The RS100 Owners Thread

Originally posted by ChrisC Cheers Wobble. I will look out for that in the rules (and only do it when nobody's looking !). 49ers dont use a ratchet on the main. Not wishing to go down the "Mainsheet Load" route again (honestly !), I would have thought that with the huge purchase of the sheeting from the end of the boom / transom the mainsheet loads would be very low ? On the Vortex, which is centre boom sheeted and hence has huge mainsheet load, I have caused very painful crushing damage to my hands - doctors orders not to wrap sheet around my hand !!

No probs. Chris - given up.

Off boom sheeting was trialled and worked well in light to medium, but
difficult in stronger winds because angles to a cleat are a compromise
between being right back in the reach/ downwind and right forward
upwind. What no- one seems to mention above is that the 49er and
the 29er work well off the boom because they are double handed and
the crew play the main forward whilst the helm stays back. For this to
work on a singlehander it will need a very trick cleat to allow it to cleat
uncleat from very difficult angles. I believe that a number of solutions
were considered, but the turret mounted cleat just worked better. I am
sure that some will pimp this boat, but it has had a really broad range
of sailors providing input so is well sorted.

With the big sail and long foot, I'd imagine palying the main upwind may get fairly tiring in a breeze. 

But I reckon by the time of the first Nationals, the leading guys won't be cleating the main downwind anyway. Move the ratchet up to the boom and take yer cleats off!

Originally posted by Peaky But I reckon by the time of the first Nationals, the leading guys won't be cleating the main downwind anyway.

what, so do you mean that ideally it is better to play both main and genny downwind?  

I can understand that but it could be hard to do.

Would it be main in front hand and genny sheet and tiller in rear hand?

It might be tricky, but I'm sure it would be faster than cleating the main - once mastered.  Keeping the correct slot between any two sails is vital for max performance.  I think I'd have the kite in my front hand and mainsheet in the tiller hand.