L4000 / 29er ratings

yeah but it really doesnt happen like that, when it gets to above 25kts ish (depending on boat) you can struggle to hold enough power to make it accelerate enough to make the apparent wind stay forward. like a 5kt gust hits and your boat doesnt accelerate anywhere near 5 knots so the apparent drops back again.

my experiance of it was in 29ers and theres nothing we found to do about it. just watch it flap once in the big gust and try to keep it upright and get it going again. ive heard it happens most assymetrics in enough breeze.

(im not trying to say it happens often but it certainly can do)


Edited by Yann

It happens in most modern skiffs that don't have smaller rigs when it gets windier. The 29er's kite starts collapsing in about 25knots, its because the drag on the sails and boat stop it accelerating as Yann said so the apprent wind moves closer to the true wind angle. This is why the main loads up and then kite collapses behind the main. There is a trick to keep the kite set in 29ers but does require good teamwork as if you start doing it too much the rudder starts to cavitate from an increase in the angle of attack and the crew has to flog the kite very quickly to regain control.