Michael Mcnamara on kicker
From Rig Tuning Presentation with Michael McNamara at RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show 2016 · · Royal Yachting Association - RYA
“Because the kicker is angled at about 45 degrees it has a forward component that thrusts the mast forward — bending the mast flattens the mainsail and, importantly, opens the gap between the jib and the main so more air can get through the slot.”
On , Michael Mcnamara, Corporate Vice President, GM of Operations & Director at VICOR CORP, spoke about kicker during Rig Tuning Presentation with Michael McNamara at RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show 2016 on Royal Yachting Association - RYA.
About Michael Mcnamara
Michael McNamara, Corporate Vice President, GM of Operations & Director at Vicor, presented a rig tuning talk at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show in 2016. He described the sailor's role as making the boat go around a racetrack as quickly as possible, regardless of conditions. McNamara stated that the principle of how a boat moves is straightforward, with movement generated in the sails and transferred to the hull through the mast and shrouds. McNamara discussed several tuning techniques during the presentation. He emphasized that the boat must be upright to allow water to flow efficiently around the hull, and advised helms to keep the tiller along the centreline to minimize resistance. He explained that leech tension controls the back edge of the sail and alters the angle of attack, and that the windward telltales indicate when the leech is too slack. McNamara described getting the slot between jib and main as the "passport to windward speed," and noted that the kicker, angled at about 45 degrees, bends the mast forward to flatten the mainsail and open the gap. He concluded with the advice, "If in doubt, let it out because the front will back wind and you can deal with it — never dictate, always react."