Hi Guys,
Thanks for that, I have taken the kite to the local sailmaker for a proper repair. So used my second kite yesterday. I have found some of cloth that you were talking about for repairing the kite, what sort of silicone mastic do you use? Have you got a brand name that I could track down?
I added a block to the base of the mast for the halyard, as you can see below and it worked really well.
Awesome day sailing yesterday, standard UK sailing conditions for a change, just like in the K-16 DVD, flat water and hardly any wind
perfect.
About 2 knots for the start and wierd angle using fixed marks so it was between close hauled and a tight reach, so I headed off on close hauled above the layline, the popped the kite and reached down to the mark, just sitting on the rack. On the first real downwind, more breeze now about 8 knots and a bit puffy, I waited until I was clear of traffic then popped the kite. It all went to plan, kite up, sheeted in, sheeted main until boom was by the end of the rack, then on the wire, playing the kite wiring off the gunnel. (Did not seem enought breeze to get out on the rack.
I was playing with the angle a bit, just like Kit said on the K-16 DVD, I headed up until it started to heal, then I bore off until I was flat then trimmed sails to suit - it was fantastic.
I got to the layline then went for the gybe, did it by the book (well DVD really), and it worked well. I kept the boat dead flat, left the main cleated where it was, crossed under the boom, did the whole "superman" punch thing and the kite filpped through no worries, and before I knew it I was on the wire again on the new gybe.
The drop was easy as well, I just let the main full out, oversheeted the kite, then pulled a handful of retrieval line and uncleated the halyard - sweet
The wind had changed and was building now, so learning from last week I put more luff tension on and more kicker than I had previously. The top batten of the main started to blade out nicely, and the boat was going really well. Until I was almost at the top mark, looking forward to another kite run to the finish line, when pop! The main halyard broke, so I had to carefully sail downwind in building sea to get home with a least some sail up.
With regard to the traveller position that was mentioned this week. I was unsure of how to measure it so I took this photo. Next week I will see how much gap there is when I have full luff tension and kicker on.
In summary, Saturday felt like a normal day sailing, and I left the club thinking "I want to do that again!" It was great to get the kite up and really working in a light wind, so that in a normal breeze I have more idea of how it should all go. It was also my first Zero Capsize Day since I purchased the boat
So I was well pleased.