (guessing that we are talking 0-5 since you are sitting on the board) and your weight.

At 5 knots, you dont' want any cunningham- at zero, there is some debate, some people swear by making the sail flatter and smooth (more outhaul and a little cunningham to remove luff wrinkles), claiming it allows air flow to attach easier, while others sail with a moderatly full sail and claim it builds more power in any small puff....

In 0 to 5, the vang should be the control that determines mast bend, as opposed to main sheet tension - this allows a little more twist in the leech, which also helps air flow on the sail. I set my vang by tightening the mainsheet so the blocks are anywhere from 5-12 inches, then snug up the vang. From then on, I never tighten the mainsheet back to that setting (ie if I had the blocks 5" apart, I never carry them closer then 10" while sailing upwind, if they were 12" apart, never more then 15-18"... In other words, the vang should always be loaded, never slack. (this changes, depending on your weight, somewhere between 5 and 8 knots of breeze, where you ease the vang and allow the mainsheet to bend the mast and decrease twist in the leech area)

In the 0-3 range, leeward heel helps, at 5 knots the boat can be flat.

You want to make sure you are moving before trying to point - the blades need flow around them to generate lift.

Other factors to consider - spar straightness, ie no perm bends in them
 
Yeh we are talking about light air 0-5. As far as weigh let's just say I'm way over the optimum weight for a Laser. But I'm working on that, but I seem to like eating better than dieting, or exercising.

I think my spars are straight. I know my top section is because I just bought a new one. I'll have to take a closer look at my bottom section. Now if you are bending the mast with the vang, in an oversheeted position, then how important is a staight spar? I'm guess not a whole lot since you are bending it with the vang tension. I'm sure I'm missing the point of the straight spar here somehow.
 
I'm in the 210-230 lb range (way over optimum too) - it is just a fact of physics that I will not be able to point as high as the lighter folks in the light stuff. I've come to accept that and spend more time with my head out of the boat, looking for the next puff or shift. I make sure to tack to leeward of light guys when looking for lanes, and make sure I don't have a light guy right below me on the start line.

The bend in the spars issue can be an issue in the 0-5 range, and can actually be helpful if you set them up so the bend is creating a pre-bend situation. However if you don't realize they are bent, and set them up so the bend is sideways or over the bow, it will hurt pointing. That's why I mentioned it. Once you sitting on the windward side with the mainsheet two-blocked, the pre-bend does hurt pointing ability.
 
49208 said:
It would help if you give us the wind strength (guessing that we are talking 0-5 since you are sitting on the board) and your weight.

At 5 knots, you dont' want any cunningham- at zero, there is some debate, some people swear by making the sail flatter and smooth (more outhaul and a little cunningham to remove luff wrinkles), claiming it allows air flow to attach easier, while others sail with a moderatly full sail and claim it builds more power in any small puff....
Click to expand...

Yeah I use a little cunningham based on the idea that a "bull nose" luff is more difficult for a light breeze to flow over than a finer entry. Watch the luff tell tales, if you have them, as you play with the cunningham. I use the outhaul, carefully, to change depth for power. Could be anywhere between 1/2 to 3/4 of a hand from the boom. Too full and the flow doesn't stick to the sail.

In 0 to 5, the vang should be the control that determines mast bend, as opposed to main sheet tension - this allows a little more twist in the leech, which also helps air flow on the sail. I set my vang by tightening the mainsheet so the blocks are anywhere from 5-12 inches, then snug up the vang. From then on, I never tighten the mainsheet back to that setting (ie if I had the blocks 5" apart, I never carry them closer then 10" while sailing upwind, if they were 12" apart, never more then 15-18"... In other words, the vang should always be loaded, never slack. (this changes, depending on your weight, somewhere between 5 and 8 knots of breeze, where you ease the vang and allow the mainsheet to bend the mast and decrease twist in the leech area)
Click to expand...

this could depend somewhat on the condition of your sail. I load the mainsheet block to block, add just enough vang to take most of that load, then when the wind lulls, ease the main sheet up to 8 inches between blocks. Speed is then maintained (well, most of it), even if pointing drops. In a drifter, the idea of pointing runs stupidly close to luffing head to wind. Keep flow over the sail anyway you can.

In the 0-3 range, leeward heel helps, at 5 knots the boat can be flat.

You want to make sure you are moving before trying to point - the blades need flow around them to generate lift.
Click to expand...
agreed. You can also gain by easing your traveller so the small block is about 4-5 inches from the deck.

Basically, try to keep moving rather than worrying too much about pointing. IF you stall the sail through frustration, you're going to stop for a wee while. Listen to the wavelets as they pass the hull. Sometimes you can feel when you've reached optimum 'speed' for your fleet position in light air just as you can feel when you over trim and the boat goes heavy in the water.

Some people in the "boat speed makes you a tactical genius" school raise the board a little, citing less friction, more speed in a trade on leeway (if any).

Sit forward. Lift the flat aft sections out of the water as best you can. You want a shimmer leaving your stern, not a wavelet.

Practice.
 
:cool: There is an other point in light air, you do not need your body hiking out to keep flat, so keep your body out of the air, crouch down, flatten yourself on the deck, like an Indian on the warpath. You would be surprised to learn how much "air drag" is on just one human body. Myself l am well over weight, 103 KG, and yet light air is my favorite in a race.....And a GPS is great for training, use it, let it be your coach (But its not allowed while racing!)
 
I'd suggest that velocity made good (VMG) should be your main focus. Fixating on pointing, especially in light airs is a hopeless proposition. Mostly I agree with the advice above, but would emphasise body position. In light stuff "sitting on the board" is simply not forward enough. Suggest you try trimming the sail through the forward boom pulley and shifting your body as close to the mast as possible. That way, transom drag will be minimised.

Most of all practice. And look for the tiny shifts and puffs ... they're what will make the real difference to your light air performance.
 
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