y flyer sailboat plans

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One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 150

Photo Credit:

Photo Credit: Oregatthalh- Y-Flyer

About Y-Flyer

A 4 corner, almost flat bottom 500 lb 18 ft scow designed in 1940 by Alvin Youngquist. M & J =160 sq ft. Sailed/Raced by 2. American Y-Flyer Class organized in 1950 and continued since. Canadian Y-Flyer organized in 1945 and continued since. Both Am and Canadian associations joined together as Y-Flyer International Union with by yearly competition. Canadian Assn sails with spinnaker. US Assn sails without spinnaker.

Boats Produced: 2800

Class boat builder(s):

Presently, no commercial builder. Wooden Y-Flyer can be made at home from Class plans.

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 500

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

Canada – ON, QE, AB, BC US – AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, OH, TN, MA, NC, SC, NY

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes

How many people sail as a crew including the helm? 2

Ideal combined weight of range of crew: 300

Boat Designed in 1940

Length (feet/inches): 18′

Beam: 70″

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 500

Draft: 6″

Mast Height: 22′

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Y Flyers of the South

By Dan Dickison
February 25, 2022

If a formula exists for supercharging activity in a one‑design fleet, Ned Goss appears to have discovered it. Though he’s only been active in the Y-Flyer Class for a few years, his efforts to bolster turnout at a local regatta in Charleston, South Carolina, 18 months ago sparked a movement. Since then, local participation has trebled, and a new class builder has come forward with six boats on order and more to come.

So, how does a former pro sailor and speed merchant—Goss documented 36.5 knots aboard his Mach 2 Moth one afternoon in 2014 on Charleston Harbor, making him the fastest Moth sailor in the world—suddenly become the spark plug for an 80-year-old one-design class? As unlikely as that progression seems, it’s a morality tale for the sport—all about fun and family.

Designed in 1938 by Alvin Youngquist, of Toledo, Ohio, the uniquely identifiable Y-Flyer is an 18-foot hard-chined, scow-shaped, two-person dinghy with fleets active throughout the southeastern, Midwestern, and northeastern US. There are pockets in Canada as well. Originally designed to be built at home out of plywood, the majority of Y-Flyers active today are molded in fiberglass. Fully rigged, these boats customarily weigh around 500 pounds (the class-required minimum weight) and carry a single-spreader mast supporting 161 square feet of sail area in a main and a jib. The Y-Flyer Class Association advertises its craft as “fun, versatile and family-oriented.” It turns out, those are exactly the qualities that galvanized Goss’ interest.

Some people are described as a bundle of energy. Goss, a Connecticut-native-cum-South-Carolinian, is the exponential extension of that. He’s hyperkinetic, perpetually on the move. In Charleston, at the James Island YC Y-Flyer and Friends Regatta this fall—an event he co-founded—Goss drove the tractor to launch and haul boats while discussing equipment refinements with fellow competitors and alternately using his phone to manage the coming week’s schedule of sailing classes, exams and maintenance work at the College of Charleston’s sailing center, where he serves as dockmaster, head instructor and offshore sailing coach.

At 44, Goss has been sailing and sailboat racing most of his life. He’s bounced from Blue Jays to 420s, Fireballs, 49ers, Melges 24s, foiling Moths, and an assortment of keelboats. Throughout his time in this sport, he’s experienced periods that could best be described as burnout. And each time after a hiatus away from racing, he’s returned to competitive sailing with renewed energy.

“I’ve had a couple of episodes in my life,” he explains, “where the sailing I was doing became overly intense. In those moments, I just had to step away from the sport. And each time, after some reflection, I realized that the fun had gone out of it. I know now that what I really love is sailing with people. Sailing alone like you do in the Moth class just doesn’t satisfy me in a sustainable way. I love being around others who love sailing and openly sharing what they learn. In our Y-Flyer fleet, after every regatta we sit down and talk, and the newer competitors learn from the more seasoned Y sailors. That’s basically the ethos of this class. It really adds to the fun of racing, and it allows everyone to get better.”

This is exactly what Charleston’s Y-Flyer cohort experienced recently, and it all seems to trace back to one phone call.

Charleston, South Carolina’s Ashley River

In the weeks leading up to the 2020 edition of the James Island Open Regatta—a summertime staple—Goss determined that he and his wife, Jessica, would race their Y-Flyer. He’d had the boat for several years but only raced it occasionally.

