Sheeting the #3

[hwpratt]

I was looking at some of the 7.9 race photos and it appears that some of the boats sheet the #3 INSIDE the shrouds with the sheet block at the front end of the forward large window.
Am I seeing this correctly?

[Sam Buschell III]

That is how we do it on our boat.
The car position will depend on the cut of your #3 and conditions, but the sheet inside the shrouds with the #3.
Sam

[AJ Oliver]

Amazing !!

[SailingUphill]

The #3 doesn't get used much, but yes my North that I had on #68 sheeted inside, actually I think I discovered that the ideal angle was between the lower and upper, but of course that's not terribly practical.

[AJ Oliver]

So what is the effect of sheeting it inside the shrouds?

Even a good #3 outside the shrouds points like a demon, and even in ten knots or so will get you to the windward mark faster.

But you lose a lot of that gain going downhill of course.

What if one were to put TWO sets of sheets on a hot #3? And use the outside ones off the wind.

I am talking JAM here - phrf is likely very different . . or not ??

[SailingUphill]

When its blowing stink out in my opinion, the #3 isn't what is driving you downwind, that massive mainsail is. I've found the boat just smokes downhill at 15ish true with the number 3, if you can get the daggerboard up a bit that less of drag can help a lot too.

The upwind angle shaves another 3 degrees upwind which can be a game changer upwind. You should see the "fast boats" look at you when you eliminate a tack upwind due to the tighter tacks as winds pipe up.

Another game changer can be the #2 if you consistently do JAM and run short handed, in PHRF of course. Between 12 and 15 true it can keep the boat moving, and give you that extra speed downwind.