I would like to confront our italian tuning style with the US one.

1. Jib halyard. When the wind increase we depower by slackening the halyard. Does anybody has a way to gauge halyard tension? What does it mean taught or slack? Is there someone that has a benchmark to confront with?

2. Strange but true. The older the sail the faster it is with winds under 10 knots. Do you suggest to taper the battens also if the sail is very old and "supple"? I taper the first two battens. How many battens do you taper?

3. Do not use aluminium tiller extension. I bought one and it lasted one hour navigation. Do you have experience in ligtweight carbon tiller extensions? Are they reasonably resistent?

4. Heavy wind. I prefer fix the main traveler according to average conditions and give the sheet to the crew that plays it in the puffs using two hands. Are there any technical reason in favour of the more classical solution to let the crew playing the main traveler?



thank your for your contribution to the debate.

#1 i think that would work to depower, the main leech would be slacker and spill wind, however if a full shape results in the jib then its depth may inhibit speed-carving the wind with a dull blade.#2 i have an old sail and its maximum depth was about halfway back from the mast, i tapered all the battens, produced a beautiful airfoil shape and it seems to point higher.#3 most hobie guys around here use an arriba stick, fiberglass telescoping extension. available from murrays.com. i enjoyed a bamboo extension 8 'long, very light and floats. #4 again a deeper sail chord and twisted sail results which can inhibit speed, i like to ease travellers and keep the sails flatter when i need to depower. i humbly submit that i represent only my ideas . i too would like to hear from others!