Whats TT buying next???!!

If you're using a cascade system it makes a lot of sense to use multiple anchors. On a Cherub, which has *serious* kicker loads, I've used three separate anchors on a double cascade and had no problems at all. The shackle I used onto the boom strap would probably have been good to anchor a fair sized warship...

Originally posted by G.R.F. Posted at the same time. O.K. Pop Quiz on which bit of string to pull on the Phantom, part 1) On Saturday TT finds herself with mirror flat with a few zephyrs here and there which bits does he pull and why? The next day having lost badly, as he's dived into the bottom of a shot glass to seek the answer the night before, but instead of which he finds himself with wind, quit bad wind, it's blowing its tits off, now what does he do, apart from reach for the Aspirin?

Ok my answer (bear in mind this is Blaze experience so the Phantom may be different)

In a drifter...

Rig upright
Rig tension on (shrouds 'hand tight' no real measurable tension)
Board fully down (upwind)
Lowers slack (1-2 inches of movement)
No cunningham
Outhaul on, keep the sail flat to help the flow stay attached
No kicker (upwind, just a small amount offwind to hold the boom down)
Get the weight forward (to get the transom out and reduce wetted area)
Sail the boat low and fast controlling leech tension using the mainsheet (upwind)

In a blow...

Rig racked back
Rig tension off (shrouds slack to the touch)
Lowers slack (1-2 inches of movement)
Cunningham on to dump the excess power
Kicker on to give an acceptable level of leech tension and to help lighten the mainsheet loads
Outhaul on to flatten the bottom 1/3rd of the sail
Board up 1/8 to 1/4
Weight moving back to keep in line with centre of resistance (tiller going neutral)
Hike out hard on the racks and enjoy the ride, easing the main in the gusts to accelerate, may pay to go low as the boat will just about plane upwind on flat water.

For the Phantom I believe you ALWAYS use a stupid amount of kicker upwind (which is why the kickers are always breaking) and use the lowers to control the mast bend. When the wind comes up you ease the forestay to drop the rig back (this helps to get the excess power exhausting out of the 4th corner). As for the lowers I could guess given my knowledge of what they do but dont want to look (too) silly.

Originally posted by G.R.F. We should have an online pop quiz to illustrate, not that anyone would post for fear of looking stupid.

I replied cos i know i already look stoopid

I have set the test.....

Originally posted by Merlinboy Thats a good idea grumpf, its all very well saying what each rope is but what it does and why its set there is a different matter!

Fair point (and fair point to Grumpf). But then again the 'average boat park Joe' probably hasn't got a rig that is as adjustable as this.

If people do not want to learn the hows and whys of what the sail and rig controls do then they will not improve. It is physics in action (if only they used this in the national curriculum more, it would have inspired me a bit more).

My 'party piece' when instructing about sail controls is to give a demonstration of what the cunnigham does. Everyone pretty much knows it helps to flatten the leading edge giving a finer entry but almost no one knows that it opens the '4th corner' by making the leech drop away. best done on a boat with a full top batten but much more fun to watch someone cringe when you do it on a Laser (I always ask first or use my own boat).

Of course ideally using a windsurfer sail for cunningham would be best, you really can see how floppy the leech goes but they tend to have fixed cunningham (ie pull it on and leave it).

So come on the Grumpf on with the pop quiz....