victoria boom/sail question

[Steve Boone]

My jib and main boom are not level with each other. This causes the jib to be 3/4 of an inch lower than the main sail. I have also seen them level with each other in other pictures. Which is correct?

[RGinCanada]

Hi Steve,

The difference on mine is almost exactly the same as yours. (Jib 3/4" lower). I Doubt you'd want to lower the main to match, as then you are moving it out of the faster air higher off the water, and I don't think you can move the jib much higher...

But "correct" is what make your boat sail better!

Hope this helps,

Ray

[Steve Boone]

I was thinking of adding a small ring to the swivel on the jib to make it longer. That would allow it to be raised to the height of the main boom. I'm not sure how the air coming off the jib and over the main sail would be affected though. I'm new to sailboats. My main sail isn't cut straight across the bottom. Is this how yours is or did I just get a bad sail set?

[RGinCanada]

I cut my own using the templates at www.victoriarc.org, and there is a curve in the bottom. This is normal.

My jib is at the class maximum, and there is little play between the mast fitting and the jib head. This is what is keeping me from raising by jib further. (I'm as high as I can go)

If you go to www.amya.org, There is a link somewhere there (David Goebel, feel free to step in here!) that goes to great lengths explaining proper sail tuning. For optimum performance, you need a "slot" between the jib and the main.

I should stress that I'm very much a recreational sailor. I'm happy to get my boat to go where I want it to go and get it back again. :). I'm positive there are performance oriented Victoria sailors that can give you further tuning pointers.

Regards,
Ray

[Steve Boone]

Since I'm the only sailor I know of in the area and a newbie to sailing to boot, I'm more interested in just getting it to go where I want. I guess I should start by going back and re-reading the Vic sites for more info on Keeping things class legal. Not that it much matters at this point. But down the road it may and I might as well be prepared. Do you like the sails you made better than the stock ones?

[RGinCanada]

My kit was the first generation Victoria. The sails it came with didn't have a jibstay, so (with my non-existant skills) it wouldn't point more than 60 degrees to the wind and gybing was near impossible.(Lots of 270s to change direction). I pretty much had to make my own set. I created them from free mylar and vinyl sign material, and they work great.
I hear the new kits have a better stock sail, so buying or making new sails may not be as high of a priority.

Regards,
Ray

[losiXXXman]

RG -

The new sails that you made, did you panel them so as to have any camber or did you cut them from a flat sheet? I will soon have a Vicky, and have heard that the stock sails are no good for speed, but I don't really want to spend $75 on a new suit for a brand new boat.

[losiXXXman]

RG-

Are your new sails cut from flat sheet? Or did you panel them to give some camber? I beleive the boat I'm getting is the new style so it may not matter for me, but I was curious. Also, any suggestions on mods that should be done prior to launching for the first time? I'm a car guy, and I usually built and ran stock before making any mods, but thought that I may do some work to the boat as I build rather than retrofit later...

Thanks,
Wes

[losiXXXman]

Sorry for the double post, a glitch must have caught me, I didn't see that the post had "posted"...

[RGinCanada]

Hi losiXXXman -

My sails are flat. The advice I got when I asked whether they should be panelled was:

1) The Victoria is already overpowered in most cases.
2) There may be a small advantage to panelled sails, but you won't wring this out of them until you are very proficient with your thumbs.

As far as mods, I heavily modified mine. (www.abong.com/Windfall) This is primarily because I can't leave anything well enough alone. Does it sail faster than anyone else? I've never race sailed her, but I can guarantee not with me on the sticks :)

If I recall, the sheet routing on the original plans called for a single arm sail servo and a ring suspended over the deck. Personally, I find the under deck rigging with a two arm sail servo a whole lot simpler.

I have to add the disclaimer that my sailing is done wandering around in the lake. I'm pretty much just a newbie who's had his boat for five years :)

[losiXXXman]

Thanks, RG. I have already thoroughly studied your boat via your site. Glad to here that they are flat and work well. I have been curious about making my own sails once I learn to sail my boat well, but that whole luff curve, paneling and etc seemed pretty difficult. I will most likely learn to sail for fun first, but may eventually compete.

[Vinnya42]

I use the Rod Carr sails on my Victoria and they really help in the light winds we get in Colorado, for heavier winds it matters less. With the light winds we race in everyone lowers there Jib down as low as possible to get the winds right off the water.

I made my sails out of "Drafting Mylar" for my US1M Mistral, it is stiff and very cheap, I did make panels.

Vince

[losiXXXman]

Thanks for the input Vinnya. When you say light winds are you talking about <5mph? I live in Raleigh, NC, and we almost always have winds of 5-10. This should be plenty for the Vic, shouldn't it. I would think anything over 18 is a little too much for this boat, right?? In other words, the aftermarket sails are only really needed when winds are low, or competition is extreme..

[Vinnya42]

Yes 5mph or less is light, and 5-10mph winds will be fine with the stock sails. We have a guy who is using the newer stock sails and he has them tuned perfectly, he can win a race with them because he is a good sailor. So the sails will help a beginner like me in light winds but if your not racing and winds are good you should be fine with the stock sails.

Vince Let us know.