Testing

Memorial Day weekend came and went and there was no blog entry. Let's say I still don't want to talk about it and leave it at that.

With E-Scows, last weekend I had prior commitments and didn't sail. This weekend the South thermal lasted just long enough for us to stretch out a lead. The ensuing light and fluky wind meant that lead went from big to 5 seconds at the finish, but we won.

In MC-Scow racing, last weekend there was no wind and we cancelled racing. This weekend there was no wind and we cancelled racing.

However the wind came up around 3:00 in the afternoon and held pretty well. About 4:00 I rigged the boat and went out and did some playing around. There were a couple things I wanted to test. 1) Boots are not necessary 2) padded shorts are not necessary 3) short duration puffs do not require gear shifting.

So I can say with full confidence that traction on the cockpit floor is not sufficient to have full confidence when standing up sailing. I need boots.

Also my tender ass is old and soft. Yes, I can hike without pads but it sure makes it more comfortable. And comfort translates into stamina. The padded shorts stay.

So on to the real testing. The wind was West 5-15 with puffs rolling across the lake pretty consistently. I had to go from standing (leeward side weight) to hiking in seconds. The question is, do you put the effort into depowering (vang traveller etc.) when the puffs are short duration?

The question is a cost/benefit analysis. Minimum work is jumping onto the straps and getting weight over the rail, keeping the tiller controlled and trimming for the puff. Maximum work adds to that traveller dumping, vang loading, and cunningham snug. To adjust any means cleating the mainsheet during the puff, always a risk for speed when feathering is the only option other than capsizing.

On the E-Scow we do all this. And we can because we have six hands. On the MC I can only do two things at once, unless I steer with my foot. And with one hand to work a line, the cleating and uncleating has to be taken into consideration.

Long story short, the key is the prep. You see the puff, estimate the size, do one adjustment before it hits and get over the rail before it hits. The slight slowdown before the puff is more than compensated for by having a better rig setup. Maintaining the correct angle of heal is very important in these boats particularly with the center mounted rudder. Once is rides up forget speed. So sheeting is most important.

The tuning guide talks about vang sheeting. I found a different approach a bit better. As the puff is about to hit I over trim about 4-6 clicks and cleat it. When the puff hits I drop the track completely (to a knot) and pick up the mainsheet. This action will even further trim the main with the distance added in the mainsheet. That overtrim is comparable to vang on. When I have found the balance and speed, I can then recleat the main and track up if needed for point. The vang stayed cleated at snug. If I needed to sheet for balance the vang kept the top of the sail in.

There is a big risk here. If the puff is more than I can handle, the boom is nearly in the water before I can get the vang off. But that adds to the excitement!

The goal was improved speed in the puff and coming out of the puff. That seems to be where I ended up. Net gains are made by reacting before the puff hits.

It was a fun sail late in the day. I'll have to remember to pleasure sail more often.