Faster on Port

 I posted the following message on the Blaze forum as I figured it was best to try the CA website first.  I've had a decent reply which has lead to a couple more generic rig setup questions that I thought might get more responses from here.

I've got no figures to prove it, just a gut feeling every time I sail, but I'm convinced that when I'm going up wind my boat is faster over the water on port than when I'm on starboard.

I'm talking about sheeting in the exact same amount on each side and sailing to the tell-tales. On port the boat feels like it's flowing, on starboard it feels like it's fighting against the wind (this is all inland so there's no tide involved) and is struggling to make progress.

The mast seems straight, the rig equally tensioned/slack on each side (although it's hard to tell). One possibility is that one of the spreaders seems more reluctant to swing than the other so I'll take a look at that on Saturday and try and get it moving freely.

If it's a tension thing should I start by going tighter (tricky) or slacker on the starboard shroud?

 The other thing is, what effect does spreader length have? Is it just a way of taking up the slack in the shroud or do they do something more important? 

I've been advised to check the horse/traveller (centre main) is equal and to make sure the foils are aligned.  I've got a vague idea for checking the horse but it doesn't seem very accurate and I've no idea how to check the alignment of the foils.

I do know that the centreboard bush is wider than the centreboard so there is room for some side to side play in it but the slot gasket is new and stiff so I would have thought that would be keeping it in a central position.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Kev

Edited by Kev M - 14 Sep 12 at 11:34am

If it not the rig, is your hull symetrical? Are the foils square in the boat?

Are you sure you aren't faster on brandy and babycham?

I've found on occasion that the boat has been faster on one tack than another, but I think it can be often down to the windshifts to begin with, and then it becomes self fulfilling, as you tense up on the tack you think is bad.

Of course, check the mast is actually upright, and get the spreader working properly, though.

Nope- there's a correlation with handedness, but it's not written in stone. I ride regular but am most definitely left handed - writing, bat n' ball, full of sh*t creative type etc in truth you're just goofy- lol.

Put a skateboard in front of you- which foot leads? I'd wager there's a good chance it'll be your right foot, pushing with your left. That's 'goofy', which is actually 'cooler' in board circles, so you can go home feeling smug and cool tonight.

There's another test for goofiness - it involves and blind food and being pushed over. Let me know if you'd like to try it one day ;-)

Edited by pondmonkey - 14 Sep 12 at 12:51pm

So you snowboard regular (but can ride switch if you want to) and sail better on port, but can just about sail on starboard too if everyone keeps out of your way? (someone sensible wrote the rule book!)

That's just like me.... except I don't wakeboard because I'm not ghey.

Thread solved ;-)