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Reply to: Downwind in Nacra 5.2

[quote=klozhald][b]hyperope[/b], Hullflyer has been taught well. Don't know what kind of cat he is sailing, so the [quote=HULLFLYER]Set the mainsheet and jib sheet approx 2 feet between the blocks for a ballpark setting[/quote] can vary a lot from boat to boat, but he gives sound advice. Catamarans differ greatly from monohulls downwind. Most monos sail fastest close to dead downwind, which would be almost the speed of the wind. Cats can sail [i]much [/i]faster than the wind on a broad reach, because the sail shape is actually pulling the boat through the wind, not just getting pushed from behind. (The fact that cats are so light and carry so much sail allows this.) Gybing downwind gives the greatest overall speed, but the more you point towards straight downwind instead of staying on a broad reach, the slower you will go. Hence this comment:[quote=HULLFLYER]Head up until the relative (apparent) wind is at right angles to the centerline of the boat[/quote] It may not feel slower at the time, but the other guys will leave you in the dust (foam). His final comment bears repeating: [quote=HULLFLYER]DIVE TO LEEWARD ON THE HEADERS [/quote]If you are dowwind and get a big puff, do [b][i]not[/i] [/b]steer up like you would going upwind. You will turn your side to the power of the wind and it will blow you over much faster than you could ever get to safe head-to-wind. This is counter intuitive at first, and you must practice moving your weight aft [i]fast [/i]as you turn down on the puff. If your crew is on trap, make them [b]run [/b]aft. As your boatspeed stabilizes, head up again so the apparent wind (on your forestay or shroud wind indicators) moves back to 90 degrees. Sheet In! (but not in the puffs!) Bob[/quote]

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