TOPIC:

I am not getting quite enough movement in my cascade kicker and I am thinking of sliding the boom fitting further aft.

I would presume that ideally the kicker should form approx a 45 degress angle ie length from goose neck to boom equal to hieght from kicker fitting on the bottom of the mast.
I have measured mine today and and my boom fitting is a shorter distances to the mast.

Can any one advise what is the optimum position for the kicker fitting on the boom?

Regards

Richard Smith

The "Ideal" angle for the kicker to the boom is 90deg so the kicker controls the leech and does not bend the mast. Mast bend can then be controlled using ram/strut/rig tension.

Clearly this ideal is not practical - although Merlins and Scorpions have experimented with devices such as "deltas" etc which may get you some way there.

I would think the better approach is to change your cascade arrangement. Having 2:1, 2:1, 4:1 should give you enough travel and retain a 16:1 velocity ratio, or alternatively if you need more travel than that, put the last cascade down the side of the c/b case rather than between boom and mast foot.

Moving the kicker attachment point back along the boom not only bends the mast more it also reduces the space the crew has to limbo through when tacking, gybing or other necessary tasks such as passing the foie de gras sandwiches, champagne flutes etc

The amount of mast rake also alters the amount of "throw" in the kicker system - watch out for too much vang in light winds & not enough when its windy

Yep, don't risk tearing Wiggy's ears off with your repositioned kicker. Not only will he be unable to hear you properly when you say things like ready about, lee ho, prepare to gybe, it's your turn to get on the centreboard, and afterwards at the bar who's round is it; you will also get blood all over the sails. Nearly as unsightly as the mud at South Cerney, and even more difficult to remove.
From a go faster point of view I'm sure John and Jeremy know what they're talking about.
Hope to see you at Llandudno,
All the best
Steve

Richard Smith wrote:

I am not getting quite enough movement in my cascade kicker and I am thinking of sliding the boom fitting further aft.

I would presume that ideally the kicker should form approx a 45 degress angle ie length from goose neck to boom equal to hieght from kicker fitting on the bottom of the mast.
I have measured mine today and and my boom fitting is a shorter distances to the mast.

Can any one advise what is the optimum position for the kicker fitting on the boom?

Regards

Richard Smith

Richard - When you say not getting enough movement, do you mean in an individual race (e.g. not able to let off enough when going from beat to reach)or do you mean not enough for both a light winds day and a gale?

Thanks for all your replies and help

Yes my problem is total movement over the full range of conditions – I do think Johns 2-2-4 cascade is the answer so I will try to rig it up over the weekend. Wiggy was getting a little worried with me moving the kicker aft as he was concerned about getting a hair cut every time we gybed. I always thought he was partial to a good hair cut but I think that’s a story for the bar at Landudno.

The winter refit seems to have gone well; we are looking forward to and meeting up with everyone at the nationals . Not too far away now!

Richard Smith

Moving the kicker mount aft along the boom would (I think) mean lower forces due to more leverage, so you could reduce purchase which would then give more movement in the system, but that might be cancelled out by the fact the kicker mount is further aft so the boom will be 'pulled down' in a longer arc - cancelling the extra movement out etc. Not to mention scalping the crew…

We have a much less sophisticated system than cascades in the red Alb, just two trebles, from which the line is pulled with single leading to both sides, but we can vary the length of line in the trebles with a clamcleat fitted between the bottom treble and the strop linking the kicker system to the mast base - so you can vary the 'start point' of the system before you pull the kicker on with the single (let off for light days, pulled on bar tight for a gale etc).

The red Alb will hopefully be down the club on Sat, so you can have a look and see if something similar might work for Aeolian.

I have the kicker at the interception of the shroads when the boom is out.

Don't gybe with too much kicker on! Must learn that one!

Phil