Adjustable down haul?

rtz · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 296 Location: Oklahoma City

I've been seeing this lately. Is that what it is?
Zoom in. What's that front line she's holding?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6i-tUZn2dx/?igshid=hauzxnxmz62n

Different angle:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6BI6sYnnRu/?igshid=45sbvzfjt14d

windward1 · Joined: 18 Jun 2000 Posts: 1400

no. She is holding the uphaul. Racers do this going upwind. I think it may help as it gets the body away from the sail making it less of a disturbance.

grantmac017 · Joined: 04 Aug 2016 Posts: 946

Racers also use adjustable downhauls. If you aren't racing its needless complication.

wsatl · Joined: 30 Sep 2014 Posts: 66

Definitely holding the uphaul. When your body is away from a large sail like that, it's a stretch to keep the sail fully in going upwind (remember that letting out the front hand is effectively sheeting in). Very common in Formula, RS:X, upwind/downwind foiling, etc.

Here's a youtube video (worth watching for foiling alone)

Watch him grab the uphaul around 0:50

https://youtu.be/nn_4ncbHKwQ?t=51

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

Holding the uphaul can be quite useful when pinching upwind. I get at least an extra 5 degree angle on my BIC windsup if I hold the uphaul. That can be quite useful when cruising, or even when you want to work on downwind tricks and need to get back upwind in between. It's similar on a Kona or old longboard.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

user beware if one wishes to use an adjustable downhaul.

can sails are prone to batten tip breakage with too little downhaul tension. the benefit of having a cm or so more or less is not really that worth the hassle as stated above anyway. i set my tensions to nearly max for nearly every session, but do tend to rig aggressively large in most conditions anyway.

the leaden feeling i get from my kits when i try less tension, and smaller sizes irritate me me anyway. power from sail size, tuning for various conditions and applications. that includes mast types or blends for different bends, boom height, and outhaul.

yup, rdm's for waves, sdm's for flats, and frankenstien combinations of sizes when ferals interchange, typically, 460 bottom with 430 tops, etc. i get far more tuning with spars than adjustable downhauls.

sound_solution · Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 2

With which Aerotech sails and to what end would you use a 460 bottom with a 430 top?

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

6.8 phantom, but only if i want better pumping for 13-24 kind of conditions. otherwise a full 460 rdm or sdm. obviously, rdm for waves, sdm for flat water.

7.0 airx always

6.5 freespeed always, yet the new 2020 now is shaped fully enough to just use a 460.

in the examples above i can get these sails to have a fuller shape, down low, and a more supple twist up top. more shape helps with stability and power when lit up.

these are observations that suit me and my pursuit for an extra 3-5% of performance that most people would likely not bother with. keeps my interest level up a bit on days that might otherwise be a bit underwhelming.