I have been racing since I was 12 now 59 so this is what I have learnt.
1. Don't try to make the main a perfect foil. Many top sailors have it baggy just being the mast from mid last height to boom.
2. The wind is always changing direction and the wind direction at the top of the mast will be different half way down and at boom. Focus on the bottom half as that will drive you up wind as its where the power is. Therefore watch the lower tell tails.
3. Change your tell tails to wool as many get moist and stick to the sail. The wool keeps dry as is the nature of wool and also sheep the oil in the wool. It s furry which helps it fly.
4. Have your headsail very very tight.
5. Each time you get a gust point the yacht up a bit and then bare away after the gust. Therefore you edge your way up wind and each time you make the minor turn the yacht will speed up and that speeds remains as your bare away slightly.
6. Sit on the rails the flatter the yacht and less wind is spilt. I am buying a MacGregor soon so I dont know much about the water ballast, so guess you may vary that based on the number of people on the windward rail.
I hope there is one helpful idea here.
P.S. I am in Melbourne and would like to see a 26M if anyone could help me. I plan to purchase in about 6 to 8 months.
I thought I would post an update for the sake of demonstrating the benefits of this forum.
Cheryl from bwyachts.com posted her thoughts and experience here, along with great input from tomfoolery and sailboatmike.
So, if you have read down this thread, let me say that I have gone from being the obvious slow poke on the lake to not.
Close Hauled: 3kts wind, I can now get 2kts boat speed, 6.5kts wind speed gets around 4.5kts. I think that's is pretty good. I have seen a new top sailing speed of 6.5kts in 8-9 kts wind. It really has not been a lot of wind since I re-launched. I have less heal.
Upgrades: New radial jib on CDI roller furler (big big difference), bwyachts quick disconnect steering linkage.
I also put a slippery anti foul product on the hull.
To put this in context, with fresh water growth on the hull at haul out, vs scum removed & slippery antifoul, under power (60HP Evenrude) top speed 12.5 kts, new top speed 17.5 kts.
I can also move faster in no wake zone without making a wake.
I really am pleasantly surprised with the improved sailing performance. I have obeyed all of Cheryl's comments.
Hopefully next year I can add a new mainsail as good as new Jib.