There are days when I really do wonder what I've got between my ears!
I've been bemoaning our lack of upwind performance when reefed and whilst it goes without saying that a 155% genoa with no foam luff which is somewhat tired to boot isn't going to be much use in those circumstances, the total lack of any forward drive at all has been a puzzle
Not any more <sigh>
Sheet leads you fool Bru! It's worse than just not being able to budge the genoa track sliders, when reefed down to the equivalent of a 100% jib, we ought to be using the handy fixed sheet lead bullseye much further forward down the side deck.
I discovered this gem of knowledge whilst working out for replacing the existing crappy tracks and cars with nice shiny new ones. I was sort of aware that we wouldn't be getting the best out of the sail without adjusting the sheet lead but hadn't realised just HOW far forward it needed to go!
Ho hum :)
Could you then run the sheets inside the shrouds to get a better angle? I find it works well on my Alacrity if there is any strength in the wind.
ReplyDeleteThat's a thought! Mental note to try that when we're back in commission (roll on the Spring, fed up with the cold and looking forward to the rain :})
DeleteAlso you could try bringing your boom to windward in LIGHT winds if you don't already as that can help with pointing. http://littlegracealacrity.blogspot.fi/2012/07/rigging-main-sheet-to-windward-to.html
ReplyDeleteYep, had a lot of success doing just that this past season. Made a huge difference to our pointing in fact. The method could do with some improvement as it currently involves hooking the snap shackle over the end stop on the main sheet horse which is quite easy to do but not so easy to get off again!
DeleteI see from your video you have virtually the same mainsheet horse arrangement (not that surprising given the fact that the Alacrity and Islander are from the same stable and I like your cunning plan, I shall give that a try this year.