Kite Depower

   Not sure how bendy your mast is but I would always recommend pulling as much downhaul/cunningham as you can get on the main. This will depower the main and should bend your mast back a bit tightening the luff of the spinnaker. Tighter the luff will make it flatter and easier to curl.

You need to be easing the spin in this situation and don't be afraid to sail the boat over on its ear as this will counter the helm.

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Fearful Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 30 Jul 12 Location: Kent Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Post Options Post Reply Quote Fearful Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Kite Depower Posted: 16 Aug 13 at 11:41am
	Not sure how bendy your mast is but I would always recommend pulling as much downhaul/cunningham as you can get on the main. This will depower the main and should bend your mast back a bit tightening the luff of the spinnaker. Tighter the luff will make it flatter and easier to curl. You need to be easing the spin in this situation and don't be afraid to sail the boat over on its ear as this will counter the helm.

DFF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 22 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 19	Post Options Post Reply Quote DFF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Sep 13 at 11:30am
	Quite an interesting thread. Good points on depowering the main. My tuppence: To dump the kite you need to have three sails up or it is swimming and worse, breakages Oversheeting is only any good if you can bear away in the gusts- presuming you are wanting to reach to a mark. I have done this in a 29er and the 59er and melges 24 and it is scary , and you need to be able to bear away. For more powerful boats in a blow, especially the 9er boats, RS800 and m24 since we are on keel boats, you want to consider going high on white sails to be able to come down on a lower course under kite: if you see the "ear lobes" on the above boats' polar diagrams you will see why it pays to stay upright! Edited by DFF - 30 Sep 13 at 11:31am
	Crewing on a Melges 24, against my better judgement...