What the winners use??

Did we see in Sailing Anarchy a regatta with 19 Laser 28s in Canada.  Lets hear from the fleet and the leaders a word or two about their set-up, trimming and maybe some tactics.  We in the hinterlands racing PHRF or small fleets have little against which to gauge our performance.  If we have upwind speed against a J80 is that good or just expected.  Are T-10s an even match to us  or should we smoke 'em While we do well against some boats in some conditions, can we do better?  Who has a jib cunningham, do you use it?  Do you use inhaulers or outhauler regularly??  When if ever do you use cabin top tracks??  While we try to get better and better,  some tips from the leaders would help.  Let's hear from Cloud 9, Still Crazy, Rampant and others. 

WarBird posted this inquiry 5 weeks ago and there has been virtually NO response.  Is the fleet secretive or do the majority not look at this sight?  Sideways spinnacker??? Pics or it didn't happen (2 or 3 times!)

Luc Gregoire asked some questions and this was my reply plus some narrative,

We use North Sails, 1 new one each year NorthSails owner is a local. Mast rake is Headstay=32' 8-8 1/2" (more on that later)  Uppers 1060-1280, Lowers620-740. 4 Laser 28s (not 8 Luc) in our Club, Eclipse just went to Canada(we apologize for the full holding tank!)

We use a little more rake than recommended.  When we had 3-5 laser28s racing regularly we seemed to have a slight edge going upwind.  That could have been trim, weight placement or driving.  As fewer Laser28s race now we concentrate on the phrf fleet more.  We have speed with the J80 (155%headsail) and the B25, my old boat.  On distance races we often correct ahead of C&C115 and C&C120 and finally corrected ahead of a well sailed Hobie 33 this year.  In heavy air we ease the lowers 2 full turns to get more mast lower mast bend.  The main is a paneled Kevlar(don't say it) film sail with a flat cut.  If we have a downwind distance race we leave the Dacron main bent on.  We use the deck tracks for the genoa.

Going upwind the genoa is trimmed 1-3" outside of the spreqder with no hook to windward of the leech.  I find boatspeed with all the genoa telltale flying back, inside just starting to float, then lose 2-3 tenth knot pinching.  "Veloce" a Laser 28 dealer from the 80's taught us that trick.  He cleans up in a large Milwaukee phrf fleet. Down a little for power in slop or chop but never below tale flying heading. I play the main for top batten telltale flying 80% and batten parallel to or a little open from centerline.  Hooking the batten end to windward hasn't seemed to help speed at all.  Main twist is adjusted for best boat speed thruogh the water.  In bouy races we do very little micro adjust (gear change) unless conditions change alot.  Jib lead may move tack to tack.  I feel it is more important to get the weight where you need it and the boat settled in than having crew moving arround unless the adjustment is right at hand. Halyard or outhaul adjustments should be done on an unloaded sail or you will stretch or damage the head or clew.  That is why my first post mentioned jib cunninghams,  release befor the tack, trim after the speed build.  We sail the boat fairly flat and I will ease big on the main and use only the leech to drive the boat when we get over powered.

Down wind we fly the pole lower than the clew to project more sail in deep running.  We keep the top batten paralel to the boom and slightly over trim the main when needed to keep the spin leech slot open for air flow.

WarBird crew include 5 of us who have been racing together for 9-10 years first on the aforementioned B25 , now on Laser28.  The crew is wonderful at helping with prep and paint, maintenance and repair, hauling and launching (cocktails to follow).  One crew is always ready to swim the boat(clean the bottom) with or without me for every weekend event.  We develop prospect regularly and have a pool of 4 miore experienced crew todraw from.  None of us are "Rock Stars" but we race together well and have fun doing it.  Each year we race 18-20 Weds Nites, 4-5 distance and 4-5 bouy series. 

we took our club "Offshore Series Trophy" this year and lots of 1st Place mugs over the years.  We think we are fairly well dialed in but we don't have the onedesign feedback that would help us improve.

Thanks for your input.

WarBird

This has been a great learning experience for me and I thank each of you who have added some insight for us.  I have set my forestay to 6 3/4" from 8 1/4' the last 4 years. If I find we've lost something I may go back long.  My backstay adjust is now at least 1'1/2 ' short of the cam cleat, that 1-1/2" at the headstay pin must equate to 5" forward at the top of the mast, 20 inches of line at the 4:1 back stay adjust.  Our clews will be different, up some now, also.  Boom will ride higher so the traveller will seem different, a whole new boat after 4 years of 32' 8 1/4". 

Thanks

WarBird