[frers-list]Re: Light wind sailing techniques (Scott Marino)

[Edgar Smith]

Hi Scott:

O.K. I=92ll take a shot at this =96 but you should read the excellent =
tuning guide on the Frers 33 website and get some advice from people =
with more years in the boat than me.
=20
I=92ve found the Frere 33 to be a very good light air boat, right up to =
total drift conditions, (where lighter boats with less wetted surface =
will still have an advantage) I think the big elliptical keel keeps flow =
longer than newer boats with smaller keels.
=20
Are you getting too much weather helm? Your rig set-up does sound a =
little out of wack. You might want to consider having a good rigger tune =
it for you and make recommendations if your stay lenghts are way off or =
if the step is in the wrong spot. Try asking chuck Poindexter =
chuck@soundrigging.com  I had a rigger in our yard tune the boat last =
year and I took careful measurements and pictures so I could duplicate =
his settings as a starting point this year.
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I=92m echoing the tuning guide, but in under 5 knots, of breeze keep the =
boat moving at all costs. Don=92t worry about pointing. Don=92t tack =
unless the shift is huge or you see the new wind.  Don=92t pinch. Twist =
of your main and keep the tell-tales flowing off the top batten. Your =
outhaul should be eased so the foot bellies about 6=94 away from the =
boom. Backstay should be way off, not floppy - but no more. You should =
see plenty of headstay sag which will power up your jib. If you have pre =
bend in the rig, then some gentle tension on the runners could help add =
draft back into the main =96 (although I don=92t find this necessary =
with the cut of our main)
=20
Get crew weight forward and as far to leeward as needed. Just the =
helmsman should be in the cockpit. Sheet out the jib at least a foot off =
the spreaders. Sheet out even more after a tack, until you reach the =
speed you saw on the previous tack, then slowly sheet in.  If the sail =
is drooping, have the closest crewmember hold the clew up braced against =
the lifeline. You want the slot to be open =96 especially with the main =
twisted off. This would mean easing back the jib lead, but there is no =
specific setting as this will depend on how much you sheet in and out. =
And if you change the lead, you will also need to adjust the sheet. Your =
trimmer needs to be able to look at the slot near the upper spreader and =
see if it is open or choked. Don=92t loose your nerve if you seem to be =
sagging off against other boats, as long as you are moving. Most racers =
pinch in light conditions. If you are heading to the new wind, you will =
get there first.  Have everyone on the crew looking around for the new =
breeze and try to get there first. Also, have a book of matches aboard =
and watch where the smoke goes if the wind goes really dead. This can =
give you an advantage detecting a big shift before your competitors. And =
finally be ready to change all your these settings as soon as the new =
breeze arrives.
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Some other things to consider: Is the bottom smooth and clean? I =
wet-sand the bottom before launching and dive to clean it before every =
race, even Wednesday night races. Have you marked the propeller shaft so =
the blades can be lined up in the vertical position and locked the =
transmission by shifting into reverse?  If the blades are horizontal, =
the bottom blade will hang open, or even worse spin. Do you have decent =
sails? We replaced a North 3DL main that came with our boat, that had =
just 3 (albeit heavy) seasons of use. Have you made the boat as light as =
class rules allow?  There is virtually nothing aboard Pachyderm that we =
don=92t need for the race or are required to have on board. This =
includes getting only partial fill ups of Diesel and no water in the =
main tanks. (We carry enough drinking water in jugs). We also store =
absolutely nothing forward of the mast. Some boats even use a cooler on =
the floor by the mast instead of the built in ice-box.
=20
Edgar - Pachyderm=