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to zip or not to zip


humungus2

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After seeing all the mucking around scotty goes through with setting up his jib I decided against on the KISS principle. I have found that with a zippered jib (and I have used scottys boat for a nationals) that you have another luff tension to set, another thing to stuff up, I don't feel that they do give a better wind flow over the jib as they are bulkier than a sewn in stay wire, even marko feels that the maricat jibs are more functional without them. They also make using a furler more complicated, ask me about the usefullness of a furler after going for a race at wangi on saturday with gusts up to 35 knots, (one rope to pull no jib to worry about). One of the pluses of a maricat is its simplicity. Not to zipper is my vote.

Phil

[This message has been edited by korwich (edited 18 May 2009).]

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Add in the fact that the Maricat jib is one of the worst shapes around. There is no good way to make it work.

But i do have to argue about the having to set the luff tension. Between now and the Windrush nationals I will be testing the usefulness of an adjustable luff tension on the windy. Generally its a set and forget, but our rules allow (most ppl don't know) the use of an adjustable luff tensioner in the way of a v-cleat (specified as a v-cleat). The location of said v-cleat is not specified nor the amount of purchase in the tensioner. (my guess is either 2:1)

I expect to see positive results, particularly in races where you set it for either heavy or light wind and the wind does the opposite. This is where the adjustability comes into play, much like downhaul on a main.

If you run it too slack in breeze the jib will break at a much lower angle, if u run it too tight you'll affect the airflow over the leward side of the sail.

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Hey Micheal

I hear what you are saying about the adjustable luff tension. I'm unsure it maricats are legal to have an adjustable luff tension anyway. Mick will be getting a radial cut jib too probably, like mine, it has been found that the radial cut mainsails hate having any luff tension, essentially the downhaul is just there for show. I have been fiddling with luff tension on my jib and I am starting to believe that the jibs are much like the mains, use very little luff tension. When I 1st started using this jib I had problems getting it to shut up, much like scotty was having at koonawarra, (do you remember flap flap flap as you went flying past), but I had a fair amount of luff tension, which was increasing when I went out on the wire, (as the forestay tension increased) Easing the luff tension right off has pretty well nipped that in the bud for me.

The mari's with zipped jibs only run their halyard back down alongside the forestay and shackle it onto the front bridle anyway.

It will be interesting to see how mick performs with a jib anyway.

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One word for you Mick

"Loose some weight fat boy". Oh thats more than one word, bugger. You're not that much heavier than me, well ok maybe 15-20KGs more. But. You have a new mast, I have an old mast, you have a completely new boat, only parts of mine are new. My mast can hold me, just suck it and see mick, the most that can happen is we all get to have a laugh.

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The windy mast can handle a fair bit of weight. Back in the late 90's a tasmania that moved to newcastle, raced at 115kgs on a Windy S/S. Bloody fast in 20+knts. We raced against him from the old Lake Macquarie Catamaran Club (Rathmines).

As for trap wires go buy some 2.5mm Dynema, breaking strain of about 350kgs... and use a plastic sheeved pulley on the dog bone rope. Ronstan do the plastic micro blocks... Harken (my favourtie) only do the metal sheeved blocks which chafe the rope (i broke 5 trap ropes at the ISAF Youth Worlds courtesy of the Harken blocks...)

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