“At the time,” Goss recalls, “I was looking for a two-person boat that wasn’t too technical so I could compete in it with my wife, who is a relative newcomer to the sport. We had the Y-Flyer, so that’s what we registered for the regatta.”

The problem was, only one other entry materialized in that class. That was about when Goss got a call from Jeff Woodard. He was a Hobie 20 racer, but local participation in that class had recently faltered. So, Woodard wondered if Goss could locate a Y-Flyer that he and his wife, Amy, could race in the regatta. As Goss tells the story, he got busy on the phone, and in little time he’d found four available boats.

“Bob Turner, who is the Y-Flyer class president, had an extra boat that he agreed to loan out,” Goss explains, “and I found three others. It wasn’t a problem finding people to race them because COVID had shut down so many sailing events that everyone was eager to get back on the water. Right out of the gate, we had eight boats registered for the regatta, and I think seven crews ended up competing. Half that fleet had never sailed a Y-Flyer before.”

That was the turning point. The momentum continued when the fleet began participating in the James Island Yacht Club’s weekly summer evening series. With four boats available each week as loaners, a number of different individuals got the chance to sample Y-Flyer racing over that summer. Sensing a chance to really spread the word, the Gosses did their best to connect these opportunities with local influencers, like Greg Fisher and Kevin Jewett, the former and current directors of the College of Charleston’s sailing program.

After one Thursday evening sailing with his wife, Jo Ann, Fisher seemed genuinely enthused. “It’s really exciting to see the rebirth of the Y class here in Charleston,” he says. “I think it’s the perfect boat to involve all levels and ages of sailors, and it seems like the class here has a great group of people working hard to help and encourage new participants. Jo Ann and I had a super time enjoying the fun, quick racing out there tonight. We’re actually talking about buying our own boat and getting involved full time.”

The fun that Fisher cites turned out to be infectious, and in short order, other local influencers got involved as well. Three-time Sunfish world champion David Loring actually grew up sailing Y-Flyers in Charleston, so he found a boat and joined in. And so did Will Hanckel, who took his first ride on a Y-Flyer at age 3 and can’t remember a time that there wasn’t one sitting in the family driveway. (Loring and Hanckel are both former junior and adult national champions in this class.)

And local one-design legend Lenny Krawcheck gravitated back to the class as well. As a teenager, he was the Y-Flyer junior national champion in 1959, and later won the national championship twice (’82 and ’94). For him, this resurgence in activity was almost nostalgic. Krawcheck recalls an era when there were 30-plus Y-Flyers racing regularly in Charleston.

Throughout the subsequent fall and winter—customarily Charleston’s offseason—Goss and company kept the momentum humming by orchestrating a series of one-day regattas. In the aggregate, all of this activity didn’t go unnoticed. Jessica Goss was documenting it for the Y-Flyer class website with regular updates, and others, like the aforementioned Turner—the class president—were promoting it elsewhere. So, it wasn’t surprising that Charleston’s contingent was able to convince the national class officers to have the Y-Flyer molds shipped from New England down to Charleston, where Kurt Oberle, of High and Dry Boatworks, had agreed to become the new builder.

Oberle—more custom fabricator than boatbuilder—didn’t want to build the boats conventionally. What really cemented his interest in becoming the official class builder was the opportunity to implement a resin-infusion process.

“We’ve been working with infusion guru Phil Steggall from MJM Yachts,” Oberle explains. “Peter Johnstone was kind enough to loan him for this project. The toughest part has been setting up 30-year-old molds to work with resin infusion. At the moment, we’re sourcing all the materials to get started on the first boat. We’ve got six boats on order, and there’s potentially enough demand that we’ll build another six by the end of next year.”

Part of that demand is being driven by locals like David Hood, who borrowed a boat and raced most of the past summer with his two daughters—Saylor, 8, and Harbor, 6. Putting his boat away at the James Island YC after a breezy last day of the Y-Flyer and Friends Regatta, Hood seemed quite pleased.

“This is our first year in the Y,” he says, “and I’ve learned that it’s a pretty easy platform for a family like ours. I’ve raced Lightnings for years, but I think that boat would be too much for the girls right now. The Y is fun, and they seem to love it. It’s just so easy to get here, set up the rig, get the boat in the water, and 15 minutes later, we’re racing.”

