Kite Depower |
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iGRF ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 17 Jun 13 at 3:34pm |
There it is, inflatable foot kites.. Quick somebody chuck cold water it looks too obvious..
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ifoxwell ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 05 Jan 06 Location: Hoo Online Status: Offline Posts: 669 |
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If your going downwind and need to loose power then sheeting in can work but if your on a tight reach your only option is to ease the sheet and curl the luff or things just get worse.
I agree loosing the main does make the helm worse but you should only be doing it for short periods... if you need to sail the whole leg like that then your better off sending it lower and faster then dropping the kite to fetch back up to the mark when the time comes. You sail further but go much faster
Ian |
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RS300
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JimC ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6644 |
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I've done both in the past... I guess that hammering the kite right in would only work if it stalls completely, the boat slows down and thus the apparent wind goes back. Dump the jib and dump the kicker might be better options if they are good enough. But in theory if you have a fast boat generating loads of apparent then slowing down ought to help. But its amazing how much you can curl up a really good kite if the sheet leads are in the right place.
I also agree with Ian - the only time you struggle with the kite up to the mark is if the next leg is a good kite leg. Otherwise drop it every time. Another factor is crew's state of health/fitness: if you've got some toned hyper sportsman up the front who can whip the rag up and down in three seconds without taking an extra breath then *never* try hanging onto it. But if the forward hand won't see 45 again and only has enough burst energy for one hoist and drop per lap then you're better off struggling round the mark. Edited by JimC - 17 Jun 13 at 3:45pm |
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Mister Nick ![]() Far too distracted from work ![]() ![]() Joined: 01 Aug 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 389 |
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The kite is the last thing you need to depower, sort the main out first.
Over-sheeting isn't going to work for long unless you're sailing really deep. Oversheet > boat slows down > apparent wind clocks aft > bear away or fall in. I would just keep a big curl in the luff of the asymmetric and hike harder. If the worst comes to the worst you can just flog it. You're way better off just sailing deeper though and dropping the kite when you're close enough to two-sail it in quickly.
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iGRF ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
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The next leg promised even better so it was definitely worth hanging in there what is particularly annoying is an RS400 holding his kite (crew lard boy) I would normally expect to trash a 400 off wind given normal crew height/weight as it is these boys are given us a hard time this year, damn near nearly had us the other week it was only supreme tactical genius that avoided a drubbing, but they nailed us this week there was a point we couldn't even hold the bloody merlin for speed, something is clearly wrong. (We're just too small for the Alto dammit)
Edited by iGRF - 17 Jun 13 at 3:54pm |
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yellowwelly ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 24 May 13 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2003 |
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you need a smaller boat... have you thought about converting a fireball?
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iGRF ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
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I've thought about lots of things, fireballs, kited icons, v3000's pies and elevated shoes..
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RS400atC ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011 |
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In the 400, things that seem to work are easing the wingwang, to central or a bit beyond but not much.
easing the kite a lot, so that it is on the edge of flogging if you are really fighting to avoid a broach, stuff it up to windward instead. This last is a desperate measure for short term use, e.g to avoid moored boat that has teleported into your path. The kite will collapse onto the jib, the boat will come upright, you can regain control and then bear away or drop the kite. Raising the centreboard or raking it back some moving weight further aft The kicker will be dumped anyway. |
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iGRF ![]() Really should get out more ![]() ![]() Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
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Hmm I might not have entirely dumped that kicker thing, never really have fiddled with it much on the Alto of joy, wang it on at the start and leave it, unless it's really windy then I might think about it before the gybe..
Then the plate, surely if you''re trying to stay high, kick the plate and you'll just make more leeway. |
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RS400atC ![]() Really should get out more ![]() Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011 |
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If you are not overpowered on a reach now and then, either the kite is too small or it's not very windy. Heavy sailors in a 400 will hold the kite quite high on a reach, it is something which is testing my faith in the boat for a club racer at the moment. When we bought the boat, our club had several 400's crewed by couples or parent/teenager teams, now it's nearly all two-bloke teams, which really pays on a tight reach in a breeze. Merlins have more righting power, being wider, but their kite is smaller and generally not intended for having the apparent so far forward. They also tend to have raking controls. I think you need some boat on boat racing against some people of comparable size, to get some feedback about the finer points of what works. |
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