gooseneck position
- Thread starter altair
- Start date
mike4947
Member
Actually, it's more of a general rule and really depends on the sailors weight and skill level. The rule is the heavier the air the farther back the gooseneck needs to be.
I've sailed in drifters with the gooseneck all the way up to 12 inches and had good results.
The theory behind it is moving the gooseneck back moves the center of effort of the sail closer to it's nuetral point. Remember as the wind increases the shape of the sail changes slightly as well.
Pointing is also effected by the gooseneck position. The farther back the more sail area is foward of the mast and the lower the boat sails.
I'm a pincher rather than a footer, so I tend to sail with the gooseneck as far foward as possible to help be pinch up into the wind on beats.
It does come back and bite me in the butt on runs as I have to heel the boat more to get the center of effort of the sail back over the boat.
Also along with gooseneck position is the halyard position on the upper spar. Best pressure is also related to agusting it's position relative to the goosenecks, but that's something best left to do on shore, rather than on the water.
I've sailed in drifters with the gooseneck all the way up to 12 inches and had good results.
The theory behind it is moving the gooseneck back moves the center of effort of the sail closer to it's nuetral point. Remember as the wind increases the shape of the sail changes slightly as well.
Pointing is also effected by the gooseneck position. The farther back the more sail area is foward of the mast and the lower the boat sails.
I'm a pincher rather than a footer, so I tend to sail with the gooseneck as far foward as possible to help be pinch up into the wind on beats.
It does come back and bite me in the butt on runs as I have to heel the boat more to get the center of effort of the sail back over the boat.
Also along with gooseneck position is the halyard position on the upper spar. Best pressure is also related to agusting it's position relative to the goosenecks, but that's something best left to do on shore, rather than on the water.
Given proper gooseneck adjustments and body placement, what if one were to place dots on a sail representing the approximate center of effort for different wind conditions (5, 10, 15, 20)? Do you think one could fine tune the balance relationship between sail and boat by sighting the appropriate dot? Kind of like a wind indicator but a balance indicator instead.
mike4947
Member
The problem is the center of effort in various wind conditions isn't that apparent in the sails draft position. When folks take about the draft moving back or foward they're talking about small fractions of an inch in draft depth.
Experience and feel is what it takes. You know when the center of effort matches closely to the center of the boat as the rudder goes neutral. No weather or lea helm.
It just takes some memory to rememeber what goes where, when.
Experience and feel is what it takes. You know when the center of effort matches closely to the center of the boat as the rudder goes neutral. No weather or lea helm.
It just takes some memory to rememeber what goes where, when.
I would always want to sail to windward with a very slight weather helm. If the boat had a lee helm, that is turning away from the wind, it would seem you would have to use a lot more force (rudder) to tack. With a slight weather helm the boat would naturally head into the wind, making less effort (rudder) to tack.