Is anyone selling a used 7.4M sail? I struggle with the 8.4M sail in strong winds. Thanks. James

Shorten the primary kicker line (the one that goes over the roller) pull the gnav until block-to-block, add a purchase to the cunningham and run it all one side of the boom for more travel, then pull the hell out of it. The main should end up looking like a sailboard sail.
 
Then don't fret about sheeting out so the boom is on the stern-quarter or beyond, sail a bit free-er and hike like hell.
 
We all get over-powered, but Ian Gregory keeps up and he's probably not 70kg! 

Hi James, Clive, At 71kg I`m a tad overpowered with the 8.4 main in the heavy stuff. The plan is to hang on upwind and charge through from the back offwind, if still the right way up of course. Have set up a couple of times with harder shroud tensions, 5th hole down, 1 below the tuning guide. This really damps the rig and helps the tip flick and gust response. Have only tried this in +20kts and if the breeze eases the boat feels a bit dead and hard to power up. Anybody else tried? any thoughts?
Simon 

Hi Clive,
 
Is there a diagram of photo of the maximum purchase setup for the cunningham? 

Shorten the primary kicker line (the one that goes over the roller) pull the gnav until block-to-block, add a purchase to the cunningham and run it all one side of the boom for more travel, then pull the hell out of it. The main should end up looking like a sailboard sail.
 
Then don't fret about sheeting out so the boom is on the stern-quarter or beyond, sail a bit free-er and hike like hell.
 
We all get over-powered, but Ian Gregory keeps up and he's probably not 70kg! 

Hi James,
 
I've got one that I'm happy to sell, it's in virtually new condition as I only used it a few times to get the hang of the boat when I first bought it. Let me know if you're interested.
 
Cheers,
Jez 

Hi Jeremy. Yes please. How much are you asking for it? Regards. James

James, Simon,

My weight fluctuates between 68-71kg and I managed a respectable 3rd in the windiest race at the Inlands and some decent results in 15+ knots on the Sunday at the Southern, so as Clive says you can get on the pace as a lightweight.
For me it is about set up and boat handling. So follow the tuning guide in terms of rake and ram, and adjust sooner or further if you are at the lighter end - I'm still experimenting with this to be honest. You need to shorten the kicker primary line when it is windy so you can pull more on like Clive says - Greg kindly showed me this when I did my first event (Clive had failed to mention this when sailing at Frensham.....) I've dropped a purchase out of my downhaul, rig it on one side of the boom like on a Laser, and I've also set it up so I can shorten the primary like on the kicker so I can increase the adjustment range even further. Even with the rig dropped back and the sail flat you can't get away from the fact that you need to hike really hard and ease the main during the gusts to keep the boat really upright. When you get it right you will notice the difference as the boat will be driving forward rather than tripping up and sliding sideways. Your legs and arms will also be aching. If the boom is being eased more than a foot or so beyond the corner of the boat to keep it upright you need to depower further and/or hike harder.... There are also adjustments to be made in the amount of kicker and downhaul to get twist in the top of the sail to help keep the boat upright and driving forward, but beware loosing pointing ability with too much twist - another thing to experiment with.

Dropping to a smaller sail isn't a bad approach. I only really started to learn how to sail competitively in breeze when I started sailing a Radial rather than a Standard rig in the Laser. However, if you do drop down to a smaller sail you will still have to use the set up and boat handelling approach above to get the boat driving forward upwind, just at a slightly higher wind strength.

Ian

Hi James,
 
Given it's hardly been used then probably around £250. Does that sound reasonable? Where are you based?
 
Jez 

Mark: I can't remember what the standard cunnningham looks like now! I have a hook that goes thru the Cunningham eye with a block attached to  its other end. A dyneema strop then attaches to the block on the secondary where it comes up thru the deck, thru the block on the hook, with the other end also looped around the gorilla bolts, like the kicker. Hence 4:1, but all rigged one side of the boom. To make it six to one, you'd need to put another block for the primary line down on the deck (around the mast-screw?) and take the end back to the hook-block, but not sure it's necessary - just pull really hard.
 
Clearly time I took some more nimble pictures for my website 
 
Ian G: sorry I missed mentioning the primary-gnav tails, cock-up, not conspiracy! 
 
I put a new secondary gnav line on my ship yesterday - the existing one was a bit short, so even with longer strops the leech was too hooked. This means I am going to have to adjust the primaries more.
 
Note: if you ever need to change the gnav or cunningham secondary lines, Marlow Excel Control is a right PITA to join-splice - the stuff has taken me hours to make work. But English Braids Continuous Control line took me about 10 minutes last night
 

Simon: If you are dropping the shrouds to hole-5, crank the mast back a bit on the screw-adjuster, it ought to be fine. If you've got weather helm (should not be the case), either the boat is not upright or you can rake the plate back slightly.
 
If the boat is just stopping, ease the controls in the lulls (i am constantly adjusting mine upwind on Frensham and do so on open water too, but to a lesser degree) to power the rig back up.
 
Also don't pinch, stuff-and-flap just makes you go sideways, particularly if there is any chop 

Thanks Clive, no problem with weather helm but probably should rake the plate back a little anyway. As you say have to keep playing the cunningham and try to keep a bit of shape in the main foot to drive through the wave pattern. Have good speed uphill when the waters flat in an easterly, but keeping the boat driving through the short steep chop in Largs Channel is tough at the bottom end of the weight scale. No easy answer though, just have to work hard and stay flat and if you don`t do that the short disturbed wave pattern destroys your speed.

Ok I'm on the south coast in Gosport 

 Hi Jeremy Segar. I would like to purchase the 7.4M sail. Can you give me your contact details please? Regards. James 
 

Hi James,

Drop me an email to my gmail address, jeremy.segar

Thanks,
Jez

 Hi James
I've got an immaculate 7.4 for sale. Great for windy fun, getting used to the 100, or downwind practice when you want to focus on kite handling. Or for when you feel a bit light for the breeze. £245 (it was £600).
 
Huw