Adjusting controls
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11263
Printed Date: 27 Jun 25 at 12:27am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Adjusting controls
Posted By: NickM
Subject: Adjusting controls
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 8:41pm
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I guess this may vary from class to class, but if you are in a single hander, in order to maximise your initial speed down the reach/run after rounding the windward mark, in what order should you adjust the plate/kicker/Cunningham/outhaul? (That's assuming you don't have an opportunity to free off earlier because you have overstood the mark...)
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Replies:
Posted By: themeaningoflife
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 8:54pm
In my view, and the process we normally go through: Kicker and Cunningham before the mark to aid the bear away, followed by board, then outhaul once you are settled after this.
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Cambridge University Lightweight Rowing Club
RS800 1128
kindly sponsored by http://www.rwo-marine.com" rel="nofollow - RWO Marine
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Posted By: giraffe
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 8:54pm
in my view
kicker outhaul cunningham plate
get the rig working for you first
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Posted By: robin34024
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 9:31pm
Cunningham some way before the mark (3-5 boat lengths), kicker at the beginning of the bear away, plate as soon as possible once on the right course and sail set, then outhaul once heading in the right direction with the plate up.
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Posted By: JP233
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 10:18pm
Front to back then you can get a hand on the sheet again
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Thanks
Jamie
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Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 10:38pm
It really depends on the boat. I have found that a lot of higher performance singlehanders still need a lot of kicker down the reaches to stop the leech opening too much. As such I often ease cunningham but leave the kicker on, only releasing it if easing off onto a broad reach or run where I'm not on the wire, or going in to hoist the kite.
On a more conventional boat I'd ease both before rounding and if windy plate up a little before the mark too. If lighter, I'll leave the plate down until I've borne away.
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Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 16 Dec 13 at 10:41pm
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Plate up to facilitate some looser steering around the mark... As for all the string, let the pink one off, assuming you remembered to pull it on at the leeward mark.
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 7:00am
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I find in a Laser you cannot get the board up before you round, there is just too much sideways force on it.
Blowing the kicker completely (as long as you have a stop knot) and then the cunningham followed by the plate after rounding.
You can then tweak the kicker back on if required once the round is completed.
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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74
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Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 7:55am
In the contender you just can't bear away until you have eased the kicker and moved back on the wire.
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the same, but different...
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Posted By: mongrel
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 7:58am
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Depends whether you're over-powered or trying to generate extra power.
When over-powered I would leave everything as is and concentrate on sheeting, then bring the board up a bit.
In the mid fleet, at the windward mark, you see lots of people get the heads in the boat and start adjusting the strings, when really you need your head out of the boat, to drive around everyone else (who are adjusting their strings).
When trying to generate power for the reach, its probably Cunningham off before rounding, then kicker set, outhaul set, then board for me.
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Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 8:23am
What is this board adjustment you speak of ;-)
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Musto Skiff and Solo sailor
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 8:50am
Originally posted by mongrel
When over-powered I would leave everything as is and concentrate on sheeting, then bring the board up a bit. |
Try that in a Laser or anything else with low freeboard and you are almost guaranteed a swim as the boom hits the water. That along with having to overuse the rudder (probably stalling it out) and forcing the boat to bear away simply is not fast.
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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74
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Posted By: yellowwelly
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 9:32am
Originally posted by Neptune
What is this board adjustment you speak of ;-)
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oh, I remember those days... when foils aligned perfectly, and were neither too big, nor too small and were simply 'just right' for all points of sail, even a muppet could appreciate their beauty.
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 11:05am
Board adjustment is the thing you remember you haven't done when you go to put it down at the leeward mark, isn't it?
Otherwise, in a boat with a low boom, in a breeze you have to dump some kicker or the bear away will end in tears.
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 11:19am
In both my 600 and Musto board adjustment is pretty much put it in when you launch and pull it out when you come in. Not sure either boat actually would go any faster if you adjusted it.
Outhall, used to adjust it a little in my 600, but the Musto never adjust once set up - although with the boom angle pulling on kicker and Cunningham effectively self adjusts it.
Cunningham off on any trapeze boat I have owned before windward mark. White sail reach a single handed trap boat unless underpowered leave kicker in the upwind position.
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Musto Skiff and Solo sailor
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Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 17 Dec 13 at 11:35am
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In my Laser I concentrate on windward heal to assist a good mark rounding (and keeping the boom out the water) and dont touch anything until I am safely around the mark and have made sure that I am not about to get rolled. I encourage everyone else to fiddle with the controls straight after rounding the mark as it allows me to roll them easier while they have their head in the boat!
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Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 19 Dec 13 at 6:52am
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Looking at the controls of our latest boat (Albacore) this all sounds like it's easy for singlehanders - as well as kicker, cunningham, outhaul and centreboard, doublehanders have to work out what to do with the shrouds - mast ram - jib tension which are all led back to the helm!
Then we've the wide Merlin to learn which is a whole new vocabulary of pullers, tweakers and snodgers!
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Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 19 Dec 13 at 6:56am
Pfft, not all double handers are complicated. On the B14, if there's enough breeze that we're using the kicker & Cunningham, it's simply dump a load as we go for the bear away- if the kicker's left on, like most boats it'll be hard to bear away, whilst if the cunningham's left on it's a superb way to help snap the mast- then with the fourth hand pull a bit of kicker back on once back out on the wing after hoisting.
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-_
Al
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Posted By: bustinben
Date Posted: 01 Jan 14 at 10:08am
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Depends on whether you're bearing away onto a reach or a run... if going onto a run and it's breezy I leave the downhaul on a bit to keep the draught forwards in the sail and facilitate the bear away (laser).
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Posted By: Telltale
Date Posted: 01 Jan 14 at 1:33pm
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OK assuming we all have rounded the mark and the bear away is without incident I've got a question for the control adjustment at the bottom mark, does it make a difference which way round you set the boat up for the beat? I.e. do you set cunningham first or kicker first or doesn't it make the slightest difference?
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Posted By: robin34024
Date Posted: 01 Jan 14 at 2:28pm
I always pull the outhaul on before the mark, then the downhaul on, then the kicker, and then fine tune the downhaul, but I don't think it really matters.
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Posted By: sawman
Date Posted: 01 Jan 14 at 6:13pm
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rounding onto the beat I would concentrate on pulling the main in and dropping the plate, before moving on to kicker and outhaul - the crew might do this if they have got the spinny sorted out - dont use much cunningham in a miracle
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 01 Jan 14 at 6:47pm
I get the downhaul then outhaul (the downhaul affects outhaul tension) and a big handful of kicker, ten fine tune the kicker after rounding once the boat is sailing fast and in the right direction.Board down before rounding, of course.
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 01 Jan 14 at 9:50pm
Back when I had a boat... it was probably outhaul and inhaul just before the mark, board down immediately before commencing the steering, pull in the main in while rounding, kicker off then downhaul if I felt the need...
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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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