leech tension
- Thread starter LAuman
- Start date
matias
Member
the vang is the best way to adjust the leech but it isn't very effective un the sunfish
you can slightly pull the outhaul, that should help
matias
Member
no, you can't
you can't make any modifications to the sail only repairs but that is not a repair
what year was your sail made in?
if it has more than 10 years you need a new one
matias
Member
the bad thing with old sail is that it becomes harder to point closer to the wind if that is happening to you you need to use the new one
Thanks. I really appreciate your feedback. The Cunningham lets me point pretty well. . . I think(?).
My problem is that I've rarely been able to get attached flow over the whole main, and I feel that I'm not getting max drive from it. . . . and I haven't been able to control it. Now, sometimes between close and broad reach in a decent breeze, I can get my w'ard, l'ward, and leech tales flowing, (and the boat hums!), but I can't hit that groove at will. I am trying to learn ways to control sail set. I know that I can't put in traveller adjustments.
Thanks again.
My problem is that I've rarely been able to get attached flow over the whole main, and I feel that I'm not getting max drive from it. . . . and I haven't been able to control it. Now, sometimes between close and broad reach in a decent breeze, I can get my w'ard, l'ward, and leech tales flowing, (and the boat hums!), but I can't hit that groove at will. I am trying to learn ways to control sail set. I know that I can't put in traveller adjustments.
Thanks again.
I have raced in this class a long time. The sail is unlike other boats - needless to say. I think getting flow across the sail is very difficult upwind, especially on port, where it is probably impossible. I think you have to sail these boats more by feel than boats with a typical rig. That said, a telltale about six inches below the leading sail number on the port side is a good one to keep an eye on (a telltale goes on both sides of the sail - but its location is below the leading number on the port side.)
Regarding leach tension - the leeches do tend to cup. I asked Paul Foerster about leech tension once, and he indicated he did not try to adjust it. He keeps his clew and head tiedowns tight and uses some vang. Eduardo Cordero has done a lot of sail shape testing, but I don't know what conclusions he has drawn, but his results speak for themselves (8 World Championships I believe.) I think we all rig up fairly similarly, and the leech does what it does.
BTW, I would be careful about using much cunningham up to 13-14 kts or so. You should usually have a little cupping between the grommets on starboard and port upwind until you are around that windspeed. If you can hike hard, you may keep the cupping at higher speeds to I think.
Hope this helps. Chris
LAuman, I'm wondering if you're coming off a bigger boat with Main Jib? The Fish with it's upper spar on the luff edge of the sail definitely changes what you normally see on a Jib. You won't get the same attached flow immediately on the luff edge. As has been mentioned, you can reduce the cupping with the vang, some. But to me the first tool would be the mainsheet. Now I know you can over trim the main too. So my process right now is to find someone better than me (not hard to do) and start picking their brains on mainsheet tension wind condition by wind condition. personally I only casually check the telltales on the sail. I concentrate on sailing the telltales on my homemade windex that is attached to my upper spar about 2.5 feet off the deck. This wind indicator is extremely sensitive and I believe I understand the relationship between it's flow and sail position. Hey, I could be all wrong, and I'm certainly willing to learn, but so far it works for me. BTW, most of my time in boat has been in 12 and under. I hope some of that helps. I'm having a BIG time learning this boat, cheers, Winever.
Well, I have come off a bigger dinghy (505), but my love of 50 years was the classic Moth. That boat has similar mast interference issues, but you can use any sail shape controls you can devise. If you fiddle around enough, you can get the most out of that 72 sqft.
I appreciate all of the inputs I've gotten (Need to say that this is one of the best forums I've accessed), and yours is a big help.
I've tried a spar-mounted indicator, and it's helpful to windward, but not better than testing the luff in our shifty, stratified lake winds. . . and I've frequently wiped the indicator out when I didn't have time to fix it.
Hey, I'm enjoying the 'fish. It doesn't plane easily, but when the wind blows, she goes. One-design sailing is more important to me than boat identity. . . and I prefer the small dinghies.
I appreciate all of the inputs I've gotten (Need to say that this is one of the best forums I've accessed), and yours is a big help.
I've tried a spar-mounted indicator, and it's helpful to windward, but not better than testing the luff in our shifty, stratified lake winds. . . and I've frequently wiped the indicator out when I didn't have time to fix it.
Hey, I'm enjoying the 'fish. It doesn't plane easily, but when the wind blows, she goes. One-design sailing is more important to me than boat identity. . . and I prefer the small dinghies.