Scott Ikle's Ten Tips

10 Step Checklist for Speed in the 505.

• 1. A 505 likes to be sailed with a little weather helm in light conditions and a neutral helm in windy conditions. If you have too much helm: sail the boat flatter, flatten the sails, decrease the rake, or raise the centerboard.
• 2. A 505 likes to be balanced in the speed/point groove upwind. If you have speed to burn, but cannot point with the pack, stand the rig up.
• 3. If the rig is too loose: the jib is too full, and the boat cannot point. If the rig is too tight: it is hard to keep the boat in the groove.
• 4. Sail the boat on its lines. Keep the knuckle from digging in, and keep the stern from dragging.
• 5. When the breeze is on, the bow must be able to float freely through the upwind groove without the boat heeling over when driving off. The centerboard controls this feeling.
• 6. Set up the rig and main so that the luff curve matches mast bend. Do not sail with overbend wrinkles.
• 7. Start the luff of the jib breaking evenly, if overpowered, twist off so the top telltale breaks first. Use a jib leech telltale to judge jib sheet tension. Keep it flying and ease if it's stalled.
• 8. In light to medium conditions, both sails should have small horizontal wrinkles along the luff.
• 9. The main and jib leeches should be parallel. Be careful not to close the slot. As the wind builds and the main is twisted off, with the sheet eased, twisted off the jib, and or open the slot.
• 10. Keep the top batten parallel to the boom for most conditions. If you need to point, the batten could be hooked to windward. If you need to foot, the main should be more twisted, and the top batten should be falling off to leeward.
• + Once you are set up, find the sweet spot for the given conditions, and keep it rolling.

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