A fleet of Impalas heads downwind during a mid-90's nationals
They say you can learn a lot from history – but does that apply to learning how to sail your boat fast? Read David Thomas’ notes on sailing fast from the 1996/97 yearbook – and see if you agree with them! There are still some useful gems in there… but does anyone still move their job sheets to the outside tracks in heavy airs upwind?
It is always of interest to study early photographs of One-design classes and compare them with up-to-date shots of the same class. For instance, any similarity between the early Dragon or Soling and a current example of the class will show how much a One-Design can develop after a few years. Mast rake changes, shroud tensions vary, sail design develops, crews learn to carry full sail in higher windstrengths and the boats go faster year by year. The Impala stil has a long way to go along this development course…
To put up one’s rig and trim one’s sail without much notion of the basic requirements guarantees a place at the back of the class!
Read the rest of the article here and feel free to add your comments at the end.
We’ll be adding various tuning and maintenance guides from past handbooks regularly – and don’t forget, email info@impala28.co.uk with any suggestions. Feel free to contribute an article yourself, on any topic. No subject too small!
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