Sport Today

Two questions:  I've been trying to learn to jibe on a F2 Lightning, 12'3"
                and don't seem to be having much luck.  Every time I go to
                turn downwind, I end up going 20-30 yards down before I can
                get turned back "across" the wind.  Is is possible to jibe
                on a board that's 12'3" long?

                I just bought a sail with internal cambers.  They seem
                pretty snug against the mast when it's rigged.  Will the
                cambers damage (wear off the lamination) my stock F2 mast
                (I think it's some type of fiberglass???) ?

Thanks in advance,

Yep, it aint easy to jibe a long board. Have the centerboard fully retracted.
and jibe just like any other. You will have to use your sail more to
assist the turning. Being longer, the turn will be larger.

They should have protectors on the cambers or made of a teflon material
which enable smooth rotation. Try to keep sand out. The camber design
depend on what sail brand and year of make.

Regards...
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Australian Graduate School of Management,       Tel: 61 2 931 9263
P.O. Box 1, Kensington. N.S.W. 2033.            Fax: 61 2 662 7621

Yes its very possible to jibe, even carve jibe a long course board. As
a matter of fact given the right "planing" conditions you should be
able to jibe it a bit easier than a short board. Thats, because the
course board is less sensitive to weight distribution. This means you
can move around a bit during your jibe and it should not effect it
as much as on a short board.

The trick is (on any size board) to keep rail pressure through the
turn. If you straighten up or sheet out to early you will head down
wind. Try putting more pressure on the rail to keep the monster
turning. Release rail pressure as you pass or begin to pass the
downwind "eye".

Cambers will put some scratches on your mast but it won't damage it.
At least in my experience. I've never seen or heard of a mast breaking
because of camber wear. Fiberglass masts are especially resistant to
camber wear. Carbon masts scratch easier but don't experience breakage.

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