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From: heneghan@ihu1m.UUCP (Joe Heneghan)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Info requested on sailboards
Message-ID: <627@ihu1m.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Aug-85 10:41:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1m.627
Posted: Fri Aug 16 10:41:33 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 19-Aug-85 08:33:53 EDT
References: <224@aoa.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 19

> I'm a rookie windsurfer (but not a rookie sailor) with a question:
> what affects the ease with which a board tacks? Given two boards w/
> similar sail, mass, length, one seems easier to tack than the other.
> Is this something to do with the size and/or placement of the skeg
> with respect to the daggerboard?
> Any help greatfully accepted.
> Also, any decent books around with this sort of info?
> Thanx.

Since you're a sailor let me use the analogy of why a Lasar tacks
better than a Catamaran. The Lasar is like a bowl and spins easy
in the watrer due to its rounded edges and it pivots on the
daggerboard. The Catamaran's bows just plow through and really don't
pivot. Also a Lasar doesn't sit as deep in the water. Some boards
have bouyancy in different places, their daggerboards might be longer
giving then better lift (Australia beating the US on better tacking)
Plus as you say, skeg placement and shape matter.

					Joe Heneghan