A-Class: Learning to Foil the Exploder (Part 2)
Last year I published a video to show the learning process to get an A-Class airborne. It was March 20 2015. I did not sailed much after that. To Punta Ala Worlds I went to take pics and report. Last Wednesday I could sail again this season and Sunday a good Northerly was forescasted. I went to the club to sail the usual rather flat North winds conditions looking to achieve more flight hours. It was a good session with a borrowed Exploder A14 equipped with J/Z boards.
I tested the nose down trim tip Jakub gave me raising the boards 5-7cms and the boat felt quite stable & fast. In fact I used the cam gps feature and the fastest rides are the lower flights you can identify in the video when the ‘humming’ can be heard.
With bigger chop I should raise them again to fly over the waves, but with this North small side chop, the nose down trim worked really good. The foil rake, and the traveler position also can be seen in the video (I added a part when I’m not flying and I change the trim). For those starting to fly, my recommendation is to open the traveler quite a bit. Tip I learned myself last year and I continue to give good use, it’s easier to level the platform once in the trapeze to start foiling.
Winglet angles: To tell you the truth I don´t know for these rides! I was so eager to sail that I set them the other day eyewise only. Will check angle with phone level later to see actual settings this specific boat has.
Cunningham is completely loose in the video cause it’s a borrowed boat and I don´t want to play much with it downwind after a pair of broken masts , but I should have removed wrinkles at least. Some are foiling full Cunningham to foil better.
With this second phase of the learning process I’m already looking forward to sail the new Decksweeper Felix is building for us. That will be the next step towards mastering the ‘Art’ of flying an A-Cat.
What a Joy is to fly these machines and I feel pretty lucky having the chance to experience such great rides.
