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Thanks for that advice guys.I shall look at my technique.
I am also hoping someone can use their GPC track to tell me what their sailing angles are. I hear people say "point high" or "go low" but without other Aeros at my club I have nothing to compare to. A few GPS tracks would enable that comparison.
I would especially appreciate info from open sea sailing. I see many UK sailors are on small lakes with little in the way of waves. On Port Phillip a 15 knot sea breeze will give us a 1.5 metre swell and waves breaking over the bow.
Cheers
Cliff
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06/12/2016 03:46:33
Cliff
Posts: 47
Comparing to other classes I generally point a shade higher than the lasers but not quite as high as the Solos. I agree with Chunky that you need to still have some kicker on even in light winds because you have to bend the mast a bit. My advice unless you are coming from a laser is that you need more kicker than you initially think. - You will find my settings on this site somewhere.
Also agree that it is easy to stall out if you don't easy downhaul and kicker a bit when the wind drops. Boat goes very dead and you need to ease and foot off a bit to get speed up. Pinching doesn't work but working for height once you've accelerated does.
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05/12/2016 16:05:53
Gareth
Posts: 171
The boat is a lot more sensitive than other classes, so if you don't respond quick enough to the wind changes then the boat will slow quicker. That said, it also accelerates quicker if you get it right.
I find upwind that the kicker is the most important control, if you are hiking, pull the main in and you'll soon see how much kicker you need to pull on (at least take up the slack). Once thats on you should then be able to point. If you are stalling then get some downhaul on, leave some belly in the foot of the sail for some driving power.
I'm on the shelf with the keeping the boat completely flat, this is one of the few boats that i've found a small bit of leeward heel is fast, for me anyway. It also allows you to hike harder if its heeled slightly, as your bum isn't in the water slowing you down.
The 7 rig I find great until you let the kicker off and you are sitting in, this stops you pointing straight away. So i've tended to leave kicker on longer than i would in any other class and pull downhaul on to compensate for hooked leach, rather than letting the kicker off. Not sure how everyone else works with that?
If i'm hiking then i can generally out point most things on the water, Solos and OKs this weekend.
Upwind speed at around 5 knots is fine as far as i can tell from my GPS.
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05/12/2016 12:27:06
Chunky
Posts: 136
We have 2 expert Aero Sailors and 3 novices at our club. The 2 experts point higher and go faster upwind (than me). The Aero (7) seems to need a fair bit of forward speed before it will point. The Aero also does not like to sail pinched at all. The boat must be kept absolutely flat. I am gradually learning to sheet out and foot to get speed on the boat and then sheet in and hike really hard to keep the boat pointing. If the boat slows you have to repeat. In anything over about 12 knots I find I have to have the cunningham on full otherwise I cant get the boat flat. If the wind drops at all you have to let the cunningham off or the boat really stops.Upwind in the Aero IMHO is a lot more difficult to learn than other similar boats. (e.g Laser, Streaker)
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05/12/2016 09:58:14
Calidor
Posts: 2
In our club we have two Aeros and many lasers. The two aero sailors are relative novices and as a result we always finish at the back of the fleet. In searching for an explanation it occurred to me that we might not be sailing at the optimal angle to the wind. Last week in 15 knots my tack angles indicate I was sailing about 43 degrees to the wind. Should I point higher, lower or stick with this angle? I find I am holding about 4.5 knots at this angle.
Cliff
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05/12/2016 09:40:15
Cliff
Posts: 47
