Another What Boat Thread

Well last night it was a whole different ball game.

Sandettie was recording 35, and it must have been 25-30knots in the
gusts inshore, not that it looked like that when we set out.

Windiest sailboatrace I've ever been out in, and that Lazer 3000 really
hums, being offshore, the water was relatively flat. We, are not the most
experienced of sit down sailors, we're both pretty handy standing up, but
this was a whole new bag of spanners.

I've got so many questions, why does the bloody sail back all the time,
why is it even with the main fully sheeted out, and the jib fully powered,
I'm still getting weather helm. How the hell do you hold that power down
with your left hand, when you can barely hold it with your right, surely
you dont cleat it off?

We got round, even managed to finish 5th over the water, had an
absolute blast, it was really fun (Once it was over), but bloody hell that
boat is twitchy when its got an armful of wind up its bum.

We upended it three times, the start was a hoot, having capsized at 30
secs to go, we manged to right it, fell in the boat looked at the watch 1
sec to go and we're bang on the line, sheet in and boff, we're in the lead
tearing down the reach, with absolutely no idea what to do next.

Even managed to hold onto 3rd for a couple of laps until we piled in big
time - whatever great night we're hooked, will stick with this 3000 for a
bit, until rider error is removed from the equation.

What a blast, can't do much today.

Edited by Graemef

Yep it did that, the damn rudder thing kept sweeping back, even put a half
hitch to secure it beyond the cleat, one time whilst swimming, I even twisted
the lock screw thing to try and keep it locked down, bu the sheer speed
kept knocking it up. Damn boat really shifts.

Couple of beats we even manged to appear to be planing upwind, normally
we just stuff it, but with all that wind and the sail backing we thought try
and foot it off a bit.

Edited by Graemef

I'd put a new cleat on your rudder assembly if its popping up.

May be worth putting more cunningham on as well as it helps move the centre of effort forwards which will reduce weatherhelm.

Are you vanging hard enough? If you're not carrying enough vang, you'll be using a lot of force to pull the boom down and take the twist out, which the vang should be doing.

Of course, the basic problem is that ALL windsurfers are effete wimps who can't handle a real boat.

correct me if I'm wrong but you didn't have loads of vang on in a blow?