Thoughts on Boards, Masts, and Boat Weight
by Doug Paine

First and foremost I want to say that if I have learned anything about Sabots it was mostly due to the guidance and kindness of Ken Wild (formally Ken Karnes) at MBYC. Most of the ideas presented here began with his wisdom.

Boards
I suspect that many kids have lost races, lost interest, and left Sabots and/or sailing because their boards were not aligned and they did not know it. It is impossible to make a Sabot go if the board is not aligned with the keel, it just creates too much drag and leeway. It is sad to see a kids sailing their hearts out and just not being able to hang with their friends though they might have commensurate skills. The alignment process is really simple and it should be checked a few times a year.

One Method of Aligning the Board
If you look at your board while it goes through the water, and there is a big swirl of water in back of the board, you need to align it! Turn the Sabot upside down. Put on the board and swing it forward so the bottom part of the board is level with the keel at the bow. The exact placement of the board is not really critical. Put a piece of masking tape of the board and put a mark on the tape. Move the board up or down so that the mark on the tape is level with the keel. Measure that distance. Swing the board half way around (so it is facing the stern) and again level the tape mark with the keel. Measure that distance. If they are within 1/8” or so you are set. If not you will need to unbolt the bolts that hold the board bracket to the gunwale and put some spacers (I use stainless washers) under either the front or back bolt. Play with the number of shims until you get a good alignment with the bolts tight. Now go sail really fast!

Masts
Beware of bad masts. A mast needs to bend in a certain way in order for the sail to have the correct shape in a variety of conditions. If it does not the sail will end up with a shape that will prevent the Sabot from sailing fast. I bought an expensive carbon fiber mast thinking it was the ‘hot ticket’ for my son only to find out it was better suited for a life as a flagpole than a Sabot Mast. The old aluminum LeFeil masts are generally considered the standard. They are no longer available. More research needs to be done to identify a steady source for new masts but more on this later.

I suspect mast rake is the second most important factor in setting up a Sabot properly. Test rake positions until you find a setting that allows of a very slight weather helm going up wind. If the boat is hard to tack, or you are constantly correcting the boat’s course up wind the mast rake is likely to be incorrect.
 
Boat Weight
Low boat weight is the Holy Grail of Sabot sailors and their parents. I am going to buck the prevailing opinion and say that, within certain limits, lighter is not necessarily better. The only time, again only my opinion, that the weight of the boat may be a real factor is in the A fleet with sailors who are heavy enough to not need weights. And even then I have to wonder how much a five-pound difference would make? I have not done the drag calculation of this but my guess is that this factor pales to insignificance when compared to other factors like sail trim, start position, shift detection etc. And for those sailors who do carry weights (and that is the majority) a heavier boat only means that you carry less weight.

What I do think counts a great deal is boat stiffness and hull fairness. A boat that flexes and changes shape as it goes through the water is going to be slow, whether the boat is light or heavy. I would gladly add a few pounds of weight if the boat became structurally stiffer. And by the same token a boat that has a bumpy hull is going to generate drag; Fairing and long boarding the hull will make the boat faster, no question.

OK, these are my opinions, what are yours????? Help us build a rich knowledge base by contributing your insights! Email you opinions so they can be posted!

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