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Going dead downwind
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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Going dead downwind
    Posted: 30 Nov 12 at 10:43am
okay at the risk of exposing my muppet sailing credentials (again), how do the good guys spot a shift downwind?  Obviously I can tell once it's happened, but the guys at the front seem to be able to read it and plan a strategy with it, rather than just reacting to it after the event.

What are they looking for?  Pressure changes?  Angles of wavelets?  Leech flutter? Or is just a cyclical sixth sense, jedi-tastic sailing skill set that I might as well accept is well off my radar?  
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 7:54pm
I've only ever sailed a Supernova a couple of times, but I did find it important where you sat, it has a funny rocker, someone told me it was based on a cut down 505, anyway, the thing is not for it to make any noise off the stern (water swishing). I did all that kicker off, I also did what we do with boards off wind and dumped the downhaul (cunningham). I pulled more tension on the forestay, my logic was to get the rig more vertical off wind.
I got it going fast enough to overtake a Laser I was racing at the time downwind, but I'd never know if was fast or slower than a differently set up Supernova since we only have the one in our club.
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Lukepiewalker View Drop Down
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Posts: 1341 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Lukepiewalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 5:41pm
And my glasses always steamed up too. I don't think I ever enjoyed a run in my life. boo... down with running!!!
Ex-Finn GBR533 "Pie Hard"
Ex-National 12 3253 "Seawitch"
Ex-National 12 2961 "Curved Air"
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Lukepiewalker View Drop Down
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Posts: 1341 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Lukepiewalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 5:34pm
Being a fat knacker my seating position for the running was always closer to the middle than most... And on our little pond wind direction was a rather vague concept...
Ex-Finn GBR533 "Pie Hard"
Ex-National 12 3253 "Seawitch"
Ex-National 12 2961 "Curved Air"
Ex-Mirror 59096 "Voodoo Chile"
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Joined: 11 Aug 04
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 12:07pm
I can think of plenty of times when DDW has been the fastest way of getting there - I've spent a lot of time river sailing, and sailing places where there might be 50 yards of DDW between marks. There is no why then that sailing anything other than directly to the mark (or straight along the bank against the current) is faster than DDW, whatever the computer says.

Go somewhere sensible to sail (even Frensham Pond, I guess, which is actually quite large as ponds go) and you have far more options.
Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 10:28am
lol - son't sit down too hard, that meat slicer would make a nasty mess of 'meat & two veg'... maybe Sandiline should add kevlar reinforcement to the crotch area of their hikers???
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scotsfinn View Drop Down
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Posts: 284 		Post Options Post Options   Quote scotsfinn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 10:18am
Solo style .. Mmmm... That'll be slurp of coffee, mars bar and back to the carpentry rebuilding the bow that some b*****r nicked in the dinghy park LOL 
No i'll stick with the man's boat with the wood burning stove and built in meat slicer ....
Largs Sailing Club. D-Zero GBR 57, B14 744
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pondmonkey View Drop Down
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Posts: 2202 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pondmonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 9:55am
you need to ban the pumping, that way you can cleat it off DDW and have a slurp of coffee and bite of Mars Bar... Solo style.
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scotsfinn View Drop Down
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Posts: 284 		Post Options Post Options   Quote scotsfinn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 9:31am
Ok JC .. Both Rodney and I are referring to the DW leg, which when chasing pressure, catching waves or playing shifts can be pretty full on. Since I learnt more about the "Black Art" I've had no time to plump up the cockpit cushions or stoke the wood burning stove in the Finns forward cabin and on top of head out the boat stuff we're meant to keep pulling on a single string straight from the boom! Boring down wind ..... They must have the wrong boat LOL
Largs Sailing Club. D-Zero GBR 57, B14 744
www.blueseaconsultingllp.com
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Guests View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 12 at 9:27am
Depends if you've got one of those boats that can go DDW faster than the wind
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