Home

Site Map Index New Archive
Racing & Sailing>Go Faster/2

Go Faster - Page 2 of 5

Tuning

Pre Race  There is little on Tasars to adjust and be concerned with, but check the following:

Shroud tension for: strong winds: as tight as you can readily get them; medium winds: firmly tight when pull backs are aft; light winds: as for medium, but only 2/3 pulled aft.

Diamond stays: as per the book: finger tight to jib pole fitting on mast, BUT for lightweights who need bend in the rig, try slightly looser. For heavyweights who need less bend,-slightly tighter. PERHAPS looser in waves and very gusty winds, but I’m not convinced this really helps.

Batten tension: remove all vertical folds along batten pockets; have small creases between mast and battens: removable with main sheet tension. Tension top batten the most, and less so with the lower ones  (V lock fittings help). In waves and light or medium air: fuller sail for power; in flat water and strong winds: flatter sail.

Clew board/jib sheets: in strong winds, fasten one or more holes below the middle: in medium to light winds, fasten in the middle.

Jib luff tension: this depends on your particular style: pointing: wrinkles just not present; flat water: flatter jib; waves: fuller for power/acceleration.

Blocks and slides should run smoothly: silicone spray can be useful.

Sailing Tasars Fast

Some people sail fast using slight variations to the settings and techniques described. The advice below simplifies reality. When sailing conditions change continuously, alterations should also be made continuously by the crew and helmsman. These changes should be introduced with the minimum of thought so that more important strategic and tactical considerations can be focused on.

Beating in Light Airs (0-4kts)

1.  Jib.  Luff tension: loose, horizontal wrinkles appearing

Clew board: centre hole for new jib, one hole up for older jib

Jib sheets: light weight

Fairleads: 0 - 5 holes showing at inner end of track:

Sheet tension: not cleated or tight; played in hand and up to 3cm out if required for speed.

2.  Main.  Battens: just enough tension to avoid wrinkles (flat sail).

Clew outhaul: 3cm maximum depth between sail and boom.

Boom vang: minimum tension (some twist in sail is desirable).

Cunningham: minimum: some wrinkles in the luff are acceptable.

Boom position: between quarter (for 0-2kts) and centre line.

Main tension: minimal, but increase as wind does to straighten leech.

3.  Shrouds. Can be 1/3 to 1/2 way forward along the track to ease rig tension.

4.  Technique.  Daggerboard: between right down and 15cm above the case. Sail for speed; direction is less important. Coordinate changing from speed to pointing modes if the wind increases. Weight forward (helmsman forward of thwart) to reduce wetted hull area and spread laterally to reduce roll. Some leeward heel to reduce wetted hull area; use of gravity to hold sail shape is also good. Watch and sail for wind puffs. Minimize movement (especially tacking) which disturbs air flow and, if necessary, move smoothly. Roll tack.

Beating in Medium Airs (5-l0) kts

5.  Jib.  Luff tension: wrinkles just disappearing; looser if speed wanted; tighter if pointing wanted:

Clew board: one hole below centre or centre for older jib.

Jib sheets: light weight (but gloves may be necessary)

Fairlead: no holes showing, as far inboard as possible

Sheet tension: firm to tight.

6. Main.  Battens: high tension for depth and power

Clew outhaul: 3-l0 cm maximum depth from boom to sail.

Boom vang: minimal tension (enough to maintain tension when main sheet is eased): Cunningham: tension to just remove wrinkles in the luff.

Boom position: on centreline as much as possible

Main tension: tension to straighten leech (less if waves) but watch the leech ribbons (top ones should break occasionally and lower ones should fly straight).

7.  Technique. Daggerboard: about 15cm showing above the top of the casing. Sail the boat 100% upright, hiking hard to do so. Use maximum waterline length without digging the stem (look for wave pattern off the transom). Cleat mainsheet and play the traveler.

8.  Waves. Avoid sailing the boat directly into a wave, and use the tiller to angle the boat onto and off steep waves. To match the course changes and introduce more sail power, twist the main (ease sheet and bring traveler to windward an equivalent amount) and the jib (up to 2cm), and move the jib fairlead 1-2 holes fuller outboard than usual. The traveler may be cleated and the sheet played.  Keep the crew weight together, shoulder to shoulder and sufficiently aft so that the bow does not rig into waves. Speed becomes relatively more important than pointing. Quickly remove any water shipped.

page 1 <> page 3

Home Site Map Index New Archive
Racing & Sailing>Go Faster/2