Welcome to the July 2002 E-mail newsletter. (if you do not wish to receive future issues, click on the unsubscribe link at the end of this newsletter)

Here's what's new:

John Potter – 2002 Southeast District Champion - "In flat water and about 8-12 knots of wind, once speed is up I don't worry to much about leech tension. In all other conditions I look to stream the leech tell tale 50% of the time."

Tim Polaski – 2002 Midwest District Champion - "I try to maintain the top telltale streaming aft at least 50% of the time.  There are times when the boat feels fast when the telltale doesn't show itself much though.  It is so easy to slam the leech down with that big roach and kill the telltale. The biggest lesson I learned last season was that there is always room for more rig tension.  I really loaded the rig on the last day at NA's compared to the previous day and it really helped flatten the main and de-power.  Big guys like Pat Huntley were not that much faster although I can tell you that from sailing with him for forever, and usually behind in over 15 knots, he goes upwind in the breeze almost 2 blocked, flat and VERY fast.  There is no substitution for ballast in the breeze. I am interested to see others comments. There seems to be a lot of people with different theories on rig and sheet tension."

Bill Kenney - Spring 2002 Essex Frostbite Champion - "We don't use the main telltales a whole lot on our boat. Not even sure if they're still attached to the main. The main trim for us lightweights is dictated a lot more by whether we are pointing or footing. With such short frostbite races and such close quarters, speed doesn't seem nearly as important as relative angle. For us the main trim is like having a trimtab."

John Amendola - Fall 2001 Essex Frostbite Champion – "In lighter breezes I tend to pay closer attention to the top telltale to ensure that it is in fact streaming aft.  Main sheet will not be choked to achieve this condition.  However increasing breezes as it picks up say after 12-15 knots I generally ignore it.  Main sheet tension will be in quite tight provided that the boat remains flat this allows for the greatest slot allowance between jib and main.  Luff of the main will or may be back sailed in this condition.  As the wind increases main will be eased in order to spill air while still remaining flat.  Vang remains as tight as possible in this condition since it will keep the jib powered.  With higher wind speeds say over 25 knots main will be eased off enough to de-power but not luff in order to sail flat."

And a several other hot shot JY sailors who are always at the top of the crowd were good enough to reveal their secrets ...

Chris Vann - Noank CT - "For what its worth, I try the following... Keep the upper telltale:

• Streaming in light air... 3-7 knots,

• Slightly dancing to full streaming in medium to the bottom side of heavy air 7-15 knots (or the point         where we are overpowered).

• Streaming if there is chop or the boat is not up to full speed

• Dancing if the boat is at full speed and seas conditions are flat. 

• Streaming in everything above 15 knots (or the wind speed where the crew is fully hiked out).  At these wind speeds, I will then vang sheet to set heel depending on crew weight and sea conditions."

George McCarthy – Westbrook, CT - "It depends on the breeze.

• In 0-5, I look for the telltale streaming, big open leach, and trim till it stops flying then ease until it is fully flying, adjust vang a hair tighter and outhaul should be fat. Ease main out 10
  inches while tacking.

• 5-10, I ease out of tacks 3-4 inches. Once at full speed, trim until telltale is starting stall. Vang on medium tension, after fully trimmed. Outhaul on to get the belly out, possibly bit more at the high end.

• 10-15, Ease main sheet 6 inches through tacks. Once fully hiking, trim hard, and play mainsheet with puffs and KEEP THE BOAT FLAT! Out haul tight, vang really hard. Max mainsheet, 2block if you can keep the boat flat.

• 15+. Ease main out 12 inches +, get hiking . Hike hard, get the boat moving forward, then start trimming in main. Play mainsheet heavily for oscillations. Vang on really hard, watch the bend in boom, More than an inch is too much, you will break something (vang bailer). Outhaul on really hard. Main halyard should be tightened along with the jib halyard, consistently as breeze increases."
   

Chris Field – Noank, CT – "Top tell tale streaming unless you really need to point. I look at the top tell tale a lot. It seems to me that to be two blocked or close you need a lot of rake or you will be way over trimmed."
 

Well, there's a lot to think about there... and that's just a taste of the views summarized in the tuning guide. Thank - you to the sailors who volunteered their views here and in the giude. We will be polling the experts for their opinions on other aspects of JY racing in the future. Stay tuned!

Bob Mueller, JYPrez@snet.net