While racing, has anyone used light lines in the above situation?

Trek said..
Yes many times, including on Spinnaker so it will fill not flop. Something like string or similar. As an extra aid cigarette smoke. I found many times in drifters the fleet would give up thinking no wind when actually there was. Set the sails per the breeze the ciggy smoke shows and drift past the fleet at 0.001 kts. When the wing does come back you can be a boat length in front which is major.

Thanks Trek,
I have a new lightweight spinnaker and never got to use the lightweight strings in the last CYCA Winter Series but this Sunday I think I may get to use them.
I started thinking about it after last Sundays race in the 25-30 knots. I probably should have put heavier lines on last week. It would have been a bit easier to use and maybe more efficient.
I am sure the ciggy smoke works well too.

G'day Bundeenaboy,
Absolutely yes. My whole setup is heavy air, and even on my headsail (5 oz?) it makes a big difference. I should do it more often too, I can keep shape in the headsail with light air sheets (6mm), put my normal sheets on (10mm) and the headsail just sits there like a blanket. Really evident with the kite as the sheets are longer.

Bundeenabuoy, Yep light sheets work great & here's a few other light air tricks.
Get the crew to hold the clew of the headsail where it would be if there was breeze. This stops the leach collapsing in & closing the slot between the main.
stand up & rest the end of the boom on your shoulder or use a topping lift to do the same thing as above with the main.
Quite often a small spinnaker will set in light air & be more efficient than a large collapsing one.
Alternativly dropping the main & running with a kite only can be faster in really light air.
& don't stop concentrating, heaps of sailors give up in the light stuff making opportunities for you.

My dad had a special holder on his Hartley 16 on the cabin top just for a ciggie to hold it upright!!!

i pull the core out of a bit of 6mm halves the weight but still able to hold it up to 10 knots

Bundeenabuoy said..
While racing, has anyone used light lines in the above situation?

For me, this post has really opened my eyes to the wealth of knowledge on this forum.