Looking for clues

[Paul D]

Hi,

Still getting to grips with my first OK (2045), but having fun in the process.

I believe I’ve got a well set-up dinghy, but it’s difficult to judge if I’m extracting a respectable performance from it yet – especially upwind.

So, setting aside the ‘fleet-racing-is-more-fun-than-handicap-racing’ conversation (with which I agree), I’d appreciate it if handicap racers could tell me how well they point upwind compared to Lasers.

Having read that OKs point quite high I was unpleasantly surprised yesterday to find that I was noticeably lower than the Lasers on the beat in a F3/4 on a small lake.

Should that be the case? Or is it a reflection of the fact I’m not getting my upwind settings right?

Thanks in advance.

[burt]

well sailed lasers and well sailed oks are similar upwind I find a lot of it is traveller setting for the right condition and then mainsheet tension to get the best of both as it gets windier its easier to find as i have the traveller almost all the way off and all my mainsheet in all the way lightwinds need more tweeks as the wind changes quickly and can double in strength in the gusts.

How much do you weigh and what mast and sail have you got?

Burt

[Bill B]

Hi Paul,

Normally I would reckon that the OK is a better woindward boat than a Laser but where you sail there can be a lot of factors involved including using shifting winds etc..
The basic set up you have bought should go well but there are some settings to look at – the biggest one of which to start with is how hard you are pulling the mainsheet to bend the mast. You have to work between enough tension to flatten the front of the sail but not so much that you have the leech turning up to windward in the light bits. Start all this with the traveller aboiut half way out – out far enough to keep the leech off the centreline but with some scope to let it out more in gusty bits.
Now you have had a bit of practice, come and sail a race with us and we can see how you are performing so you know what you should expect against your local opposition.
If the Laser guy is very good you will struggle anyway.

Bill

[Paul D]

Thanks both for the replies – I guessed I should be doing better.

I’ve got an old carbon Selden mast and North sail which I’m assured are suitable for my non-Christmas weight of 90kgs. Though I’ve not met the previous owner Will Turner, I’m told by Andy that I’m about the same weight. Will had settings marked on his traveller for different wind strengths so I’ve been using those as a starting point.

From reading both answers together I suspect the first step is to sheet in more than I am.

One of the offending Laser helms is usually much better than me, but I was a little distressed another was waving me goodbye.

Bill – thanks, I’ll get my backside in gear and pack the boat up. I’ll email you separately for suitable dates.

[Author]

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