DOLPHIN ASSOCIATION TUNING FOR PERFORMANCE

Transcription

1 DOLPHIN ASSOCIATION TUNING FOR PERFORMANCE GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR DOLPHIN BY: RUSSEL SHEPPARD Edited and updated by the Howard Hughes in conjunction with the Dolphin Class Association Committee 3 rd completely revised edition 2005

2 Dolphin Sailing Guidelines on how to tune your boat in order to achieve performance and enjoy the best results from sailing your Dolphin. 3rd completely revised edition 2005 Howard D. Hughes for the Dolphin Association 2

3 TABLE OF CONTENT Page 1 Introduction 4 2 Sailing Terms and Definitions The Dolphin Spares Sails Hull 8 4 Tuning Mast rake Lengths of side stays Tension of forestay Position of mast on mast step Angle and length of spreaders Tension on jib luff wire Mast control 10 5 What do the various controls do Main halyard Cunningham Outhaul Kicking strap Mainsheet Jibsheet 12 6 Through the gears on the beat Wind = 0-5 knots Wind = 5-10 knots Wind = knots Wind = 20 + knots 13 7 Speed off the wind Wind = 0-10 knots Wind = knots Wind = 15 + knots 14 8 On the water 8.1 Telltales Boat trim Weather helm and lee helm Position of the mast on the mast step Rake of the mast Trim of the boat Rake of ruder and centreboard 15 9 Recommended reading 16 3

4 1 INTRODUCTION These notes are intended to assist beginners and middle of the fleet Dolphinites to set up their boats for optimum performance under different weather conditions. Over many years of sailing, I have battled, tried different settings, made mistakes and learned at lot in the process. I hope to be able to communicate some of this experience and be of help to our DOLPHIN sailors. Under Section 2, some of the words and terms may seem rather simple or obvious but to a person new to sailing, these expressions will be rather baffling and misleading. They are explained in order for the beginner to quickly hold their own in conversations held around a braai of at the bar. 4

5 2 Sailing Terms and Definitions A brief description and definition of the sailing terms as used in the following text, is given below. Where the word is a piece of equipment or defines part of a boat, the location will be given in relation to the Dolphin dingy only. Though it could be used or in the same location on other boats and dinghies. Words in the text that are in bold lettering indicate that the word is defined in the sailing terms and definitions. A B C Amidships: Term half way between the stem and stern of a boat. Astern: Term - a term used when referring to anything behind amidships or outside and behind the boat. Battens: Equipment - short, narrow and flat lengths of fibreglass, which fit into pockets in the leach of the main sail, used to assist in giving shape to the sail. Beating: Term - used when sailing into the wind Black bands: Term - a black line painted around the top of the mast and at the farthest end of the boom to the mast. This indicates the extremity the sail can be hoisted to or pulled out to. Blown out: Term - given to a sail when it is getting old and is loosing its ability to generate power. Boom: Equipment - extends backwards from the mast to hold the foot of the sail. The sail may be fastened to the boom by means of ties or been held in a track running the length of the boom. Boom vang (see kicker): Equipment - made up of blocks, a wirer (strop) and ropes that are attached to the foot of the mast and onto the boom, a short distance from the mast. Centreboard: Equipment - a length of shaped wood that extends beneath the hull of the boat when sailing, which is lowered and retracted for different sailing conditions. Centreboard casing: Term - given to the section of boat that holds and houses the centreboard. Centreboard gasket Term - given to a layer of material, sail cloth or plastic, that covers the hole in the underside section of hull from where the centreboard protrudes. Cleat: Equipment - an attachment that locks a sheet into a defined position, some times known as a jam cleat. Clew: Term - given to the lowest part of a sail that is farthest aft Clew outhaul: Equipment - a sheet attached to the clew of the sail and onto the boom, used to control the position of the clew or the amount sail pulled along the boom. Cunningham: Equipment - a sheet attached to the mast that passes up the mast through an eye in the sail and back down to a cleat. Used to control the fullness in the sail and mast bend in heavy weather. D Dinghy: Equipment - name given to a small open sailing boat. 5

