In stronger wind conditions, we recommend opening the main sheet, if the boat
feels overpowered and if the rudder loosens its grip and cavitate.
TACKING UPWIND:
By tacking upwind against waves – we sometimes recommend, before the tack,
easing off the mainsheet a bit to make an easier tack – if the mainsail is too tight
– the boat will, after the tack, too quickly go into the wind again and it is hard to
finish the tack procedure.
Here it is also vital that the genoa is pulled tight again quickly on the new course.
This takes a bit of practice and important is to tack WITHOUT backing the
genoa/jib. Over a short time, backing the genoa/jib when tacking will damage the
sail quickly, and, on a trimaran, it is not needed to back the Genoa/jib. If you find
this difficult, we can only recommend making one reef in the genoa/jib and the
tacking will go much quicker and smoother with the smaller and handier headsail.
If you stall (stop) the boat after a tack, it also helps to ease off the mainsail sheet
quickly, and the boat builds up speed again. If the boat starts to go backwards
after a tack, then immediately turn the rudder blade reverse to windward (the
opposite way as normal), this helps the bow to bear off the wind again and get
wind into the genoa again. Do not turn the rudder to normal before the boat
starts moving forward again.
MAINSAIL FOOT TRIMMING:
At the yard, we normally set and adjust the foot in only ONE and always the same
position approx. 7 cm (3”) curve on the foot. The curve at the foot has only very
little effect. MUCH MORE important is to focus trim on the mainsheet and the
boomvang/preventer and make sure the sail sets well further up. This is 100
times more important for boat speed.
MAINSAIL LUFF TENSION:
In light wind, you set the main halyard easy only to avoid "wrinkles" in the luff of
the mainsail, which also has the effect that you easier can help the mainsail flip
over when tacking or gibing, so that the battens are turned right for the new
tack. We would here recommend accepting a few wrinkles in the mainsail luff.
In medium air, the main halyard is tightened even harder, so the wrinkles in the
mainsail are gone and the luff looks nice and straight.
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