LDC Racing Sailboats RS600 Owner's Manual - page 7
upwind, whereas the rachet should help you keep the mainsheet uncleated on
the reaches.
Trapezing
A good general height for the trapeze ring allows it to slip easily on your
harness hook when sitting on the middle of the wing. It can be useful to
mark the adjusting rope at this point. The lowerset setting should just allow
you to sit on the aft sidedeck when hooked on( for those wild broad reaches
and runs).
The simplest way to master the RS600 is to forget the trapeze until sitting on
the wing and in control. Practice holding the mainsheet in your tiller hand so
that your forward hand is free to hook on to the trapeze or adjust the
controls. Most people find it easiest to hold the extension across the body to
facilitate this. The kick block helps you to move your feet out on the
gunwhale, which can be a very useful halfway point for offwind or marginal
trapezing. From there it is a comfortable step out to the wing.
Tacking
The RS600 is one of the most demanding boats to tack quikly and well.
Adhere to these golden rules:
1).
Whatever the wind strength ensure the boat is upright as you start the
tack. On breezy days leeward heel will kill your speed immediately and either
the bow will be blown back onto the original tack or the boat will stop in
“irons”.
2).
Ease at least 200mm of mainsheet before attempting to tack. When it
is very windy it helps to ease 500mm or more of sheet.
3).
As you cross the boat, uncleat the sheet, pivot the jammer to the new
windward side, ease more sheet to allow you time to hook on to the trapeze
and get settled before sheeting in again.
Generally you should aim totack “from wing to wing”, using the associated
leverage to help maintain speed before the tack and accelerate away
afterwards.
In “Irons”
This is when the boat gets stuck head to wind during a tack and stops. It is a
common singlehanded dinghy problem. Under steering through a tack in any
conditions can leave the boat in irons. The lighter the hull and bigger the sail,
the greater the problem can be because the boat has less momentum and the
windage of the rig stops it more quickly. If you follow these guidelines, the
RS600 will be less difficult than many boats to get sailing again:
1).
The wind flow over the fully battened sail will dictate which way the
boat will go. Steering in reverse will not always work. Once the bow swings,
commit yourself to that tack, even if it is not your preferred direction.
2).
Let the mainsheet out to the knot, sit back and out, allowing the bow
to raise and continue blowing away from head to wind. Induce windward