6 Dolly: Equipment - a small hand trailer used to support and launch a dinghy into the water. F G H J K L M Foils: Term - a general term used for collection of various pieces of equipment e.g., centreboard and ruder. Forestay: Equipment - a length of wire, which runs from a position in the top section of mast to a position near the bow of the dinghy. Used to hold the mast up. Fullness: Term - given to the amount of curve in a sail. Gooseneck: Equipment a fitting on the mast that the boom fits into. Halyard: Equipment - a line used for pulling the main sail and/or jib sail the up the mast Hatch: Term - used to describe the entrance to the buoyancy tanks. Hatch cover: Equipment - a plastic disc that is screwed into hatch to prevent water entering the buoyancy tanks. High field lever: Equipment - that is fastened to the lower part of the mast and used to anchor the jib halyard in place, to give fine adjustment to the tension of the mast rigging and the tension on the jib luff by means of a leaver. Hook: Term - used to describe the shape of the sail when there is too much tension on the outer part of the sail. The leach of the sail is on the windward side of a straight line from the top of the mast to the end of the boom. Hounds: Equipment - a part of the mast where the side stays are attached to the mast. Hull: Term - used to describe the outer part of a sailing vessel. Jam cleat: See cleat. Jib sail: Equipment - the smaller of the two sails Jib luff wire: Equipment - a wire that is permanently fixed into the luff of the jib, which is fastened to the mast and deck just below and astern of the fore stay. Kicker: Equipment - an alternative name for the boom vang, (see boom vang). Leach: Term - the outer part of the sail running from the head to the clue. Leeward: Term - the area, extending outwards from the boat, which is sheltered from the wind. The area on the opposite side to windward. Mainsail: Equipment - the larger of the two sails on the dinghy to the rear of the mast. Mainsheet: Equipment - a rope used to control the position of the boom and the mainsail. Mast: Equipment a pole set upright to on a boat to sustain the sails. 6

7 Mast rake: Term the amount of tilt the mast leans back towards the stern of the boat. Mast step: Equipment or term part of the boat where the mast fits into. O P R S T P W Outhaul: Equipment Fitted to the boob and used to control the fullness of the lower part of the sail. Pointing: Term used to describe how close to the wind when sailing. Reaching: Term - a term used for sailing off the wind, normally when sailing at an angle to the wind not into (beating) or running. Running Term - a term used when sailing with the wind coming from astern of the boat. Rake: Term - used to describe the amount a mast leans backwards or forwards from a vertical position when the mast is under tension but with no kicker tension exerted. Rigging: Equipment - Rig tension: Term used to describe the amount pressure on the side stays setting up the boat. Sails: Equipment pieces of material attached to the mast of a boat, to secure its propulsion by the wind. Sheet: Equipment - rope used for controlling / adjusting the Main and Jib sails. Side stay: Equipment wire lines used for supporting the mast and keeping it in position. Spars: Term - Equipment - a collective term used for the mast, boom and the whisker pole. Spreaders: Equipment - a per of metal extensions, one on either side of the mast approximately three quarters the way up, designed to hold the side stays out Stem: Term The bow or prow of a boat. The upright part of the boat's hull at the front, uniting the two sides. Strop: Equipment - This is normally a short length of wire attached to the boom vang or the mainsheet block and onto the boom. Transom: Term - the rear end of the dinghy where the ruder is attached. Pre-bend: Term - the amount of bend in a mast induced by the ringing tension only, no kicking strap tension. Whisker pole: Equipment - a short length of tubing with a spike at one end and a hook at the other end. Used to set or hold the jib out from the boat. 7

8 3 THE DOLPHIN The Dolphin is a two-man dinghy that provides the benefit of one design racing. There is very little that you can change on the boat. In fact there is no equipment that you can purchase that will make your boat faster than any other. A good set of sails and a well maintained boat that is sailed properly is all that is needed. Sounds simple so far. Your basic equipment is a hull, a set of spars and a set of sails. 3.1 Spars These are the mast, boom and the whisker pole. Of these the mast is the most important. It's position in the mast step, pre-bend and rake is important. You cannot make any adjustments to the mast on the water, so get your settings done on the shore. Have a look at the boats belonging to the top sailors in the fleet and see where they step their masts and the mast rake that they use. 3.2 Sails The sails are the engines of the boat, how you set them determines your speed. If your sails are blown out and look like a boat cover, don't expect anything other than poor results in a race. Sails that are well looked after last longer and give better results. Never fold your sails, always roll them up after sailing. A good system is to roll them around a plastic drain pipe 80mm by 2,5m, start from the foot of the main sail parallel with the battens so that one may hoist the main sail without having to unroll the sail first. When you wish to purchase a new set of sails you can choose any sail maker provided that they conform to the class rules. Our rules on sails are very tight; the only variation allowed is in the amount of fullness in the sails. 3.3 Hull This is often the most neglected piece of equipment. It doesn't help having a new set of sails with a centreboard that is warped. A clean boat that is well maintained always goes better. Never use car polish to shine the bottom of a boat, soap is still the best. Check your foils (centre board and rudder) regularly for damage. The centreboard gasket must also be checked; it can cause a lot of drag if it is in a poor condition. Regular inspection of fittings is a must; they do work loose with time and travelling. If possible, leave the hatch covers open when the boat is being stored provided that no rainwater can enter. 4 TUNING YOUR BOAT ON SHORE How you set the boat up will have a direct effect on you boat speed. Here is a simple way of setting your boat up that will only require minor adjustments to suit your sailing. 4.1 Mast rake The following controls mast rake: Length of side stays. Tension on jib luff wire. Position of mast on mast step. Angle and length of spreaders. The angle of the mast in relation to the hull is referred to as mast rake. If your mast is raked back (also referred to as aft rake), you will experience good up wind speed (beating) and poor down 8