What Hood identifies is a key aspect of the Y-Flyer’s longevity—its simplicity. That element means these boats are accessible to a wide array of sailors. The Y-Flyer can accommodate not just a broad spectrum of combined crew weights, but also a wide range of racing talent. Of the 13 boats on the water at this event, five were raced by family crews, and six had both males and females on board. But perhaps the most telling metric of all is the fact that the competitors’ ages ranged from 6 to 80.

Come June, the Y-Flyer National Championship regatta will take place on Lake Norman, North Carolina, a mere three hours up the road from Charleston. Goss intends to rally at least half a dozen Lowcountry boats to make the trip. Ideally, he says, all of them will place in the top 10. Regardless, he knows the ultimate measure won’t be trophies won; it will be in fun had. And that’s just how it ought to be in this sport.

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The Y flyer is a 18.17ft fractional sloop designed by Alvin Youngquist and built in wood or fiberglass by Helms - Jack A. Helms Co. since 1941.

2770 units have been built..

The Y flyer is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a racing boat.

Y flyer for sale elsewhere on the web:

Main features

Model	Y flyer
Length	18.17 ft
Beam	5.67 ft
Draft	0.50 ft
Country	United states (North America)
Estimated price	$ 0	??

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Sail area / displ.	40.95
Ballast / displ.	0 %
Displ. / length	73.22
Comfort ratio	4.90
Capsize	2.86

Hull type	Centerboard Dinghy
Construction	Wood or fiberglass
Waterline length	14.50 ft
Maximum draft	4 ft
Displacement	500 lbs
Ballast	0 lbs
Hull speed	5.10 knots

We help you build your own hydraulic steering system - Lecomble & Schmitt

Rigging	Fractional Sloop
Sail area (100%)	161 sq.ft
Air draft	0 ft	??
Sail area fore	0 sq.ft	??
Sail area main	0 sq.ft	??
I	0 ft	??
J	0 ft	??
P	0 ft	??
E	0 ft	??

Nb engines	1
Total power	0 HP
Fuel capacity	0 gals

Accommodations

Water capacity	0 gals
Headroom	0 ft
Nb of cabins	0
Nb of berths	0
Nb heads	0

Builder data

Builder	Helms - Jack A. Helms Co.
Designer	Alvin Youngquist
First built	1941
Last built	0	??
Number built	2770

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The History of the Y-Flyer by CYFYRA

The first Y-Flyer was built in Canada in the winter of 1941-1942 by Jack Mandeville from the Longueuil Boat Club in Montreal, Quebec. This boat was built from plans shown in Wooden Rudder magazine designed by Alvin Youngquist, a young naval architect from Toledo, Ohio. Six more Y-Flyers were built shortly thereafter at the Longueuil Club. In 1944, sailing in a regatta at the Pointe Claire Yacht Club in Montreal, Quebec in very strong winds the Y-Flyer distinguished itself by staying upright when many of the better known classes were going over.Within a short time the boat became very popular in Canada, thanks to individuals like Chuck Williams and Claude Hill.

By 1946 the CYFYRA was formed. Fleets blossomed in Montreal, Saguenay and Hudson, Quebec. By 1952, fleets appeared in Ottawa, Deep River, Cornwall and Brockville, Ontario. By the early 1960’s more fleets were established in Hamilton, London, Windsor, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Gatineau and Norway Bay, Quebec, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta.

The CYFYRA is currently on it’s fourth generation of sailors as other classes have come and gone. We have Y-Flyers from the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia to Victoria, British Columbia. The Y-Flyer is truly 18 feet of pure fun and excitement. Please contact us whether you race, cruise or just wish to keep in touch.

Y the Y? Random Tacks on the Merits of Y Flyer Sailing by Richard Quinlan

Enter with Confidence. Most sailboats of similar size must be awkwardly entered directly into the cockpit. Then you must huddle amidship until the boat is underway. An incorrect entry could have serious consequences such as a capsize or a foot through a thin deck. The Y Flyer sailor steps nonchalantly onto the strong deck and takes a seat anywhere in the cockpit. If sailors of other classes are watching, the Y sailor may add a confident swagger as part of the entry procedure.

