The RS100 Owners Thread

Hi Simon,

I did think about it but havn't done so as yet, primarily because on my
initial outings I was finding I had plenty of power and didnt actually need
any more ! I am at least 10kg lighter than you though.

Having thought about it subsequently I am not convinced it would
actually make any difference because without the forestay to restrain the
mast it is effectively unstayed and I suspect that increasing the spreader
length may just induce more mast bend rather than stopping it falling off
to leeward. Most probably a mix of both.

What I have concluded (I think ?) is that the shroud length adjustment
makes very little difference. I inadvertently left the pins in the top holes
(no shroud tension) and it still felt fine to me. Conversely even if you
really crank it on (by pulling hard on the mainsheet) the amount of mast
bend you get is insignificant compared to what happens when you pull on
the kicker.

Would be interested to hear if anyone has experimented with this.

For me the issue in an F2 has been balancing flattening the sail to reduce
drag and leach hook against generating power. Lots of power feels good
but I am not convinced this actually translates into forward speed.

What do you guys do in your Phantoms ?

Chris

[QUOTE=turnturtle] Hi Nick,

I've only used my 8.4 once, so I'm not best placed to discuss; however I
feel like I've gone through a right of passage somewhat with the 10.2.
From initially thinking it was just too big, full and a little cumbersome in
all but the lightest of breeze, to now feeling it's actually a bit of a mean
weapon especially when bladed off in breeze- plenty of mainsheet
adjustment (big armfulls) and it keeps some very consistent power
through the water.   I'm now giving some serious consideration to using it
in Parkstone where I had previously ruled it out for my windward/leeward
sailing.

Jimbo

Looks like we have reached a very similar conclusion !

We had LOADS of wind yesterday - solid 30 knots in the gusts and
average 22 to 25. I had planned to try out the 8.4 for the first time but
had some issues with my mast which meant I was resigned to using the
10.2

Initial couple of minutes were a bit hairy as I got to grips with it but once
I had the controls hard on I then found actually it was pretty OK and I
have concluded I don't think I actually need the 8.4. It was, however,
relatively flat water and in waves maybe better with the smaller sail.

The only issue of any note was with the bear away from beating to deep
running which had its moments and needed quite a good bit of windward
heel ! Part of the problem (for me) was changing from from-the-boom
sheeting upwind to sheeting from the cleat downwind (the mainsheet is
too short for from-the-boom downwind in that breeze). Solution was to
dump the mainsheet totally hike hard and bear away, which seemed to
work. I was, however, sat right at the back for the first time.

Hoisting whilst the boat was already flat out planing on a dead run was
fun ! But as usual the kite had a very stabilising effect and despite the
power made it less of a rollercoaster ride. Forgot to take my GPS but
reckon speed was high teens but direction was dead down wind.

In terms of controls I had outhaul on fully hard (I have a pulley hook which
limits the travel), kicker had lots of pre-tension and then was on block-
to-block most of the time. I played the cunningham to set the power,
pulling on massively hard (head of sail flogging) and easing it in the lulls.
The cunningham seems to be the critical control and is very effective at
blading the head to kill the power whilst allowing instant powering up
after the gust. Interesting in my Vortex I never ever used it and often
didn't bother tying it off !

Upwind I just sort of plodded along with the boom eased a lot and not
pointing too high so as to keep speed on over the chop. You need to play
the main quite a bit to keep the boat moving. My only other comment
was that the board raked back on its own few times but I barely noticed
(unlike in lighter breeze). Also unlike lighter breezes I had quite a lot of
windward heel on, particularly in the really big gusts, so with the sail
flogging a bit and back-winding I was still in control and moving quite
nicely.

Found you do need to sit back if mono-sailing it deep downwind in that
breeze, more so than with the kite up. Had a couple of nose-down
moments with a fire hose coming down the kite sock but never actually
managed to stick it in big style.

Mast gate I am using 3 in the light stuff (further forward feels very bad to
me) and 4 to 5 as the breeze picks up.

First proper high wind outing and the boat is equally as sweet as in the
more moderate breezes and certainly feels safe and easy to control and
still a lot of fun.

Cheers Chris





Edited by ChrisC

Wow, first racing yesterday, great down wind (minus driver errors) but struggled up wind in 16+knots. I had forgotten how hard hiking is compared to trapezing - has anyone come up with any little person tweaks to the RS guide? And or bigger wind advice for someone who hasn't hiked for 15 years....need all the help I can get to measure up to QMSC's alloctaion of PY - 955 even on the 8.4!!!

Originally posted by Hector Got to say that the kite is just perfect - so glad it's a good big 'un. Not trying to claim that was my idea, but 'told you so'!

Hi Keith,

Pleased to hear you are getting some quality time out in the 100 (too
many boats - too little time !). I'm loving mine to bits and having
managed to get in quite a lot of hours have now feel I
have got a pretty good handle on it in a wide range of conditions.

Yes, its a VERY sweet kite and the downwind really is sensational even in
a fairly moderate breeze.

I reckon the 100 kite has very similar performance characteristics to the
49er kite and the downwind angles are actually pretty similar - generally
very deep and forget trying to sail it above its sweet angle - it just
becomes damed hard work and actually relatively pretty slow - not at all
like our Vortex's which we seem to be able to sail pretty high and still
fast as well as being able to soak if needed. Forget any sort of luffing
match with 400's and 200's !

Having got quite a caning from the 10.2 to start with I have now got to
grips with it even in quite a bit of breeze - absolutely loads of kicker
pretty much all of the time and then blade it off with the cunno in the
gusts. I bought the 8.4 also but actually havn't needed it as yet.

As to PY we all know for assymetrics in mixed handicap fleets this
depends totally on what course you are sailing and what the breeze is.
Provided there is a decent deep and long downwind I have to say the
current PY's are in my opinion pretty favourable. However, if there isn't a
good downwind leg (its too short or too tight) then it is a different story !
Not wishing to blow my own vuvuzela (!) somehow I have managed to win
pretty
much every race I have sailed so far but the margins do vary
considerably. Sailed on Tuesday night in a mixed handicap fleet and in
the first race with a good upwind/downwind course in 15 knots I finished
nearly 10 minutes ahead on elapsed in a 30 minute race !! However, in
the second race wind shifted so I couldn't hold the kite on the downwind
and the margin was down to 3 minutes, which was probably not quite
enough on corrected.

Come on Keith, i don't think the 200's should be giving YOU too much
trouble ! I have found the 100 is not too far off 400 pace - losing ground
gradually upwind but a lot quicker (primarily through greater depth)
downwind. In the light the 400 does have a bigger advantage upwind but
this seems to reduce in more breeze provided you can keep fully hiked
(working on that aspect of my sailing !).

An inlands at Grimwith sounds good to me. Still havn't seen your amazing
new clubhouse yet.

Cheers

Chris








Edited by ChrisC

What size is the kite now?  I remember from way back you were suggesting to go as big as possible, but there must be an optimum size for lowest PY?  The bigger the faster DDW, but smaller lets you carry it on tighter reaches and therefore fly it more of the time.