9 wind speed (running). Conversely forward rake will give you poor up wind speed and good down wind speed. A good way of checking if your mast rake is correct is to compare your speed on the water in relation to other boats going in the same direction. The mast rake can be measured in two ways. (The jib must be up and under normal tension. See 3.1.5) Take a tape measure and attach it to your main halyard. Hoist halyard to the top of the mast and secure it as close to the black band as possible. Now take the measurement to the centre of the transom. This measurement should be compared with a similar measurement taken on other boats, particularly those of the fleet leaders. A better method is to make use of the triangle principle. Use a straight edge and extend the line along the flat top of the centreboard casing to the mast. Mark this point on the mast. From this point measure and mark a point 600mm upwards on the aft side of the mast. From the lower mark on the mast, measure back along the centreboard casing and mark a point 800mm behind the mast. Now measure the distance between the upper point on the mast and the point on the centreboard casing. Any reading less than 1000 mm is aft rake and greater will be forward rake Length of side stays The length can be adjusted on the chain plates at the end of the side stays. It is important that the side stays are of equal length Tension of forestay This is usually left just tight. The tension is provided and controlled by the jib luff which is in turn is controlled by the highfield lever on the mast. As you increase tension you will pull the mast forward. (See ) Position of mast on mast step You can adjust mast rake by moving the base of the mast fore and aft. Note you will also change the centre of effort and weight displacement by any adjustment. Dolphins tend to go better with the mast positioned forward on the step Angle and length of spreaders The only adjustment allowed by our class rules is the setting of the spreader angle. Angling spreaders back will push the mast forward at the spreaders. This is called pre-bend. It is advisable to set the angle of the spreaders to suit your mainsail. Too much pre-bend causes creases in the mainsail from the clew (aft end of mainsail) up towards the spreaders. Set the angle of your spreaders so that the crease from the clew to the spreaders disappears. Spreaders must be fixed according to the class rules and floating spreaders are not allowed. 9

10 4.1.5 Tension on jib luff wire This is set by the highfield lever. The forestay tension, controls: The degree of pointing ability. The amount of rig tension. The general rule is that the jib luff wire must be as straight as possible at all times. If slack, the jib luff wire can sag off an enormous amount to leeward while sailing. This puts extra fullness into the jib resulting in an increase of power from the jib but at the expense of your pointing ability. To set the luff tension correctly, pull the highfield lever down until tension develops with the lever at approximately 35% from the horizontal. Set the lever in the nearest notch down. Get somebody to pull on the forestay to assist you with locking the highfield lever down Mast control On the DOLPHIN it is difficult to control the mast, which is a long floppy unsupported section. You are not allowed any form of control over the bend of the mast at the lower levels. This allows the mast to be pushed by forces into positions that are less than ideal for the perfect sail setting. As you increase tension on the kicker you reduce rig tension. The mast is forced to bend at the gooseneck area and the distance between the hounds and the mast step is reduced which results in a reduction of rig tension. A lot of books recommend that in light air you bend the mast. If you pull the kicker in on a Dolphin in light air you will bend the mast, but also tighten the leach, and hook the leach to windward. This produces a similar effect to that of an aircraft lowering its flaps, more lift is produced, but only provided that there is sufficient power to drive it. In light airs there is not sufficient power available from the wind (our only source of power) so do not use the kicker in light winds to achieve mast bend. When sailing in heavy conditions a lot of kicker is required to flatten the main and de- power the boat. However, this results in rig tension reduction that has other adverse effects. This is why you should increase rig tension when you are going to use a lot of kicker. When the wind drops, rig tension must be reduced. If you have to change rig tension on the water pull the kicker in as hard as possible before starting. A word of advice, do not try doing this in 20 knots of wind, the halyard will be ripped out of your hand. Rather continue sailing the race and just forget about the problem. 5 WHAT DO THE VARIOUS CONTROLS DO There are various control lines that are used to change the shape of the sails. How you adjust these control lines will determine your speed and ability to control a boat in the prevailing conditions. 5.1 Main halyard The main halyard is used to hoist the mainsail up the mast and set it's height. The main halyard and the cunningham are used together. They pull in opposite directions giving the same result. The main halyard is used to give a general setting whilst the cunningham is a fine tuner. In heavy winds always pull the mainsail up to the black band. 10

