Cirrus Icon Development

There are a few points from each post that I will try and deal with.

Mike and Pondmonkey are right, the boat is genuinely very good on the open sea, both upwind where it powers through the waves and downwind when it surfs and planes enthusiastically.  I think the hull shape suits these conditions extremely well.

Peaky – the photo is of upwind sailing and we were pointing perfectly normally.  It looks a bit like a close reach because the jib was a bit too eased. 

I am still learning and have used different crews so results vary.  Best results so far are a first (on the water and on handicap) in mostly light to moderate conditions and flat water against a good mix including RS400, some wells sailed Phantoms, Albacore’s and a Fireball.  Last Sunday we had a three race interclub event in SW winds of 15 rising to 17 knots.  We finished first on the water and on handicap for the first two races against a similar mix plus Scorpions, an RS800 and a Merlin (although not perhaps one of the ones that RS400atC had in mind) but without the Fireball.  For the third race we finished first (just) on the water but third on handicap.  Concentration at this point was wavering slightly however because we managed to sail way past the windward mark twice (couldn’t see it amongst the waves), and I also fell out.

To answer RS400atC’s question.  In the right conditions and if I get it right I can keep up with these particular Merlins upwind and on reaches, until the wind rises to the point where they start to lift out of the water on the spinnaker reaches.  For obvious reasons they will be faster on a run.  These two Merlin crews are however much more talented than I will ever be.

The rig is big and powerful but easily depowered.  My crews and I are generally towards the lighter end of the scale.