The RS100 Owners Thread

[QUOTE=turnturtle] Hi Nick,

I've only used my 8.4 once, so I'm not best placed to discuss; however I
feel like I've gone through a right of passage somewhat with the 10.2.
From initially thinking it was just too big, full and a little cumbersome in
all but the lightest of breeze, to now feeling it's actually a bit of a mean
weapon especially when bladed off in breeze- plenty of mainsheet
adjustment (big armfulls) and it keeps some very consistent power
through the water.   I'm now giving some serious consideration to using it
in Parkstone where I had previously ruled it out for my windward/leeward
sailing.

Jimbo

Looks like we have reached a very similar conclusion !

We had LOADS of wind yesterday - solid 30 knots in the gusts and
average 22 to 25. I had planned to try out the 8.4 for the first time but
had some issues with my mast which meant I was resigned to using the
10.2

Initial couple of minutes were a bit hairy as I got to grips with it but once
I had the controls hard on I then found actually it was pretty OK and I
have concluded I don't think I actually need the 8.4. It was, however,
relatively flat water and in waves maybe better with the smaller sail.

The only issue of any note was with the bear away from beating to deep
running which had its moments and needed quite a good bit of windward
heel ! Part of the problem (for me) was changing from from-the-boom
sheeting upwind to sheeting from the cleat downwind (the mainsheet is
too short for from-the-boom downwind in that breeze). Solution was to
dump the mainsheet totally hike hard and bear away, which seemed to
work. I was, however, sat right at the back for the first time.

Hoisting whilst the boat was already flat out planing on a dead run was
fun ! But as usual the kite had a very stabilising effect and despite the
power made it less of a rollercoaster ride. Forgot to take my GPS but
reckon speed was high teens but direction was dead down wind.

In terms of controls I had outhaul on fully hard (I have a pulley hook which
limits the travel), kicker had lots of pre-tension and then was on block-
to-block most of the time. I played the cunningham to set the power,
pulling on massively hard (head of sail flogging) and easing it in the lulls.
The cunningham seems to be the critical control and is very effective at
blading the head to kill the power whilst allowing instant powering up
after the gust. Interesting in my Vortex I never ever used it and often
didn't bother tying it off !

Upwind I just sort of plodded along with the boom eased a lot and not
pointing too high so as to keep speed on over the chop. You need to play
the main quite a bit to keep the boat moving. My only other comment
was that the board raked back on its own few times but I barely noticed
(unlike in lighter breeze). Also unlike lighter breezes I had quite a lot of
windward heel on, particularly in the really big gusts, so with the sail
flogging a bit and back-winding I was still in control and moving quite
nicely.

Found you do need to sit back if mono-sailing it deep downwind in that
breeze, more so than with the kite up. Had a couple of nose-down
moments with a fire hose coming down the kite sock but never actually
managed to stick it in big style.

Mast gate I am using 3 in the light stuff (further forward feels very bad to
me) and 4 to 5 as the breeze picks up.

First proper high wind outing and the boat is equally as sweet as in the
more moderate breezes and certainly feels safe and easy to control and
still a lot of fun.

Cheers Chris





Edited by ChrisC

Hi Simon,

I did think about it but havn't done so as yet, primarily because on my
initial outings I was finding I had plenty of power and didnt actually need
any more ! I am at least 10kg lighter than you though.

Having thought about it subsequently I am not convinced it would
actually make any difference because without the forestay to restrain the
mast it is effectively unstayed and I suspect that increasing the spreader
length may just induce more mast bend rather than stopping it falling off
to leeward. Most probably a mix of both.

What I have concluded (I think ?) is that the shroud length adjustment
makes very little difference. I inadvertently left the pins in the top holes
(no shroud tension) and it still felt fine to me. Conversely even if you
really crank it on (by pulling hard on the mainsheet) the amount of mast
bend you get is insignificant compared to what happens when you pull on
the kicker.

Would be interested to hear if anyone has experimented with this.

For me the issue in an F2 has been balancing flattening the sail to reduce
drag and leach hook against generating power. Lots of power feels good
but I am not convinced this actually translates into forward speed.

What do you guys do in your Phantoms ?

Chris

Guys

I'm still occasionally getting stuck head to wind when tacking - and I seem to mess up most when I trying to be most careful.  Maybe then I am being too slow to cross the boat?  Any (helpfful) advice welcomed

Dave

Hi Tim

thanks - that is probably it  - too tentative and with to much kicker - which tend to come together at the moment as I am working my way up in wind strengths (and hence amount of kicker and tentativeness!) I will just have to throw myself into it even more - obviously.  I am having lots of fun learning... 

Cheers

Dave 

Originally posted by asterix Hi Tim thanks - that is probably it  - too tentative and with to much kicker - which tend to come together at the moment as I am working my way up in wind strengths (and hence amount of kicker and tentativeness!) I will just have to throw myself into it even more - obviously.  I am having lots of fun learning...  Cheers Dave

I expect you already are... but make sure you ease some
main going through the tack as well or the mainsheet
traveller will tend to stop in the middle of the
traveller and stall the boat coming out.

Ian