Lightning Lab Notes - June 5, 2004
by Ron Wright
Greg Fisher, instructor

On June 5, Greg came to Wrightsville Beach, Wilmington, NC for a Lightning Lab.  We spent the afternoon sailing the channel side of Wrightsville.  The conditions included strong winds, easily in excess of 12 knots, with wicked gusts.  It was a perfect opportunity to practice heavy air techniques.  We ran several starts and three to four short races.  Greg followed us around in a motorboat shooting video and making commentary.  Greg did not leave the water until the last Lighting was ready to go in.  Many of us got very specific coaching from the stern of our boats.  Later that night, Greg showed the video he shot and made further comments.

Here then is a summary of heavy air sailing techniques we learned that day.   All these tips are contained in Greg's handout "Changing Gears in the Lightning".  Having them reinforced on the water made all the difference.

Major Concept:  On all points of sail, strive to sail the boat flat with minimal helm.  That simple statement, often much more difficult to execute, is the key to Lightning speed.

Upwind

• Use the traveler to balance the helm.  The combination of a lower traveler and taut backstay create flatter sails that are faster. 
• Trim the cunningham until wrinkles in the mainsail appear below the spreaders only.  Tighten the cloth so there are no wrinkles in the jib.  Pull the outhaul tight.
• If needed, lower the bridle so that the traveler can be eased all the way to the deck.
• With your traveler down, your cunningham taut, cloth taut, and backstay on, you should be able to sail flat with a balanced helm.
• Don't overtrim the jib.  Stay one inch inside the spreader tip to one inch outside the spreader tip.  It does you no good to have a properly trimmed main and have the jib tightened in 2-3 inches.  In fact, an overtrimmed jib can pull you over. 

[Ron's Notes:  As our sailing has improved the past few years, we have always been challenged by heavy air.  Usually, when the wind kicks above 15, we simply call it "survival sailing" and hang on for dear life!  At Wrightsville, Greg pulled right up behind us on the water and coached us through lowering the traveler, tightening the backstay, and getting enough cunningham on to pull the wrinkles out of the upper main.  We were able to sail the boat flat, and perhaps more important, we never really felt threatened by the conditions.  In fact, it was exhilarating sailing.]

Once you have the right trim, it was just a matter of dealing with the puffs. Use the basic concept of "ease, hike, trim" on the mainsheet.  "Nothing gets adjusted more on a Lightning than the mainsheet."  Feather the boat up.  When a puff hits, ease the jib.  Watch the mainsail along the mast.  If it luffs in a puff, chances are the wind is coming off your jib.  Ease the jib and feather the boat up.  As the puff subsides, trim the jib back.

Using those basic concepts, we were able to sail the boat flat, fast, adjust to puffs, and most of all, have confidence.

Misc

Greg is not a huge fan of grossly exaggerated roll tacking.  His advise is to ease the boat through the tack.  Trimming the main as the boat heads up will pull you through the tack.  I watched the new class video to see this in action.  In the video, Greg uses less than 45 degrees of tiller to initiate a tack.  He does not lean in and heal the boat to leeward.  As the boat turns through the tack, he and crew do lean back to pull the boat over, but quickly change sides.  It is obvious he is trying to keep the boat flat through the tack.

Interestingly, Greg does not advocate setting up 4th gear as a tight two block.  Set the bridle so there is some room, even when you are in 4th gear.