11 5.2 Cunningham As a general rule, never use the cunningham unless overpowered. It has the effect of bending the mast aft tightened hard enough, pulls the draft (fullness) of the mainsail forward and opens the top of the sail, reducing power. Overall the sail becomes much flatter. Don't worry about the horizontal creases running out of the luff, behind the mast, in light to medium winds. The cunningham must be a continuous piece of line and no other fittings are permitted. 5.3 Outhaul (also, referred to as clew outhaul) The outhaul pulls the clew further down the boom. The outhaul controls the amount of sail depth in the lower third of the mainsail and to lesser degree the amount of leach tension. The outhaul should be adjusted to suit the prevailing wind strength and direction. (See 5.) The class rules allow you to fit a purchase system here, which I recommend you do. The rules allow you to choose the system you want provided that it remains on the boom. I have found that a 4:1 purchase is sufficient. The cleat used to adjust the outhaul should be near the kicker attachment on the boom, so that the crew can easily make adjustments during a race. 5.4 Kicking strap (also, referred to as boom vang). The kicking strap is used to bend the mast, thereby flattening the sail. It can also used to control the leach tension in strong winds (known as vang sheeting). Downwind the kicker is used to control the amount of twist in the leach. The kicker is the most adjusted control line during a race. It should be adjusted for every change in wind strength. This is often the reason why some boats pull away from the rest of the fleet during gusty conditions. A kicking strap that can easily be adjusted is a necessity. (see 5.0) The rules allow you to do what you want here so long as the system remains between the two attachment points. A lot of crews on Dolphins are juniors who didn't have the strength to pull the kicker in tight enough. Replacing the standard system that the boat is supplied with for one with extra purchase is a good idea. I have found this to be of great assistance for stronger winds. Fitting a swivel at the base of the kicker allows the cleat to face towards you, making adjustments easier. 5.5 Mainsheet This is the primary control of the mainsail. It controls the angle of the boom and to a lesser degree the amount of twist in the leach. A common fault here is over sheeting, which is like sailing with the brakes on. A general rule is that when beating to windward in light to medium winds the boom should be above the leeward corner of the transom. In strong conditions when you are being over powered and have made all the adjustments to de-power the boat, you use the mainsheet to balance the boat. The rules allow you to put the mainsheet system of your choice on here. No travellers or hoops are allowed. This is an area of personal preference, some people like a mainsheet cleat, I don't like mainsheet cleats. I have an extra purchase on my mainsheet compared to the standard system, which I only use for the heavier winds. 11

