D-Zero

Rocking and rolling was considered quick in Lasers at one time, at least. Probably a pumping effect as much as anything - the heeling must increase the drag but nonetheless.

Kicker off, forward mast rake all considered to promote speed on the run, but a local Wayfarer rival always seems to leave his on... and goes just as quick, dammit. I really don't know anymore.

"let the kicker off" means so many different things to different people. My basic thing in the Lightning is that the further off wind I am, the more the kicker goes off - if the wind shifts in front, the 2nd thing I do after pulling the main in is pull a little kicker on. This is partly because on most boats, as the boom goes out the kicker actually gets tighter, but mainly to control the leech, which will hook on a reach in light winds and leave you going nowhere. How much of any of this will depend on wind strength, obviously.

In the Firefly, on the other hand, unless it is blowing old boots and the kicker is on very hard upwind, it barely gets adjusted at all - maybe a little just to get the leech right on a reach.

Every boat is different. After all, in a Europe you do it all arse about face and let it off upwind. Or you did when I was sailing them, but fashions can change.

Sounds like a new thread all of it's own, what to do with kicker with which boat, wouldn't that be useful?

A good bit of twist at the top (i.e. enough kicker to enable that without your boom "floating") is what I try and aim for.  The right amount of kicker to achieve this has a fair bit to do with sail cut / leech length (or stretch in the case of L*sers).  A streamer on the end of the top batten (or two top battens) has been my first addition to any sail that hasn't had them already for many years as it needs adjustment and is also influenced by outhaul and cunningham tension (if you can't let these off easily or even adjust them at all).  

Edited by getafix - 04 Sep 14 at 11:31am

Possible D-Zero smaller rig scoop?

Arrived early for Wednesday night sailing last night and saw these two out on the water. Grabbed a rib and took a couple of pics. Blue sail had less foot length and visibly shorter mast too.