Posted by: Paul Goodwin on January 17, 2006 at 08:52:53:
In Reply to: Re: runner slide-out posted by Lowell D. Ross on January 11, 2006 at 15:45:35:
Side rake (mast leaning to leeward) will reduce sail area
somewhat, but the side rake has to get pretty extreme before
there is a large reduction in sail area. The other effect of
side rake is to change the direction of the flow over the sail,
this is easy to visualize if you can imagine the sail going
almost horizontal (side rake), then the flow would be from the
boom up towards the top of the mast. For small rake angles
this is probably no big thing.
One thing to keep in mind is if the rear runners break free
and slide out, then your boat is overpowered at this condition,
so a reduction in sail area is not necessarily a bad thing.
Another thing that helps in gusty wind is to keep track of
the general feel of the boat as the gusts hit and the rear
runners slide out. If you can figure out a pattern, then
you can round up into the wind a little just before the gust
hits. This is very effective in reducing side load, and can
make a significant difference in VMG (velocity made good - how
quickly you get where you want to go).