Everything you need to know about the UK D-One fleet





Tuesday, 27 July 2010

New D-One

Only one week to go until new D-One turns up.

White hull with carbon insert.....Pimp!

Gonna launch it at Hayling Island SC with a week of racing in Federation Week.

I can't wait.

:o)

Thursday, 22 July 2010

Single Sail reaching - different story

I keep forgetting to post about the different way of sailing the D-One without the spinny, on a reach.

Whereas downwind with the kite you need to centre the traveller, this is NOT the case for reaching.

KICKER / VANG hard on and ease the traveller is the key.

Letting the traveller off more and more until you have perfect balance of power and trim, sit back and plane away.

I was out sailing with a Halo and I admired the way it was super fast on a reach, it certainly left me standing, however I was sure that the D-One should be as fast, if not faster, so I messed around with the traveller, easing it off and bringing the boat quickly up on the plane.
As soon as I did this I left the Halo standing, which I was happy about.

The Kicker has to be really tight to control the leach, but DON'T FORGET to let it off again before you go up wind, otherwise you will never get under the boom.

This is the only time when the kicker is really used under huge tension, really it is only on enough to stop the boom rising during a tack when you let the mainsheet tension off.