Y Stability is Good. Y Flyers are wide and flat for a centerboard class. This provides for a friendly forgiving nature. And if the wind dies you have a ready-made swimming platform, easily accessible over the low side deck.

Sail on a Heel! Sailors of other boats struggle to hold their boat flat. But the Y Flyer is sailed on a tilt. And when the Y flyer heels over, you’re raised up providing an exciting feel and a high vantage point.

What’s the Angle?…the angle of the wind, sails, the boats heel. Perfecting the Y’s angles is an intellectual challenge leading to fast and fun sailing.

Wave, You’re on a Wave! When you’re sailing upwind add a slight heel and the bow will slice waves like a knife through butter.

Tinker to You Heart’s Content. The Y Flyer is a one-design class, but there is room in the class rules to do some fun tinkering of mast position, rig tension and fittings to improve performance. Y Flyer sailors readily share boat setup advice.

Tabernac – Y’all R Sailing a Y, Eh? You’ll hear many dialects at Y Flyer regattas ranging from rich southern accents, to the soft ‘r’s of New England, and Midwestern drawls. And the Canucks are there, fer shore, with un petit peu de Quebecois.

How Long is Your Pole? Interesting national differences have evolved, that makes traveling fun. Canadians are friendly to spinnaker and trapeze, and some enjoy these exciting additions. Americans see chutes as belonging in airplanes and trapezes in circuses. They’ve perfected whisker poles, barber haulers, and jib tensioners for runs and reaches. Which is faster – the Canadian spinnaker or the American long poles?

New is Good, Old is Good. New boats sail with old boats in the Y fleet. One design requirements have been consistently applied. In the Y Flyer – New is Good and Old is Good.

Home-built Y’s. Since 1970 most Ys have been professionally built of fiberglass. But the Y Flyer was designed to be easily built by home builders with basic carpentry skills. And now there is a home-building resurgence. There are resources available to help home builders.

Thinking of Fixing up an Old Y-Flyer? by Richard Quinlan

I had wanted to find a vintage Y Flyer in good condition and fix it up. Last winter I found one on Kijiji. It is a 1965 Edmonton-built Booth wooden boat that had been stored in a garage at Seba Beach, just a few lots away from the Edmonton Yacht Club. I bought the boat unseen for a fair price. In late April I drove up from my home in Lethbridge to pick it up. A complete refinish was going to be needed but the boat appeared to be structurally sound.

I spent the spring and early summer stripping the deck to bare wood, sanding and filling holes and gouges, applying three coats of West System epoxy, and then topping it off with marine varnish. The hull was already well-protected by a sound layer of fibreglass but I painted over it with pretty blue marine enamel. There was one area of dry-rot on the quarter deck and transom. I cut it out, applied ‘git-rot’, and then filled the gaping hole with two-part epoxy putty.

The boat did not have bailers and did not have buoyancy tanks. So I cut and installed four marine plywood bulkhead covers at ribs #5 and #9 and put screw-open hatches into them. I discovered that the ribs had never been sealed to the deck and hull so had to silicone seal the area. I shaped big cork stoppers to plug the drain hole on each rib and then sealed them in place. I took a jigsaw and cut two holes into the lowest point of my hull for Anderson bailers. I did some sanding and reshaping of the holes to ensure an accurate and tight fit and then sealed off the rectangular holes with an epoxy paste. Then I installed the bailers. They fit nicely and I was pleased with my work when they did not leak. I took a look at the rigging and fittings and thought about just keeping as original but then dumped that idea in favour of trying to make the boat competitive. I removed a big jib cleat bridge that was over the centreboard. I removed the original jib tracks from the side deck and replaced them with new Harken tracks with bulls eye fairleads and cleats mounted on swivelling plates. After studying the North tuning guide and looking at a lot of web pictures of modern Y’s I placed the track at a new position about 14 inches off centreline. One problem though is that the older decks end a couple of inches further forward than the new boats, creating a sheeting angle that causes too much jib leach tension. That led to me cheating by making a slight overlap of the track a few millimetres into mid air, something I paid for later when that part of the track bent and snapped off. Between races at Internationals we re-positioned the track about an inch further outboard which also positioned it a bit further back as the deck curves a lot at that point. It seems to work well there. I added a facsimile of the jib barber haulers that are used on the newer boats for sailing downwind.

