200 kicker position

front of booms aluminium extrusion

   We seem to be struggling to get the 200 main flat enough, despite pulling the spreaders way back.
Someone no older but much wiser told me to check the position of the kicker bracket on the boom as a previous owner may have moved it forward for the crews comfort.
So, our distance from centre of kicker fitting to front of booms aluminium extrusion = 386mm.
Said wise mans measures from centre of kicker fitting to back of mast track =535mm
Obviously a difference in measuring methods but I will measure to the mast this weekend.

Can anyone beat this? Is anyone out there sad enough to have measured this on a 200?

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piglet Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Jan 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 514	Post Options Post Reply Quote piglet Report Post Quote Reply Topic: 200 kicker position Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 4:56pm
	We seem to be struggling to get the 200 main flat enough, despite pulling the spreaders way back. Someone no older but much wiser told me to check the position of the kicker bracket on the boom as a previous owner may have moved it forward for the crews comfort. So, our distance from centre of kicker fitting to front of booms aluminium extrusion = 386mm. Said wise mans measures from centre of kicker fitting to back of mast track =535mm Obviously a difference in measuring methods but I will measure to the mast this weekend. Can anyone beat this? Is anyone out there sad enough to have measured this on a 200?

transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 5:12pm
	Yer in luck Mr piglet....I 'appen to 'ave a 200 in my garage at this very mo. 385mm from the centre of the fitting to the end of extrusion. Edited by transient - 05 Jun 14 at 5:12pm

piglet Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Jan 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 514	Post Options Post Reply Quote piglet Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 5:49pm
	Thanks Transient, same as mine then. Maybe I should try it further back anyhow?

transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 6:00pm
	......said the Bishop to the actress.

JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6660	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 6:04pm
	Looking at the RS 200 rules I can't see you're permitted to change the position of the thing.

transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 6:06pm
	and as the actress replied to the Bishop "you be careful you don't bend something".

Steve411 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 09 Sep 08 Location: Cheddar, Somerset, England Online Status: Offline Posts: 705	Post Options Post Reply Quote Steve411 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 6:16pm
	If it's a cascade system, the length of each of the throws will be important. I would imagine that all the blocks should be hard up against each other when the kicker is fully off, otherwise there won't be enough travel in the cascade as a whole. Edited by Steve411 - 05 Jun 14 at 6:17pm
	Steve B RS300 411 RS300 page

jaydub Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 06 Jan 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 267	Post Options Post Reply Quote jaydub Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 14 at 6:48pm
	First of all, what vintage is your 2. There was a change in I think about 2008 from 8:1 kickers to 16:1 kickers. It's well worth changing if you are still on 8:1, not so much because you can't get the required tension on without he additional purchase, it just makes it much less painful on your hands! The cunningham is key if you are totally overpowered and flogging the main. It opens the leach and helps lose power from the main. Flatten off the outhaul as well, although this is less critical as it only really affects the sail shape up to about the second batten. Make sure your spreader settings are in line with the settings posted on the Class Association web site. They might not be recent, but they are still valid. If you go too far from them, you might gain in some conditions but you will lose out more in others. Sailing upwind when you are overpowered is a balance between stuffing it and keeping the power on. It just takes some practice to find the groove! Hope this helps.

piglet Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Jan 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 514	Post Options Post Reply Quote piglet Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jun 14 at 2:27pm
	JimC, I have sought clarification on the legallity of this, will report back. Jaydub, this is a 2005 and has 16:1 cascade, which I have replaced with all Dyneema & BB stock. There is plenty of scope at both limits of travel. What stops it going any more is my lack of physical strength and my reluctance to rip the cleats off the thwart. I tried 8:1 cascade on the downhaul but couldn't get it to work round all the clutter & TackTick bracket so reverted to 4:1. I havent yet seen anyone using a true 8:1 ,though I'm sure some are. Again what stops the downhaul is that it just won't go anymore. Outhaul goes bar tight except in waves. Spreaders were standard setup (135 deflection?) and are now 160. Can't remember the length. On a recent traing session video it was clear that our mast was too straight and luff too full compared with another 200.

jaydub Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 06 Jan 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 267	Post Options Post Reply Quote jaydub Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Jun 14 at 3:13pm
	I'm struggling to explain why your mast should be too straight from what you are saying. With a 16:1 kicker, I tend not to fully pull it on when it's aboslutely honking. It's easier to keep the boat on it's feet if you give the air more opportunity to escape out of the leech. I pull it on harder when it's not survival conditiions, but never to the extent that my hand hurts. Spreader settings are dependent on all up crew weight, but we sail off fairly standard settings - 395mm length; 135 deflection @ 21.5 stone. I used the same settings on our previous late 2004 vintage boat. I've never heard of anybody using anything like as much as 160, so would suggest yiou revert back. What's your mast rake set at? 21' 8.5" with one hole showing at the mast foot is pretty standard. Worth trying more rake if you are really struggling. I'll try and remember to measure my boom take off measurement for you on Sunday. I don't believe there is anything in the rules to stop you sliding it further back, but it will encroach on crew space and encourage more mast bend in intermediate conditions, which may not be a good thing.