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Purpose Of This Compass

7K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  jackdale 
#1 · (Edited)
Boat has a Contest compass (bulkhead type). The compass is confusing because it has these colored bands with numbers from 0 to 5 and then repeats. What is the purpose of these numbers and color bands? If you look into the compass on the far side of the rotating horozontal dial you will see the normall 0-360 reading- but this is very difficult to read. Why is the compass set up like this?
Regards
 

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#3 ·
I haven't used one like that, but I think the purpose is to let you steer the same number as you tack back and forth toward a windward goal. For example, on the first tack you find yourself steering red 2, then on the next tack you'll want to steer a black 2.
 
#13 ·
Ok, but I see somthing else. What do you call they way you have rigged the tack of you main sail? Looks like the tack connection is actually above one slide. I might need to do somthing like this to get my main sail to fit correctly.
Regards
 
#15 ·
it is a cunningham pretty standard at least on race boats

There are no winches for haylard so that one and the one on the jib allow a lot of sail shape changes fast and easy
It looks like the lower 6 inches or so of the main sail at the tack will always be loose as there is nothing holding it down. Is that what someone refered to as a loose tack?
 
#21 ·
I use the main halyard in conjunction with the Cunningham, I get good tension.

Thats why they put them there :)

But for example on the big boat with high tech LOW STRETCH sail material and a T900 main halyard or = it gets used a LOT less ;)
 
#22 ·
Briggs Cunningham developed the device to control the position of the draft. It was not really intended to be a primary means of setting initial luff tension. It can also be used to flatten the sail somewhat.
 
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