[frers-list]Sailing Up-wind

[Albert Francis X NSSC]

Neal,

Off the wind, where we do best, I blow the backstay completely and it's
banging me in the back of the head.  I have a loose footed main so I bag
that out pretty good.  When running dead down wind I'll keep either a guy
pushing the main out or a preventer on the main and switch the weight in the
boat to rotate the spinnaker out to leeward and in clean air.  On a reach
with the pole all the way up to the forestay we'll raise the pole as high as
possible which allows us to reach pretty high with the spinnaker without it
collapsing, this was a trick the UK sail maker showed us.  Also when we're
reaching we'll have the main in near the corner of the boat stern and also
really pull down on the vang closing up the leach of the main and making
that sail help a lot.  In the puffs the helm will fall off and we'll ease
the main and blow the vang spilling the air out of it and keeping us driving
fast and on our feet.  In the lulls the helm will come back up and we'll
tighten everything back up until the next puff.

Thanks,
Frank 

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Neal Melanson [mailto:neal.melanson@mcdata.com] 
Sent:	Thursday, June 03, 2004 11:26
To:	frers-list@lists.frers33.com
Subject:	RE: [frers-list]Sailing Up-wind

Hi Frank and all,

First off, the mast rake is good for light air but certainly not heavy air,
and a heavy helm is never good.  Next time in the heavy stuff, open the
leach of the main up and let it breath for more power, finally don't over do
the backstay, and lighten your grip on helm, letting the boat sail itself.  

I'm dying to hear other's responses on this upwind topic; and more about
downwind speed and angles where I struggle.

Cheers,

Neal

-----Original Message-----
From: Albert Francis X NSSC [mailto:AlbertFX@NAVSEA.NAVY.MIL]
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 11:11 AM
To: 'frers-list@lists.frers33.com'
Subject: [frers-list]Sailing Up-wind



Thought I'd ask this question to the group as you all will have the best
knowledge and experience.  Bought my Frers 33 last year and this is my
second season racing it.  I have new Kevlar sails (UK main with top two
battens full length and a North 3DL 155% genoa) and a new spinnaker and race
PHRF with a handicap of 114.  Off the wind the boat performs pretty well
keeping up with most other boats and gaining on some.  However, up almost
every other boat pulls away from us.  The kinds of boats are fairly diverse
and are included below along with their PHRF handicap.  One thing I've
noticed on my boat is that the mast is raked aft pretty far.  The block in
the partners is very thick forward and extremely thin in the back causing
the mast to have quite a rake.  Along with that is an extender that has been
added to the forestay. 

In lighter air I'll move the genoa leads forward a bit to close off the
leach of the genoa and in heavier air back a bit to allow the leach to spill
the excess air.  In really heavy air the boat tends to have a fairly strong
weather helm and that may be due somewhat to the rake of the main.

Beyond that are there any tricks or tactics that you all as a group have
identified works to move the boat up wind better.  Less rake to the mast, or
ease off the back stay in light air, flatten everything out in heavy air.

Love the boat but I've got to figure out how to go faster upwind.  Any help
would be appreciated. 

Boats below are what I racing against and the only ones I'm consistently
beating are the Ranger 37 and the Beneteau 38 and one of the J-105s .  On
occasion I'm also beating the C&C 40 and one of the Beneteau 36.7s but the
rest of these guys have me eating their dust.  For the Frers 33 world this
is embarrassing.   Now you all can be confident that I will never be racing
this boat one design against you since Newport is just too far away so if
you have any ideas spill.

Thanks,
Frank Albert
41621 Relentless

Beneteau 	36.7	78  (three of these)
Melges 24		99  (three of these)
C&C 40 		90
C&C 99		102
Ranger 37		120
Beneteau 38	120
J-105		96  (two of these)
Frers 36	         96



		 
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