nack to using kite?

[cj]

I have seen ppl using a kite in club races on a nacra 5.8 but i would of expected this boat to be going a whole lot faster than it was, i have just purchased a nacra 5.8 and i am debating weather or not to put the kite on as it didn't seem to give them any real advantage over the course of the races (sailing against no kite 5.8's).

Is the nacra class cut kites made for going deeper but around the same speed or do you use it for the same angles down wind as usual and go faster?

Should 1 person be on wire down wind in 10 knots?

Or just go deeper?

[Village Idiot]

Originally posted by cj:

I have seen ppl using a kite in club races on a nacra 5.8 but i would of expected this boat to be going a whole lot faster than it was, i have just purchased a nacra 5.8 and i am debating weather or not to put the kite on as it didn't seem to give them any real advantage over the course of the races (sailing against no kite 5.8's).

Is the nacra class cut kites made for going deeper but around the same speed or do you use it for the same angles down wind as usual and go faster?

Should 1 person be on wire down wind in 10 knots?

Or just go deeper?

Yes the spin will alow you to sail much deeper and faster I liken it to hitting the nitros button in a car .

When sailing down wind if your trying to run as deep as you can without a spin no one should be on the wire!in any strength of wind , what you have to do is known as "wild thing " that sucker , this simply means getting that sucker up on 1 hull and keeping it balanced there ,to do this place the crew on the leward side ,sitting on or right next to the hull, if it's below 15 kts next to the centerboard case the stronger the wind the further back they sit ( you don't want to bury the nose whilst doing this ,you want the leward bow out of the water in strong breeze so you can bear away if a gust hits)if heavy conditions the crew sits at the back beam .depending on the wind the same goes, the skipper sits just to windward of the centerline dont drop the travler too much (usually 100-200mm) and play the main pinch up till the hull lifts and balance it sheeting in or bearing away to bring the hull down NEVER POINT UP WHEN YOU THINK THE HULLS COMING UP TO HIGH ,this will cause you to take a swim for sure.This is a rule for sailing cats,sloop and cat rigged and even with spins (up to a certain wind strenght) downwind in all conditions (or up to the point where you are out of control) .

so the answer to your Question no you should not be trappin down hill if your trying to go as deep as possible.this trick feels wrong at first but it's quite safe and definatly fast once you get the hang of it.

[Surferjoe]

CJ

The thinking is that the 5.8 is a boat that is just as quick, if not quicker without a spinnaker over the lenght of a course. Without doubt their are excepts, particulally in the light breeze.

The best NACRA for a spinnaker is the F18- this boat was designed for a kite, unlike the 5.8, which had it tacked on much later- much to the detriment of the class size. At a national level, the 5.8 is no longer running with a kite.