12 5.6 Jibsheet This is the primary control of the jib. The jibsheet controls the position and fullness of the jib. By moving the jib fairleads fore or aft you can change the shape of the jib. Basically you are changing the point of attachment. The further aft you go the flatter the jib will get and the loser the leach will become. This helps pointing but reduces power. Conversely the more forward the jib fairlead is the more depth you get and a tighter leach, but at the sacrifice of pointing ability. (I have deliberately not mentioned the slot or gap at this stage) The positions of the jib fairleads are controlled by the class rules with minimal tolerance. You can't move the fairlead track at all. However make sure that the fairleads can move up and down and be adjusted easily on the water. 6 THROUGH THE GEARS ON THE BEAT Just as you change gears when driving a motorcar for different speeds and gradients, you make adjustments on your boat for varying wind and sea conditions. For example, when the wind is overpowering the boat, you will want to de-power the rig to maintain control. Setting your rig to suit the prevailing conditions with maximum speed is what racing is all about. There have been countless books written on this topic. I will give a short summery here. I would recommend further reading on this topic if you want to be at the front of the fleet. In order to keep it simple I will describe what sail shape you require for the different conditions and what you should be doing to achieve this. Most books only describe light, medium and heavy wind conditions. As we tend to sail in more light air than heavy I have split the light air conditions into two sections. 6.1 Wind = 0-5 knots In these conditions the air is very light in strength so it has little energy. Full sails present too much of an obstacle for the wind which looses contact with the sail, breaking away as turbulent flow. Flat sails with very little leach tension give the best speed. Pre bend in the mast helps here, as it will flatten the main without increasing leach tension. Pointing is poor, so rather go for speed in these conditions. Let the jib sheet off about 2cm and be very careful not to over sheet the main. KICKER CUNNINGHAM OUTHAUL MAINSHEET JIBSHEET JIB TRAVELLER OFF OFF OUT TO BLACK BAND KEEP BOOM BEYOND TRANSOM CORNER LET OFF ABOUT 2cm TAKE BACK ONE NOTCH 6.2 Wind = 5-10 knots In these conditions skipper and crew will often be sitting on the same side during a beat, but not hiking. The sails need to be a bit fuller with the leach still open. Pointing is important in these conditions, so bring the jib sheet in a bit but don't pull in hard, just firmly. Watch the telltales on the main. You should have all of them flying and be very careful about over sheeting. KICKER LIGHT TENSION CUNNINGHAM OFF OUTHAUL 2cm FROM BLACK BAND MAINSHEET ABOVE TRANSOM CORNER JIBSHEET IN FIRMLY JIB TRAVELLER IN NORMAL POSITION 12

13 6.3 Wind = knots In these conditions skipper and crew will both be hiking out but have not been over powered by the wind. Point as high as possible with the jibsheet well in, you will want the leach of the jib to be tight. Put as much fullness in the mainsail as you can to the point that it doesn't overpower you. The mainsheet should be brought in a bit to the point that the jib is no longer backing the mainsail, and telltales are all flying. KICKER CUNNINGHAM OUTHAUL MAINSHEET JIBSHEET JIB TRAVELLER FIRM OFF 2-4cm FROM BLACK BAND INSIDE OF TRANSOM CORNER TIGHT NORMAL POSITION 6.4 Wind = knots In these conditions skipper and crew will both be hiking hard and at times are being over powered. You can get the boat to plane to windward in these conditions. You now want to start reducing the power in the sails, so start flattening them. A good idea is to bring the fairleads back one position to flatten the foot of the jib and to open up the leach. You will want to flatten the mainsail now to reduce power. KICKER CUNNINGHAM OUTHAUL MAINSHEET JIBSHEET JIB TRAVELLER TIGHT ONLY WHEN OVER POWERED ON BLACK BAND USE TO KEEP BOAT FLAT TIGHT CAN BE MOVED BACK ONE NOTCH 6.5 Wind = 20 + knots Hang on, now you're in for great fun. These conditions are not recommended for the beginner. You will now find that it is impossible to totally de-power the boat. Water conditions will also start playing a big roll. Big waves can bring the boat to a virtual standstill. If the chop is big and short, some power will be needed to drive the boat through it. KICKER CUNNINGHAM OUTHAUL MAINSHEET JIBSHEET JIB TRAVELLER AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE ON BLACK BAND USE TO KEEP BOAT FLAT TIGHT MOVE BACK 2 NOTCHES 7 SPEED OFF THE WIND Just as you do adjustments to your rig for beating you have settings that promote speed for off the wind sailing. Here boat speed is critical, if the fleet sails away from you off wind you have little chance of regaining the lost water. On the other hand there is nothing more demoralising when you have left the fleet behind on the beat, to be caught on a run. In gusty conditions a lot of ground can be lost or gained off the wind. 13

