The RS100 Owners Thread

Only managed to get to the club for midday, soI took plenty of time
rigging, buy which time all the wind had gone, so still not christened, but
some interesting rigging lessons.

The spinnaker halyard as delivered is way too long, so i shortened it,
eventually by about 2ft, after which kite (static) seems to fill well and the
take away works well, keeping the cockpit clear of a floppy Halyard.

When rigging there seems confusion about the shrouds. The manual talks
about Ferrules below the spreaders on the 8.4 and above them on the
10.2 (not sure why they should be different?

Addendum to the manual says taped ends are at the top, but if so, you
would need to seriously bend the spreaders upwards. Taped ends at the
bottom with Ferrule underneath on the 8.4 looks right and sets right. A
boat delivered last weekend Had tape on the other end from mine! He has
set them up like mine with his tape therefore at the top......

Nick, perhaps we should have the measurements to the ferules from the
top then we can all be sure which way is up?

The elastic take aways only come out about two feet with the pole out, so
seem to hook the kite. I can understand that these may stretch out in a
breeze, but will this work in the light or is this right?

Boat looks fantastic, lots of admirers and I expect further orders to
follow.

Hopefully tomorrows forecast is wrong

S

1014 was what rs have recomended. That is what I am racing off at
my club.
Keith

Well 1014 would have had me 3rd maybe 2nd, as it was the buggers
made me race in the fast handicap with the Contenderati, the 505's and
470's and gave the Mackerel fleet a four minute start (Slow handicap take
the five as a one minute then go on the four)
Over the water I managed to hold off the 470's and one of the Contenders
although they beat me up the first beat, the kite pulled one of them back
on the offwind legs.

It was very light, 1 -2 and puffed up to maybe an early three at best at
which point the first Contender managed to get a bit further away and I
started swapping tacks with a 470. The big sail might have helped.

We also had quite a tight 1st reach with a negative downwind tide which
had me battling to hold the kite as I closed with the mark.

Over the water I eventually overhauled the Mackerel fleet (for Mackerel
read lasers) which also contained a Supernova and my chum in a Phantom
all on the offwind legs, up wind I'm just about matching them but make a
mistake and they have you back. My normal nemesis beat me by 6 secs
like he usually does in the Blaze and the other laser hot shot a few more
although I did have the delight of taking them apart downwind (whilst
pointing out to them how easily I was doing it, they just love me telling
them).

I was team ibuprofen, the evil breadknife having stuck a pin in the wax
duppy complete with hair and nailclippings of mine that screwed my back
yesterday after a bit of an 'altercation' but it didn't seem to deter the
hiking when I had the wind for it. It remains a joy to race, a delight to
gybe, how good is that without a forestay, it's like a self tacking jib, let
go
with one hand to do the gybing shuffle and chuck the main over and the
spinnakers gone through on its own - joy. Why I even put in a couple I
needn't have just for the sheer poetry of it.

So I got a 4th which is my best single hand result this year so far, two
mackerels and the five oh ahead and if as I suspect I should have been on
1010 or 1015, I'd have been nearer the front, but it doesn't do to wind
em up any more than I do on the water, the fun is in the taking part as
has always been the losers mantra and really I don't even mind losing -
no really - no really, honest, - Whatever...

Edited by G.R.F.

So whats the like compared to a 300? Do you still get a tendency to nose dive in big breeze? How about upwind? Can you really feel and see the sail blading off to spill wind? How about in the light, do you still get it come on top of you no matter if your sat to leward with a face full of sail? Has the magic of the 300 been kept but with a more stable (?) platform with an assy?

But surely there must be some niggly bits? It certainly looks smart, well thought out etc, not quite as good as the 300 though  (barring the carbon boom of course)

Had some interesting racing over the weekend in a variety of conditions.

Both days we had a light west breeze first thing (9.00am start), which
then died to nothing and came back as a nice sea breeze of about 8
knots.

Had some VERY tight racing and generally found that the 1005 is pretty
fair for the big sail and my average ability.

On Saturday had some tight racing with a very well sailed Laser and a
reasonable Finn on a windward - leeward course (but not enough breeze
for planing downwind). First race I got by 20 seconds, second race Laser
got by 10 seconds after I had a host of kite tangle issues (see below).

Today raced against a sizeable fleet of very well sailed Solos in very light
conditions. First race in ghosting conditions I was first over line but only
just so no good on PY. Second race wind picked up a bit (5 to 8k) and
boat simply took off ! Lead Solo beat me on PY by by 5 seconds but I
was miles in front on the water despite a shocking first beat trying to get
past a solo who was determined to luff me to the point of stalling and I
rounded mid fleet.

Interestingly spent a while farting about with the kite in the very light and
got nowhere. Decided to pack it and just dead run - boy it flies ! Sat on
foredeck with back to mast keeping it dead level and I pulled out 200-
300m on the Solos over a 3/4 mile run ! If it wasnt for the 3 boat length
rule (when did that come in? !) I would have been laughing !

Still getting some niggling string issues. Have shortened kite haliyard by
150mm (max I could do without creasing kite) but still getting it around
shroud end occasionally. Shock cord take up block has a slight tendency
to twist causing the mother of all birdsnests in fast drop - sailed last beat
with only third kite in the sock !

Very interested to hear what mode everyone is sailing upwind. I am trying
to sheet no harder than just pulling the traveller block away from the stop
(although you can go a lot tighter/ higher than this). Also using quite a
lot of kicker and cunningham in virtually all winds to flatten off the top
part of the sail and keep the drive low down. Seems to work well bur as I
have nothing to compare with very keen to hear other experiences.

Edited by ChrisC