The RS100 Owners Thread

Or should that be on the right sporting the fancy pink number....

Originally posted by drifter Any chance of some sensible contributions...

Drifter, please do make some.

Originally posted by turnturtle Well I had a crap drift today... Sitting to leeward trying to keep the kite filled, What's the point?

Would it be better to run without the kite in those conditions?

Well I had a nice sail today in a force 2 to 3.

I was (pleasantly) surprised that I was ending up having
maximum rake in a low force 3 to de-power enough! Not
forgetting that I'm a small rig man!

Before I went out I did a bit of tweeking with the main
adjustment being to make the traveller longer and move
the stopper knots in slightly to more centre the boom.
Even with max kicker and a fair amount of mainsheet
tension I am only just managing to go block to block on
the main.
In this new position it felt better to me but obviously
time will tell.

I also put some tape on the top of the chute sock and
over the lip of the foredeck to minimise the kite
catching on the foredeck lip. This seemed to work ok
today.

I have also put some markings next to the ram that are a
bit more visible than the markings embossed on the
plastic.

I've uploaded a few photos that hopefully help explain
what I've written.
They can be found here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/0phil.jackson0/RS100Setup?
feat=directlink

Hi Guys,

Just back from another awesome session - I just love my boat !!!!
Previously I hated light wind sailing with a passion but now I look forward
to it !

We had 5 to 8 knots on very flat water - performance was simply
sensational best described as 'shock and awe' !!! The boat simply smokes
in those conditions.

I raced in the mixed handicap fleet comprising mostly averagely sailed
Lasers - I never saw any of them ! Most encouraging for me is that I was
able to catch and overtake the entire Solo fleet (they race as a class and
start 5 minutes behind) - they are a very good fleet and have won races at
national level in the light stuff. They were all pretty shocked as generally
nothing gets close to them in the light (mind I was fully powered !). Sailed
well below 1005 despite my still learning the boat.

Some things I have learnt - very interested to hear everyones experience:

There seems to be several vastly different modes for sailing upwind, but
all pretty effective. You can sail a bit freer, sheeted out (traveller against
stops) and go for speed. Alternatively you can sheet very tight (pulling
traveller in from stops) - pointing angle is insane but still seems to keep
good speed. Very useful for stuffing out from a poor start or making a
tight layline. However, if you sheet too hard rig does seem to finally stall.
Going to analyse my GPS tracks to see what gave best VMG boat would
love some two-boat testing.

Thanks for the tips about the kicker - by comparison I basically had none
on at all to start with ! I now sail it block to block as soon
as there is any breeze (on the big sail). Even in the light I am sailing with
a lot of kicker, bladeing off the top of the sail and keeping the drive low
down - seems to work best rather than keeping it very grunty.

Mind out not to get the lower kicker block caught between the boom end
and mast when you hoist the sail. You cant remove it and doesnt look
good !

My experience with the recommended loop over knot method of
attaching the main haliyard has not been good - has come undone twice
now (when pulling on the cunningham), so reverted to a simple bowline !

Watch out for the lazy kite sheet getting caught on the gooseneck bolts
when gybing - didn't happen initially but now happening a lot and a total
cow when it does ! Strongly suspect I am going to come up with some sort
of guard to prevent this happening.

Watch out for kite haliyards getting caught around end of spreaders -
again a total cow when it does. They can also get caught around the
gooseneck nuts with similar effect !

Dont be tempted to put the tail end of the main haliyard through the
mast gate rather than into the sail pocket. I thought this worked well and
looked cool. Today kite launch got totally stuck and for life of me couldn't
see what it was jammed on - when I got in found the haliyard tail had
been cut clean in half ! Obviously got caught up in the launch blocks.

Centreboard lowering line is chaffing on the mainsheet turret and has cut
right through. Having looked at pics now realise I have threaded the line
under the toe strap tension elastic (elastic pulled out of eye) so will
rethread line over to see if this helps.

Dave - Ive put furry tape on boom end too to stop it scratching deck.

Managed to get kits sock velcro reattached - tricky as you need a long
pole (used 2.1m tiller extension) to press velcro together. Noticed there is
a slight reverse lip on the inside of the chute mouth. Might file this off or
fill it if Ok with RS as it does make kite intake / exit slightly less smooth,

I am sheeting from the boom upwind. Definately avoid the cleat (unless
you like swimming !) and to be honest sheet load is so low the ratchet is
not essential. Playing the main a LOT to keep it on the level and trucking.

Getting fantastic performance downwind with the kite in the light stuff.
Because the angle is pretty deep don't seem to lose out on distance like
other fast assymetrics, which is very pleasing. Went for a late sail last
night and ghosted home in 3 knots of breeze against the tide and kept
kite going by sailing standing and heeling the boat to leeward with plate
half up - seemed pretty effective.

Bit more breeze for tomorrow so hoping to translate this awesome light
air performance into more moderate conditions - cant wait !!









Edited by ChrisC