Boat Speed

Total sail power is the sum of power from three key sources, says Bill Gladstone from North Sails. Sail trimmers first try to get the boat to full power (neither underpowered or overpowered), and then adjust the mix of power from angle of attack, depth and twist to match the sailing conditions and optimize performance. When overpowered or underpowered, we work to decrease or increase power....

Trimming the jib on the J/70 involves both technique and accuracy. Proper jib trim will help balance the boat and help in boat speed and pointing ability. The important factors in proper jib trim are the lead car position, jib sheet tension, in-hauler tension, jib halyard tension and reference marks to repeat all the settings. The final trim position for the J/70 jib is a balance between the sheet tension and in-hauler tension....

Alexandre Paradeda is not only a new member of the Quantum family, but also one of the top names in the Snipe class and a Snipe World Champion. Quantum’s George Szabo sat down with Xandi (as his friends call him) to learn his secrets to his great racing at the 2017 Worlds and to get his expert tuning tips...

Big breeze can be one of the most fun conditions to sail in and with Quantum’s Dave Flynn four simple tips you can also be fast and efficient. Strong wind can be a tricky condition to sail in. However, with some small tweaks and considerations, you can make big gains on the racecourse or more comfortably get to your destination. Here is what you need to know to get up to speed, balance the luff, manage heel, and crush the waves...

Skip Dieball works hard at every part of his game and has enjoyed consistent success across a number of small keelboat classes, including winning the Etchells Worlds in Hong Kong in 2015. Here Skip shares some of his boatspeed secrets, and his approach to team work with fellow winners Jon Mclean and Jeff Eiber.