finally had some racing this week. I've been waiting to see if there was some video that I could scavenge from the pretty decent Sail Brisbane media coverage, but despite having a camera gaffa-taped to my boat I don't feature anywhere except for some brief moments. Always a bit apprehensive watching videos of yourself - its hard to know whether you're going to look like an uncoordinated fool or not. i reckon a bit of column A and a bit of B.
Aside, the foils are going well and both the boat and my technique are improving. Had a top speed of 22.7 in a predominately light to moderate-air and choppy regatta. Still that's the fastest the boat has gone, although I reckon there's a lot left in it. I never really felt like i had it wound up. Anyway hopefully with a new rig and some tweaks here and there I should get away without too much embarrassment at Belmont.
Still cant get the height control perfect through the chop, although i was pleased to see everyone else having occasional problems as well! People keep telling my that my boat goes up and down more than the others, and I'm not entirely sure what to put this down to. Sure the waves are a factor, by why do the affect me more than others? I'm putting a kink and my wand to try and space it further forward of the foil and we'll see what that does. I know the bowsprit is an option but i quite like the bow as it is. Also a lower profile boom will allow the mast to come back further while still giving me enough space to get through the tacks. more rake may help.
I put limiters on the flap down and flap up because I found that too much movement was causing a bit of cavitation around the flap that I could actually hear from on the boat. I suggest to anyone looking at building the foils that they do this too. Mainly down- 15 degrees is too much deflection. I'm not sure what its set at now, but email me if you're interested and ill measure it.
Also worthy of note, the ride height lever was really helping my takeoff. I worked out that i can neutralise the flap, reach off and get the boat speed and apparent wind up then gradually pull the ride height on, and the boat takes off much more easily than it otherwise would have. at the risk of losing what may be a slight edge, i reckon the same technique will work with a dial on your mach 2, prowler assassin or whatever you happen to bring to the potentially marginal foiling conditions at the worlds.
a couple of photos courtesy of the AYF media people, (http://www.saildownunder.org.au/) who by the way were tops.
So, reckon I should try and paint the boat before the worlds or is it fine as it is? I'm tending toward no, but I could be swayed. I think the rust stains particularly add charm.
