J109 special tricks
Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 9:16 am
I've recently started sailing on a j109. The boat is in great condition and in under 10 kts it is about a half-knot over the polars.
This weekend, it was gusting up to 20 and we had a really hard time going upwind. We had no other 109's to look at, but 3 105's who appeared to be much flatter than us.
Looking at the boat, there is this humungous car track, but the marks for the jib car only went ~10 inches back from the shrouds. The marks were made by a sailmaker, but at #10, in 18 kts true, the top of the jib was still generating lift. Should I turn it up to 11?
At 18 kts, we had the backstay about 40% on. Was that enough?
I know the rig was tuned for about 8 kts. Alas there was no time between races to tighten up.
One weird thing: The main trimmer, who I've just met, but has done a lot of J boat sailing, kept the traveler up high. He said that it was a J109 thing. I am skeptical, but he did a great job on main in light air. It is entirely possible the jib was just misbehaving and screwing everything else up.
Overall it was a fun regatta, even though we didn't win. But winning is also fun.
It got me thinking:
What are some weird tricks that you do on a J109 that would feel wrong on other boats.
This weekend, it was gusting up to 20 and we had a really hard time going upwind. We had no other 109's to look at, but 3 105's who appeared to be much flatter than us.
Looking at the boat, there is this humungous car track, but the marks for the jib car only went ~10 inches back from the shrouds. The marks were made by a sailmaker, but at #10, in 18 kts true, the top of the jib was still generating lift. Should I turn it up to 11?
At 18 kts, we had the backstay about 40% on. Was that enough?
I know the rig was tuned for about 8 kts. Alas there was no time between races to tighten up.
One weird thing: The main trimmer, who I've just met, but has done a lot of J boat sailing, kept the traveler up high. He said that it was a J109 thing. I am skeptical, but he did a great job on main in light air. It is entirely possible the jib was just misbehaving and screwing everything else up.
Overall it was a fun regatta, even though we didn't win. But winning is also fun.
It got me thinking:
What are some weird tricks that you do on a J109 that would feel wrong on other boats.