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Hi Everyone,

I am new to the class and I have a few questions.

I am not sure about my mainsheet bridle/traveller length, if the boom is central and the mainsheet is hand tight. What should the measurement be from the top of the bridle to the deck?

I am finding that I can very easily apply too much kicker when sailing upwind. I have come from sailing a 600 and I always used the blocks in the kicker to help reference how much kicker I had applied. How do people gauge how much kicker is applied with the musto vang system?

How much kicker do you use upwind in 0-5knots, 5-15 and 15 plus? Also how much cunningham in these wind strengths?

Many thanks
Mark

Hi Mark

Welcome to the class.

The mainsheet strop length will vary slightly depending on the sailors height & weight, but as a guide.

Assuming you have the mast set up as per the tuning guide, hoist the mainsail fully, pull on the outhaul so there is approximately a hands width between the foot of the sail and leeward side of the boom. Pull on the cunningam until you have removed all luff creases and finally pull on the kicker until the lever lines up with the red trim that defines the back edge of the wrap around sail panel (people may discuss kicker tension based on the red line, this refers to the red trim). Now pull on the mainsheet has hard as if you were bending your knees on the trapeze and pulling straight (so hard!). The mainsheet blocks on the boom should just touch the traveller block at this point.

Typically, the kicker tension is off to very lightly on in light airs but you'll very quickly then transfer to trapezing as the breeze builds a very small amount. In light / medium trapezing breeze the kicker should be around the red trim line and increased as the breeze rises, but typically never fully pulled on.

The Cunningham needs pulling on to remove all creases in light airs and then pulled harder as the breeze increases to a point where in reality you can't pull on more...
It's a good idea to put 3 horizontal stripes of electrical tape that gives you a guide to creases removed, half on and fully on.

As a guide as you start to become over powered in full trapezing conditions the top batten should be straight and waiving between windward and leeward (so no sail depth here).

Downwind the kicker and cunningham should be fully let off in all conditions. If you are reaching with or without the spinnaker you will need to trim the kicker based on angle and wind strength.

Mark,

All the advice from Paul is good. Two extra things...

1. It is good to set up the mainsheet strop with a sliding eye splice at one end so you can easily adjust.
2. I set up my strop slightly shorter, so I can only get the main sheet blocks to touch if the kicker and downhaul are as tight as possible. Basically that means that in normal use the blocks never quite touch. It is worse for the strop to be too long rather than too short.

Good luck, and feel free to make the short trip to Stokes Bay if you fancy sailing with a few other Mustos sometime.

Cheers

Dan

Many thanks for the quick responses, it is all very useful.

Once I get up to speed with the boat I will make the effort to come over to Stokes bay and I wil do a few opens. I will try and encourage the other Mustos at the club to venture over to Stokes too.

Thanks again
Mark