Dinghy sailing in bigger winds

Hey chaps/chapesses

My two sons sail/race Cadets and, being light (50kgs+23kgs) struggle
badly in the bigger winds (f4+). I don't have the expertise to guide
them but I believe it is as much a matter of technique as weight.

So far I have (a) rake the mast back (b) de-power the sails with
cunningham/outhaul/kicker (c) sit further back on a run, lifting the
bow.

So what am I missing? I seem to think that pointing up or bearing
away when a gust comes has a bearing on this. I also seem to think
there are better techniques of easing the sails than just letting go.

What else can we do?

Is there a good book to read that will guide us through? Is there a
training video we can watch?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give us.

Stephen Page

On 28 Sep, 07:03, Stephen Page <st... DeleteThis @the-page-family.net> wrote:
> Hey chaps/chapesses
>
> My two sons sail/race Cadets and, being light (50kgs+23kgs) struggle
> badly in the bigger winds (f4+). I don't have the expertise to guide
> them but I believe it is as much a matter of technique as weight.
>
> So far I have (a) rake the mast back

I'm not sure raking the mast back will help much. Surely that just
helps you point better/gives you more weather helm? I could be wrong.

> (b) de-power the sails with
> cunningham/outhaul/kicker

Yup. Cunningham and outhaul bar tight. Kicker slackened to let the top
of the sail twist to spill wind.

> (c) sit further back on a run, lifting the
> bow.

Yup, near the front up wind near the back downwind.

> So what am I missing?

Nothing. I think they've just got to go out and do more and more of
it. No substitue for practice. I'm assuing they both have wetsuits so
they're comfortable and warm when they bin it?

> I seem to think that pointing up or bearing
> away when a gust comes has a bearing on this.

Yup. Either, point the power away or ease off and bear away for speed.

> I also seem to think
> there are better techniques of easing the sails than just letting go.

Dunno, dumping a bit of main is a pretty effective way to de-power. Of
course you don't need to totally let go, just let out a handfull. (IME
in a two man dinghies it's best if the crew dumps the jib first.)

> What else can we do?

I think you've got it sussed. Tune the boat appropriately, let them
spend time on the water to work it out for themselves as they surely
will.

IME being light is no handicap at all in the heavy stuff. I used to
campaign a fireball and we were bang on the right weight for it. We
thought this would be a massive advantage over the light crews in big
winds but it it wasn't at all. The light crews just lifted up onto the
plane earlier and the power was converted into forward motion. Had the
same the first season I sail my laser as a young lad. I weighed 3/4 of
bugger all and was unbeatable in light winds. I think everyone
(including me) assumed I wouldn't be competative in heavy winds. Sure
enough on the windy days I'd come off the windward mark, pop onto the
plane and disappear into the distance.

Is it worth them going out on a day when they're not racing make no
effort at all to go up wind or dead down wind? Just beam reach up and
down all afternoon like a windsurfer a) having a great time and b)
getting totally comfortable with the conditions?

One other thing. I recal me brother and I sailing a Mirror Dinghy one
season as nippers. On windy days Pa Toad (not a sailor) always
recommended not using the kite so we didn't. Then one day it struck us
that dead down wind it might actually make things more stable, not
less - and it did. Might be worth considering.