Jake - I'll take the counter point to Rick with the emphasis on the type of racing you do. The asym is an advantage for me for the following reasons:
We have a pretty active mid-distance fleet with point to point racing in the 15-25 mile range. It's not common that we have a leg on a race DDW. More importantly, and this applies to buoy racing too, we usually have lighter air so no one is sailing DDW anyway. Check with your local phrf organization, but around here if I only carry an Asym tacked to the bow and don't use a pole, I'm allowed a 6 sec credit. One can spend a lot of money on a boat to get the value of 6 sec. Taking into account when I got the boat it had absolutely no spin rigging (Seriously, none at all), it was easier and cheaper for me to pick up an asym, tack it to the forepeek and do outside gybes than buy a sym, a pole and rig for toplift, add mast track, buy sheets and guys, etc, etc, etc. Finally, this setup allows me to sail the boat with just 4 people really easily. Performance wise, when it's blowing other boats will pole back and sail down inside me, but this is where the 6 sec credit kicks in and personally, I think it's about right. We can toy with 160 AWA, but we really have to work it and, admittedly, it's painful getting it flying again after a collapse. FYI, I never use a sock. Hate'm . That's why I'm going to sell the one I have to Fred really cheap. The top down furlers however, those look like the ticket and would make a lovely valentine's day present. But they're also a lot more than $7/foot that a sock costs. Hope that helps. Pete Class of 37 From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Rick Brass Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 10:50 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Handicap review - Now A-sail Jake, Based on my experience with both my 25 and my 38, I would tell you not to bother with an A-sail for racing on your boat. The benefit to the A-sail vs. a symmetric spin are that it is easier to launch and handle (particularly if you use a sock), and there is a distinct performance advantage if you are reaching. I can fly the asymmetric on my 38 to about 60-70 degrees apparent wind, and boy is that fun. The downside to the A-sail is that when you are going down wind you will be pointing 15 or 20 degrees higher than the boats with deep running symmetrical spinnakers. You will be going faster at a hotter angle, but your VMG will actually be less. An A-sail on a sprit is a hot setup on a semi-planning hull like a Colgate, J/105, or Viper. But our boats are dragging all that keel and underbody through the water and the performance improvement is not enough for increased speed to make up for longer distance sailed. On my 25 I bought the A-sail for shorthanded racing, and used it tacked to the stem fitting. It is a lot easier to fly and to gybe. We sailed it for a spring series (i0 races, all windward/leeward) and decided not to use it again. I added a sock, and have used it since only for recreational sailing and when single handing (Did I say it was easy to use?) I bought the A-sail and sock for my 38 with the express purpose of cruising single handed. I've used it in a couple of distance races over the past two summers. Like I said, it's a hoot when reaching. I've even beaten a Farrier 31 tri in one race. But I still can't run as deep as boats with symmetrical kites. I tack the sail to the end of the anchor roller, and I've tried to use the spin pole to pull the luff of the sail to windward, which helps to run a fair bit deeper. But speed decreases, the VMG is still no better than with a symmetrical spin, and with pole, guys, topping lift, etc it is almost as hard to fly the A-sail as a symmetrical. When I go to the first charity regatta in May I plan to take both the A-sail and a symmetric and let the wind determine which sail to fly. Rick Brass From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Jake Brodersen Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 8:40 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Handicap review Joel, That's an excellent idea. Of those who have them for racing, are they tacked to the bow, to a pole laid on deck, or a custom sprit? Jake Jake Brodersen C&C 35 Mk-III Midnight Mistress Hampton VA From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Joel Aronson Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 7:52 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Handicap review Jake Might be time to switch to an asym. Joel 35/3 Annapolis
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