North/Melges E-Scow Tuning Guide

by Harry Melges III
Whats New at North for E-Scow Sails

The following tuning guide for the E-Scow was written for Sailing World Magazine, and is the result of many years of sail testing, rig tuning and racing in every conceivable condition. Melges Sobstad Sails dominated the 1995 racing season winning the Nationals, Inlands and Blue Chip Championships.

Before stepping the mast:
1. Clean and lubricate turnbuckles.

2. At this point, tighten the upper shrouds so they are taut. Make sure the uppers are in the after most hole in the chain plates and also make sure you tighten each sta-master to the same number. This is a good all purpose setting for the uppers, now set the mast rake at 33'11".

3. To set the lowers you must go sailing. The lowers should be in the forward most hole in the chain plate with adequate pressure on the right sight up the aft side of the spar (up the tunnel) and adjust each lower so that there is approximately 1 " of leeward bend at the spreader height off of an imaginary line running from the base of the mast to where the sidestays attach near the top. This is a good all purpose setting for the lowers.

4. Spreaders - 3rd hole.

Fine Tune Settings for mast and shrouds:

0-10 Knots

1. Rake - 33'-11 "
2. Uppers - Hand tight when boat is head to wind.
3. Lowers - l" of sag in mast.
4. Spreaders - 3rd hole.

10-18 Knots

1. Rake - 33'-11 " to 33'9"
2. Uppers - Approximately 200-300 pounds of tension.
3. Lowers - 1 " of sag in mast.
4. Spreaders - 2nd or 3rd hole.

18-30 Knots

1. Rake - 33- 7" to 33'-9" (to balance out helm)
2. Uppers - Approximately-600-800 pounds of tension.
(to keep tension on luff wire when easing main in puffs)
3. Lowers - 0-1" of sag in mast (to keep mast from overbending, inverting)
4. Spreaders - 2nd hole. (to keep mast from inverting)

Sail Trim Guidelines

0-10 Knots10-18 Knots18-30 Knots
Jib Trim
Clewboardcorner holecorner hole corner Hole or down one
Luff TensionTension to eliminate horizontal wrinklesOver tension to
move draft forward
Jib Car15 " 13 1/2" 14" or more to
eliminate backwinding
4:1 or 6:1
Backstay		None Pull firmly in puffs
Ease in lulls		 Firm to very hard
to keep luff wire taut
Jib SheetChanging with wind Firm Changing with puffs
to keep boat flat
Jib SheetChanging with wind Firm Changing with puffs
to keep boat flat
Mainsail Trim
Mast Rake33'11"33'9" 33'7" to 33'9"
BoardsFull downFull down Full down
CunninghamLooseNo wrinkles Over-tension draft
forward
OuthaulJust remove wrinkles
along boom		Remove wrinkles in chop
to black band in flat water		To black band
Vang TensionLooseFirm to moderate in puffsVery tight
Traveler Car3 - 6" above centerCenter to 12" down
in puffs		Between 6" down
and rudder post
Mainsail TrimChanging with windFirm trimEasing in big puffs to
keep boat on lines
Top BattenParallel to boomParallel to boom 5 - 20 %
twisted to leeward
Mainsail, vang and traveller work cooperatively to keep boat on lines and powered up.
WWW E-Scow Bulletin Board an ongoing discussion on Boatspeed.

Downwind Considerations

In very light winds, we use the reacher on all the spinnaker legs because it's smaller than the runner and will fly more easily. Usually an E-Scow has two spinnaker pole rings on the spar: use the low ring on a tight reach and ease the pole forward until it's approximately 1' to windward of the centerline of the boat. Be careful not to gauge this on the headstay, because it could be sagging to leeward. Keep the pole height approximately 90 degrees to the mast. Also, keeping the pole low on a tight reach opens the leech of the spinnaker. Also when reaching the main and jib Cunningham along with main outhaul should be eased. Work the vang constantly as the puffs come and go. Pull the leeward board up halfway and heel the boat so that the boom just kisses the water. This reduces the wetted surface and is very fast.

In light air when sailing downwind we leave the pole forward. In more moderate air we move the pole two to three feet off the headstay, keep the boom just kissing the water and pull the board three quarters of the way up. As the wind builds, we can gradually pull the pole aft and raise it to the high ring on the mast. In the really strong puffs you can sail the E-Scow straight downwind and pull the pole way aft. In strong wind and big waves you must reach the boat much more than normally. This is done to achieve a better angle to the waves and prevent the bow from digging in the big ones. It is also fast to use the reacher when the waves are extremely big.

Special Considerations

The angle of heel is very important on an E-Scow. Upwind in up to 10 knots, go for maximum heel, but never let the water get up on the leeward deck. In more wind, sail with the bilge board vertical in the water. Don't let the boat heel to much when sailing in a chop - it might feel good, but it is not fast. Just make sure that the bilge board is vertical, or that the boat is just a little flatter. When sailing in a lot of chop, be sure to have a very full jib, power up the main by keeping the rake forward, Cunningham off all the way and the outhaul pulled just until the vertical wrinkles disappear.

An E-Scow travels at very high speeds for a sailboat, and is very maneuverable even though the rudders are only 12" X 16". Still, it is important for the crew to be in tune with the skipper to help steer the boat. When a big puff hits, the bow has a tendency to blow to leeward, so the jib crew must be prepared to ease the sheet to prevent this. The most important thing to do when tacking an E-Scow is to lower the new board at the right time. As the boat is turning through the tack, wait until the bow is just past head to wind to lower the board - if you do this to soon, it just creates extra drag and slows the boat down. Don't worry about raising the windward board until the boat is up to speed on the new tack. We like to ease the main slightly and then trim it in to heel the boat as we come up into the wind, and then everybody rolls the boat together. In light to medium winds, keep the jib trimmed in until the boat is head to wind and let the wind break it across. When it starts to get windy it isn't necessary to roll the boat, but ease the jib sooner so the bow can come up into the wind easier. As far as tactical considerations go, at the start just remember that

E-Scows accelerate quickly, so it's important to trim in before the boats around you or you might get rolled right away. If you have the room to leeward, simply put the boat on a tight reach with 15 seconds to go, get it up to speed by the time you hit the line, and make sure you can sail over the boat to leeward. E-Scows don't seem to create much of a wind shadow, so don't be afraid to sail in someone's bad air if you think it's the right way to go, since the gains in a windshift can outweigh the loss of boat speed. These boats sail so fast that you are never out of the race. If you find yourself behind? several good wind shifts can move you right through the fleet. The important thing to remember is to keep the pedal down and never give up.

All these generalizations are norms and averages that have proven fast over many years. Some experimentation by your part may be necessary to fine tune your particular rig and sailing style.

Good luck with your new sails and please feel free to call us with any questions you may have.

At Melges/North Sails (ask for)At Melges Boat Works (ask for)
Harry Melges III414-275-9728 (off)Buddy Melges414-275-1110 (off)
Eric Hood414-275-3624 (fax)Andy Burdickaib45@aol.com (email)
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Chris Minkley 414-275-9728 (o) 414-275-5485 (f)
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