A couple of years ago I decided to buy a Crib sheet over the web from Guy Cribb. There was a bit of info on them and I thought it would help improve my sailing a bit. A few weeks after ordering an envelope arrived with a plastic sheet and a bit of elastic string going through it.

I had a read of the tips and they seemed fair enough, ie don't wear shoes or gloves when windsurfing and I then put it away. I tried out the elastic and it didn't work for me. So the sheet just ended up in a box in my van.

Fast forward to last weekend. I was sailing with my 5.9m sail and it didn't feel balanced. There was too much force on my front arm. So I decided to give the elastic a go again. The elastic indicated my lines were about 8cms too far back. So I moved then to where the elastic string recommended. The difference was amazing. It felt much more balanced and in control.

Sunday I used a bigger sail and used the elastic string again. It indicated my lines should go back a bit. I did so and again the rig felt balanced when powered up in the harness.

So in conclusion though I was a bit skeptical about the elastic string as I didn't use it for a couple of years, I have to say it does work for me at least. I can also say the elastic and the sheet lasts reasonably well too over time.

Just recently used harness for the first time...I was told about Guy Cribbs "The Truth About Harness lines" so I used that to set up my lines it worked a treat.Now to work on not getting catipulted...

Waiting4wind said...

kpb said...

Just recently used harness for the first time...I was told about Guy Cribbs "The Truth About Harness lines" so I used that to set up my lines it worked a treat.Now to work on not getting catipulted...

When you get catipulted just sheet in and look back around the mast. This will get you well on the way to learning your forward loops!

Will be a while before I can see myself doing anything like that mate...Thanx for the tip tho

From what I have read the carve gybe is pretty tough...The people that really have them wired make them look easy tho.

Mobydisc said...

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So in conclusion though I was a bit skeptical about the elastic string as I didn't use it for a couple of years, I have to say it does work for me at least. I can also say the elastic and the sheet lasts reasonably well too over time.

Most recent big sails have a cotout and the clew is closer to the mast than the maximum width of the sail. in that case Guy recommends that you measure not from the clew, but from a point in between the clew and the maximum width