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Have a sailing tip that you think other Etchells owners should know? Please scroll to the form at the bottom of the page to send your description to the webmaster. All information will be given credit and post your e-mail address if you are willing to answer specific questions.
On Forestays: 1. Be sure to know the rake measurement of your rig. This is done by putting the forestay along the mast, put a black mark on the wire where it intersects the top of the black band at the gooseneck location on the mast. After hooking up the forestay, measure the distance from the band to the deck. On older boats the numbers should be in the 45" - 46" range, boats over the 500 series should be 46" to 47" and the rest of the boats should be 46" to under 48". 2. Forestay sag is needed to get the boat moving in light air. In 3 to 5 knots have just enough backstay "on" to keep the rig from bouncing around in the waves. As you speed builds you can begin to tighten the rig, which will assist with pointing. Remember, you "point" from the front of the jib and back of the main. 3. Use the forestay to set rig tension. We put a Loos Gauge on the forestay to have a "base-line" for rig tuning. In the tuning guides, the text reads "...pull the backstay so that the headstay is just taught..." - "taught" can be different things to different people. We pull the backstay on until the Loos Gauge Pro model 2 reads "10", then start with the recommended tuning procedures from the sailmakers (see Dolye Sails Tuning Guide or North Sails Tuning Guide). About the Loos Gauge, there are two different models, the PT-2 and Model "B". Look at their site to get the conversion numbers that are given in Model "B" settings in the tuning guides for use with the PT-2. 4. Getting ahead: a couple of years ago at a regional regatta 1998 Worlds Champ Dirk Kneulman started just to leeward of 5-0-5 Champ sailor Geoff Hurwitch. Dirk was able to work forward of Geoff and within 2 minutes after the start, sail right in front of Geoff. How did he do that the guys on Geoff's boat were wondering??? The tricks: 1 - bow down to build speed; 2 - tighten backstay to narrow the entry of the jib; 3 - trim mainsheet to increase pointing; 4 - have crew hike harder. On Spinnakers: 1. Sooner or later there will be a problem where the topping lift goes up the mast. Usually when the hook pops-off the ring on the pole and with one unfortunate pull, the hook is now securely housed at the top of the mast. The simple solution, put a 12" piece of line between the topping lift hook and the fore-guy hook. This prevents the topper from getting loose. 2. Carry one of the canvas collapsible "leaf bags" as a spare spin bucket. These are really light weight, cost about $6 at "Christmas Tree Shops" - you can easily move the bucket from side-to-side for leeward take-downs, you can clip the bucket to a side-stay for faster, "no-problem" sets and easily comes off the boat. 3. Tape the spin halyard closed. It takes 2 seconds to secure the spin halyard with electrical tape, once the halyard goes up the mast from an accidental opening, switching from jib halyard to spin halyard is really slow! 4. Lube, lube and lube the spin pole fittings! Each time you put the boat in the water, spray the pole jaws with McLube or WD-40. Nothing slows down a perfect gybe like a jammed pole jaw. 5. Halyard hook - if you have plastic hooks to hold your spin halyard and topping lift line to the chainplates, get your crew in the habit of putting that hook on the sidestay after they release the line. Sooner or later the hook will catch the spinnaker of a guy line, clipping it to the stay will prevent the tearing of a good 'chute! 6. Mark the spinnaker halyard with a black mark at the cleat when the 'chute is fully up. The crew doesn't have to look to see that the 'chute is up, when he sees the mark, he knows.
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