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Home >> Top Tips >> TopTip2020 #10 - Tapered Kicker, Righting Lines & Downhaul - by Lily Barrett, GBR/NZL
 
 
TopTips 2020 #10 - Tapered Kicker, Righting Lines & Downhaul
by Lily Barrett, GBR/NZL
 
Lily Barrett is a petite sized heavy air enthusiast! She has had to learn a few tricks to compete when the breeze is up and here she shares a few of them to help the smaller less beefy sailors to be more competitive and more able to enjoy those stronger breezes;

'1. Tapered Kicker - Taper the kicker rope as this makes it a whole lot easier to pull more on and makes a big difference. It also makes it easier to adjust which is very important, especially in very gusty, flukey conditions. Before using a tapered kicker I didn’t think it would make much of a difference, but it actually is very useful and I would highly recommend it.'

[Ed - A 4mm rope with polyester outer is ideal for pulling on and cleating, however, a thinner rope and dyneema both have less friction for the part behind the cleat. Also, the kicker rope can rub the bottom of the front end of the boom when the boom is higher due to a loose kicker setting. With a thinner rope that rubbing stops earlier as the kicker tightens and the angle of the boom drops (or you are allowed to dangle a block off the gooseneck to avoid that too). Class rules dictate that the kicker may be tapered but must be a minimum of 3mm diameter. So you can taper a 4mm rope with a 3mm dyneema core, like 4mm Marlow Excel Racing.]

'2. Righting Lines - For those who struggle with bringing the boat back up again after a capsize, get righting lines. These are really useful for smaller sailors who struggle to reach up to the gunwhale as the boat comes up. If you have considered them, then you need them!

3. Downhaul on Windy Days - You can always pull on more downhaul than you think! Pull it on as hard as you can, then grab another handful of rope and pull some more on if you are still overpowered. The extra tiny bit of downhaul can make a big difference in handling the boat in big breeze. It flattens the dacron sail, then bends the mast and opens the leach. Watch the leach flick open and shut as the downhaul passes a certain tension point. If your downhaul rope is reaching a maximum limit you need move the stopper knot, as this will be limiting your ability to sail in big breeze.'



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02/04/2020 18:26:00
Peter Barton
Posts: 4628


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