Downwind in a Nacra 20

Sounds like you need to fall off. Try sailing deeper. The N20 is very stable downwind, even in big air. Where are you sailing?

I live in chile. We have a large ocean coast (3000 milles), and lots of lakes.

Regards,

Marcelo

Marcelo,
You will love the 20. It is a great boat. You want to sail deep and sheet tension should be enough that the luff is just on the edge of breaking, or curling. It combines driving the boat deep and sheet tension on the spin. Don't oversheet the spin, if you get hit with a gust, drive down. Make sure to keep mainsheet tension on. This acts as the backstay for the mast and will prevent it from breaking.

Thanks Philip. Your advise is highly appreciated.

MC

i agree.. sail VERY deep until you get a feel for it. Make sure you have enough luff tension on the spin.... be warned everything is opposite with a spin... Head DOWN to depower.. sheeting out creates speed in most cases.

Try 5-8 mph wind to start. It took me a dozen times to get a feel for the spin.

Main downhaul is usefull and lift your dagger boards 1/2 way up... this helps sometimes

So... I don't have a spinnaker but what do "sail deep" "head down" mean?

Sorry Larry, only spin sailors are privy to those code words!

Hehe, just teasing!...

Heading up means turn into the wind... head down (and sail deep) mean fall off... point more downwind.

This will decrease the power in your spinnaker (and will help you when your bows are 3 feet above the water)

edited by: andrewscott, Nov 04, 2008 - 03:50 PM

Same as bear away or falling off.
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~elfox/terms.html
Terms heard directed to crew in extreme conditions.
"Dump It, Dump it NOW" followed by "hang on no matter what" usually when overstanding the leeward mark or
"heat it up" when trying to fly a hull to reduce windward hull drag.
😛

What they said 😀

Marcelo,
Send me a plane ticket and I will teach you everything you need to know.
👿