Put this on SA...sneaky suspicion I'll get better feedback here ~

Over the last four years, I have sailed with some of the best skippers in North America on a Hobie 16. Now that I'm getting time on the back of the boat, I want to learn all I can about setting up the boat for conditions.

The skippers I've had experience with range from a guy who sets up the same every time, won't tweak a thing (kind of a hippie - uses a feather for a wind indicator ), to ones who literally spend 1/2 hour to an hour setting, checking and re-checking rake, batten tension, shroud tension, measuring the rudders to see if they are too "footed in"..... I understand some from doing adjustments on the water to the down haul, traveler positions and such - I can feel the difference in that. I guess I'm looking for experienced opinions - How much of a difference in speed and boat handling in general do these adjustments make to the more experienced skippers? Is it more the experience or the little adjustments that make for better/worse results?

Another opinon wanted - some adjustments or regular settings appear to have a significant impact on boat components - Example: The skipper I sail with regularly prefers very tight batten tension most of the time. Others I have sailed with have stated this is NOT a good thing to do all of the time, as it causes the main and jib to stretch out faster. Will sailing with a tighter rig all of the time cause accelerated wear and tear on the entire boat?

Thoughts? Opinions??? Thanks, all <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Beverly,

What TK told you in the SA forum was straight up - don't fart around with the tweaks on the boat until you can tack, jibe and round marks with your eyes closed.

I have "base settings" on my boat that I've gotten comfortable with that give me excellent performance in all but the most extreme (light or heavy) conditions. It's set up the same way pretty much every time and I don't waste my time dicking with the boat every time I go out.

Just think about it - that 2% of extra speed you got by tweaking the boat is worth 48 seconds in a typical 40 minute race. That's one blown tack. One bad start. One mis-judged layline. You get the idea.

Until you get fundamental boat handling down, don't mess with the boat.

Sound advice - Thanks, Matt. Typical me - Eager to learn everything I can ASAP. Time on the water will do wonders...I'm getting there! Slow, but sure <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />