This photograph has prompted me to ask if anyone has any experience of the following -

1. It appears that the main sail is loose footed.

Does anyone else have this configuration complete with an

adjustable out-haul?

2. The Spinnaker would appear to be stowed in a launching bag attached

across the ompanionway steps with the hatch open.

Has anyone tried this.

3. The main-sheet traveller is installed across the cockpit

just aft of the small opening port light.

My yacht has, what I believe, the standard traveller across the

main hatch which is not ideal for spilling wind.

Are there any details of the cockpit arrangement or installation ?

4. There is also a professional looking instrument pod fitted across

the entrance to the cabin.

Has anyone got any details of this design ?

Generally has anyone any comments on 275 performance or tuning

Mpollard

Interesting set of questions;

1).My main is attached to the boom by the usual boltrope, but I have beefed up the outhaul from the normal internal 3:1, by adding a 2:1 whip after the deck organiser, and taking the fall to one of the now redundant camcleats for the old centre mainsheet traveller control. I can ease and flatten the foot of the main in any conditions.

2).The spinnaker stowage system is one much used by lightweight sprtboats and the like where keeping weight on the rail at all costs is deemed desirable (think J24 or Sonata). Whilst keeping weight off the foredeck/lee rail is always helpful the 275 displaces twice as much as either of the named boats so perhaps the imperative is not so pressing? A good side launch bag used just forward of the mast(where your foredeck person will be in any event fiddling wth the spinny pole) may suffice.

3).Tricky one that. I have pondered installing a track across the cockpit but a whole raft of questions keep coming up.

End of boom sheeting is clearly mechanically advantageous but that puts the track across the portside locker lid. Drop the track to the floor of the cockpit or put it across just under the vertical front part of the locker lid and is it really long enough to be effective? put it across the bridgedeck and you ruin the cosy corners of the cockpit to sit back in after racing and run the risk of decapitating or breaking the fingers of your crew exiting the cabin after repacking the spinny or while stuffing the spinny back into that nice bag suspended in the companionway!

I am inclined to stick with my ultra-simple strongpoint (Wichard)in the cockpit floor, and have a really beefy vang with loads of mechanical advantage to control the leech of the main. I have a Z-Spars rigid vang on which I have increased the "gearing" from 4:1 to 16:1, and am trying to find ways of getting upto 24:1.

4) I have one of these pods. Try googling it or just speak to your local electronics man or chandler. The front unscrews so its easy to get at the instruments.

Above all REMEMBER that although blinding boatspeed makes anyone look a tactical genius, you are likely to make far more gains by nailing the start,having a slick crew, going the right way, eliminating mistakes, and being consistent!

PS Isn't Leaway II also a rare late fixed-keel 285?

John.

275/30 "Cascada"

Leeway II is in our club, and used to be parked next to my boat Rascal. I'm sure that Hubert the owner wouldn't mind if you needed a few photos of the traveller etc. (Leeway II does have a fixed keel).

My 275 Rascal has a loose foot main, I chose this when the main was replaced in 2006. It allows for more trimming flexibility. Rascal's traveller is in the standard position for a 275 on the coach roof. I did however modify the mainsheet cleating arrangement - as the standard single jammer on the coachroof was far too inflexible and difficult to get to and operate quickly. I changed the block arrangement such that both ends of the mainsheet came back to the coachroof and added two jam cleats - one either side of the coachroof. This works really well, especially when single handing, it is a big improvement on the standard configuration.

Ray E.

I am interested in improving my mainsheet setup ,whilst racing, to allow the safe spillage of wind in the gusts, when close hauled.

I wonder if Ray could elaborate further or maybe he has a photograph of his arrangement.

Is there an owners manual for the later 275S?

I agree with John that a good start and consistency more than compensates for lack of speed.

However when I raced one design dinghies, good set up & tuning the rig, would enable me to achieve at least one clear boat length at the windward mark over the next boat. A very small margin !

I race in the fast handicap fleet off PY 1042 which is difficult against 36 footers in the same class.

Mpollard