Rigging & Tuning the "Small" Sail.

[Rob440_old]

Hello to all (my first post here)!

I bought Supernova 406 last October, and as a relatively inexperienced dinghy sailor I have found her to be quite an experience - having only started racing at my local club this year!

I had a steep learning curve at the start, and things haven't always been easy since. However, my confidence has grown using the main "full" sail, in conditions up to the top end of Force 4 (when I appear to come last in handicap races).

Last week, I tried out the "small" sail in a very gusty 5-6 and found tacking much easier (i.e. not always ending up in irons), but on the beat I seemed to be making very little headway. Does anyone have any thoughts as to whether I might have been better battling with the "full" sail?
Also, rigging the small sail was somewhat confusing in comparison with the full sail. How high up the mast should the sail be hoisted? And the clew outhaul seems to need some sort of modification/extra bit of rope in order for it to attach the sail to the boom.

I'd be really grateful if someone can give me a few tips for rigging the small sail, or even if it's just a case of the Supernova having a "comfort zone" at which point sailing with either sail is going to be challenging!

Many thanks,

Rob406.

[Barry2312_old_old]

Hi Rob,

I'm far too fat for a small sail I'm afraid!

Upwind try not to pinch - IMHO Supernovas do not like to pinch. The front of the main should not be backwinding when going upwind. If over powered let the boom out and keep the speed on.

Also try more mast rake if you have adjustable rake.

Avoiding irons when it is windy can be tricky - but if you have heaps of kicker up wind - try letting it off through the tack and crank it on in the new tack. Really go for it in the tack.

I'm sure there are plenty about on these forums with far greater knowledge than mine.

Good luck.

Barry
464

[Peter481_old]

Hi there,

I've been out with the small sail a couple of times, and raced with it once in a very gusty F5-7. I'm 10st, so I am fully powered and hiking hard in about 8 knots!!!

I hoist until the foot is about 6" above the boom at the mast, it will come down anyway if you put cunningham on. I have a small bit of rope to fit between the outhaul block and the hook (I use an S hook now, rather than the supplied shackle). Make sure that the extra rope is between the block and the boom slug, and not between the slug and the sail, otherwise the end of your boom will droop down and drag in the water, which (I have discovered) is an easy way to capsize

I've read on this forum that some prefer to use the big sail depowered than use the small sail, and I can understand this. Because of it's position up the mast, the cunningham is unlikely to have much effect on the small sail. With only 1 full batten, the boat feels different. However, I'm sure I would not have completed the race with the big sail. Until I've mastered depowering, the small sail will continue to be very useful.

I have also come across problems making progress upwind (with both sails) and I now try to sail further from the wind, and never sheet to the centre line. Also, don't pull everything on tight, as the sail gets incredibly flat: Always keep a gap at the foot by easing the outhaul a little. Such a light boat will stop dead every time you hit a wave without some power in the sails.

Some suggest letting kicker off, but I would only advise this for survival mode: with too much twist, there will be a fine line between moving and capsizing. Better to max the cunningham and pull on enough kicker to allow you to sheet in without falling over. In the past I think I've used too little kicker upwind. Too little kicker combined with too much outhaul means less control and less power

I get stuck head to wind less and less these days. I moved the mast foot to the front position, and use hole 4 for minimum rake, and hole 6 for maximum. I think this has helped. Make sure you sheet out during your tacks. A friend of mine sails an rs600, and he lets go of the mainsheet completely during tacks and starts sailing again once he's got the boat round onto a close reach: perhaps a bit extreme for a nova, but you're much more likely to get stuck if you hold the sheet in.

I'm a newby too, so those with more experience might have different opinions to those above,

good luck,

Peter.

[Rob440_old]

Barry / Peter, thanks for your advice.
I definately need more practice with both sails. I think that I have somehow picked up some bad habits (such as sheeting in to the centre line, and I must admit that I do tend to tack far too slowly).
I'll persevere with the small sail when it's really blowing, until I get used to controlling and depowering the "proper" sail!

Thanks,

Rob 406.