14 7.1 Wind = 0-10 knots In these conditions you will want as much power in the sails as you can develop. The mast should be as straight as possible putting maximum fullness in the main. The kicker's only function now is to hold the boom down so set very little tension. If you have an outhaul system, let the main off. Trim the main according to the telltales. If you are on a reach it helps if the crew holds the jibsheet over the side of the boat like a barber hauler. Keep your weight as far forward as possible, dig the bow into the water. When flying the pole use the lazy sheet as a downhaul to tighten the leach of the jib, this doesn't let the wind escape so easily. Lift the centreboard up as much as possible. If you feel that you are being pushed sideways, or tending to roll, then drop the board a little. 7.2 Wind = knots In these conditions you use very similar settings. The only difference is that your weight is not as far forward and be prepared to move back in the gusts to promote planning. On the reaches adjust the kicker so that the top telltale is just starting to break. Keep the boat flat and feel the tiller for weather helm. 7.3 Wind = 15 + knots Now you must concentrate on getting the boat to plane. Both skipper and crew must be ready to bring their weight back rapidly as the gusts hit you. When you get over powered on a reach, pull in the kicker a bit; a minor adjustment is all that will be needed. If the boat starts to roll on the rim pull in your mainsheet, you can sail a Dolphin down wind in a big blow with very little centreboard. Watch those telltales on the mainsail and feel the tiller for any weather helm. 8 ON THE WATER 8.1 Telltales These are important indicators that show you that the sails are trimmed and set for the course you are sailing. The telltales indicate how the air is moving along the sail or, in the case of the main, off the sail. Jib telltales are situated behind the luff. The telltales on the main are placed nearer the leach. When beating to windward and your jib is sheeted in, watch the jib telltales as they indicate the limit of your pointing ability. Get them to fly parallel, which indicates the most efficient airflow over the front and the back of the sail. If the tail of the leeward telltale is lifting up (or if the telltale is pointing down) you must either steer the boat closer into the wind or let the jib off until the telltales fly parallel. Conversely if the windward telltale drops you are pointing to high and must bear off because there is not enough air passing over the sail to fly the telltales. You will often find that you can get the bottom telltales to fly but not the top one. This indicates too much twist in your main sail; increase your kicking strap tension. Now go onto the water and watch what your telltales do when you alter course without adjusting the trim of the sails. When running don't worry about the jib telltales. 14

15 8.2 Boat trim The boat must be kept flat at all times. As soon as you allow the boat to heel everything starts working against you. As you heel the boat you reduce the water line length and increase weather helm, which reduces boat speed. The only time you heel the boat is on a run in light air. Where you position your body weight fore or aft is also critical to boat speed. A very common mistake in light and medium airs is to sit to far back in the boat digging the transom into the water. This is like putting a brake on, a killer for boat speed. The skipper should be sitting forward of the thwart in light to medium air. The only time you bring your weight back is on reaches and runs in strong winds to promote planing. In these conditions the skipper can move right back to the corner of the cockpit. 8.3 Weather helm and lee helm Weather helm is when the boat wants to point up into the wind. Lee helm is when the boat wants to point away from the wind. Weather helm is affected by the following: - POSITION OF THE MAST ON THE MAST STEP RAKE OF THE MAST TRIM OF BOAT (boat must be kept flat) RAKE OF RUDDER AND CENTREBOARD Position of the mast on the mast step Moving the mast aft on the mast step moves the whole mainsail aft, increasing weather helm in the same way as raking the mast aft Rake of the mast Raking the mast aft moves the centre of effort of the rig back over the centre of the hull. This pushes the stern to leeward and creates weather helm Trim of boat If the boat is heeling to leeward the under water profile of the hull is changed. The flow of water along the foils provides lift, which tends to point the boat higher into the wind. This has the effect of generating weather helm. You must sail the boat flat and be positioned correctly in the boat, balancing it fore and aft Rake of rudder and centreboard A raised rudder blade provokes weather helm, keep the rudder down at all times. A raised centreboard moves the centre of effort of the hull aft. A good general rule is keeping the centreboard fully down. To test for weather helm, steer the boat on a beat. Make sure the boat is flat by checking that the mast is at a right angle to the water. Let go the helm and see what happens. What you are looking for is a touch of weather helm. Both lee helm and neutral helm are disastrous. Lee helm forces you to push the tiller away, forming lift off the wrong side of the rudder blade. Neutral helm means you gain no lift at all. Too much weather helm forces you to pull the tiller, setting the rudder blade at an angle to the water flow, resulting in excessive drag. 15

16 9 RECOMMENDED READING I strongly recommend the reading of the Fernhurst books in particular the following: Dinghy Helming Sails (second edition) Tuning Your Dinghy by Lawrie Smith by John Heyes by Lawrie Smith These books are available at most book stores and don't leave a big dent in your budget. They contain a lot of information and if you want to get to the top end of the fleet they are an absolute necessity. CONCLUSION: Having said all this, a final word of advice. Set everything up to the best of your ability, stop worrying about it and go on the water and enjoy your sailing. See you on the water. ooooooooooooooo 16