What to do with more or less wind?
The driving behavior of a sailboat is strongly dependent on the interaction of center of effort
and centre of lateral resistance. Both change their position at different wind conditions and so
a setting can always fit only for a specific area.
You cannot change practically the centre of lateral resistance in your RTR Micro Magic.
Although you can place the battery at various points, but do so primarily to avoid in high
winds immersing the bow. So we focus on the rig.
In very weak winds, the heel of Micro Magic goes to zero and the boat is increasingly porting,
ie the bow turns away to a close-hauled course by the wind. If then a slight breeze later re-
turns the boat is hauled, with sailing on half wind course and therefore barely moves.
You can prevent this by always trying to keep something on the wind to get the next gust of
wind at the right angle with the bow counter rudder. In the chapter sail trim is described how
you can shift the pressure in the sails a little more astern, which works against the porting.
You can, for example, take the mainsail with the clamping slide in the cockpit a little closer or
drive it with a little less twist. You can also open the jib a little further, or with a little more
twist. You should not hire more tread depth than the 17/20 mm of the base trim. With very,
very weak winds, the porting will however not be completely trimmed away.
If the jib at broad courses and light wind does not remain in the open position, but commutes,
reduce somewhat the tension of the forestay (and possibly the luff).
In stronger winds (from the default) your Micro Magic is increasingly starboarding, the bow
wants to turn into the wind because the sail pressure point moves astern. If you are surprised
on a half or close-hauled course by a gust, open slightly the sails and give you a little counter
rudder. With practice, you get the right feel for in both thumbs. The opening of the sail is more
important than the mere laying of the rudder.
With a change in the basic trim, you can reduce or compensate the displacement of the sail
pressure point. Keep initially the boat hauled, sailing angle to the wind and watch the foresail
(never hold a right angles against strong wind!). When the twist increases strongly in incident
wind, ie the jib boom is raised significantly, then you should increase the tension of the fo-
restay. This is also a matter of feeling. You may adjust the headstay in two steps and in bet-
ween once the backstay. Do not forget to twist the sail again by tightening the forestay. As
already mentioned, after a change of main sail tension you will need to check or readjust also
the entire remaining trim rig.
Reduce the tread depth of jib and bulk to eg 12 / 15mm. Especially at the same time increa-
sing swell magnify the Twist of jib / main on eg 30/40 or even 35/45 mm.
When the wind is even lower, the boat does no longer move, the bow does not move by the
wind any more. A somewhat larger opening angle of the jib and turn with start-up (a little mo-
re open and hit with more speed, put the helm and take tight) can help a little further. These
wind conditions go no longer on close-hauled course with very tight fetched sailing but more
open. This will prevent excessive lateral drifting with little driving forward.
On broad or downwind courses the boat will start to dive with the bow. You should therefore
place the battery in strong wind as far back in the hull as it is possible. If your boat is immer-
sed so strong that it becomes uncontrollable, you should adjust the sails. With easy kill ends
sailing on an approximately half-hauled course you can usually even save your boat to shore,
if you missed the timely exit times.
For stronger wind, sailing in the competition conditions different solutions are offered as ac-
cessories, for example, heavier keels or smaller sails, with which you can extend the range of
your Micro Magic.
Handling the boat