I studied the ungainly-looking travellers that are on modern Y’s. Right off the bat I didn’t like these monsters. I did some reading and thought about the rigs of both my Fireball and my Laser. In the end I installed a powerful boom vang. The idea is that I can make the mainsail flat using the vang in heavy winds and then let out the main without powering up the sail. That’s sort of like sheeting in and letting the traveller down (but not exactly). This does not provide for some possible light-wind applications of the traveller. Regardless I didn’t think I would take the time to actually use a traveller so I didn’t install one. I have a simple rope bridle on the aft deck. This is still a work in progress and I hope it works, but if I can’t catch the leaders, I might eventually install one of the awful looking beasts.

As a traditional Canadian Y Flyer sailor I strongly advocate that both spinnaker and trapeze are integral parts of Y sailing. My boat came with a pretty good trapeze setup, as did all the Booth boats of the ’60s. So I just kept it as is. The spinnaker setup was awkward so I modified it. My Fireball experience really helped here. I put PVC couplers as pole holders on each side of the boom and am using my Fireball spinnaker pole, which is slightly less than the maximum 7 foot allowance on the Y Flyer. It seems to work OK. It is a double-ended setup with a quick-connect for the up-haul/downhaul located mid-pole to allow for nice easy gybes. The pole up-haul is a low-stretch line that I can adjust with a block and cleat at the base of the mast. The downhaul is just a non-adjustable bungee that’s looped three times from the mast pole ring down to an eye at the mast base. The sheets include twinning lines, rings, and balls for setting the guy to keep the pole from ‘skying’. A simpler method is just to put in a reaching clip near the shroud. My crew, Dirk, was a quick study with this setup at the Saratoga Internationals and I think it is a keeper, with a few minor improvements such as a new halyard that doesn’t jam all the time.

I replaced the old metal rudder with a newer longer wooden one. The old short ones don’t allow for positive steering. The Y has a sensitive feel at the helm with quick switches from mild weather helm to slight lee helm. I think this is a result of several factors such as sail trim, heel, fore-aft position of crew and wind strength. Having a good long rudder in the water really helps to keep the boat on track. For sails I bought a new North mainsail and new jib but am using the original 1965 Rapsey and Lapthorn spinnaker as it is in super shape. It’s a real whopper for runs and broad reaches, but too big and parachute-like for beam reaches. I’d like to explore a reaching spinnaker. Other changes I’m considering? Well, I’ll likely remove the old crank-up halyard system and replace it with pull-up low-stretch rope halyards, with a tensioning system. At the Internationals I noticed we sailed faster and higher upwind with higher rig tension (as you said Bob!). But our thrill was short-lived as the jib halyard snapped on the last upwind of the regatta! So new halyards are on my list. My mast is about 2 inches further forward than the modern boats, and I might eventually have to change that (but am resisting for now). I’ll likely cut the centreboard down to the size that’s found on new boats. And there are a few other changes I’ll likely make as I continue to re-learn the Y Flyer.

All in all, I think with a little forethought and planning an old Y Flyer in good shape CAN be made to be reasonably competitive with the modern boats. There are a few old Y’s still around – If you have an opportunity to get one and want to restore it and rig it …well, Y Not! Do It!

Want to Extend the Life of your Boat Cover? by CYFYRA

Boat covers age and eventually leak thanks to the weather and UV. Replacement costs can be now $400.00 USD. However if you wish to extend the life of your boat cover here is an affordable solution. There is a product available called Escort that comes in a four litre can found at Canadian Tire that is used for tent canvas that can both waterproof and UV protect for a cost of $50.00 CDN with tax and it works great.

First wash well with bio degradable dish soap several times to remove dirt and fungus growth. Use a scrub brush to clean the cover and it helps getting into a tough places. Hose down well and let dry. P

Before applying Escort make sure that you are doing this in an open and well ventilated area with 20 degree C temperatures or above. It is advised to place an industrial grade drop sheet over the complete boat (both length and width), available at Canadian Tire for $10.00. Put your tent cover back on your boat to make it easier to coat. Use a four inch foam brush to apply. The Escort product is like water and stir often. The foam brush allows you to get into every area of the cover, including the seems. A four litre can will allow you to coat your cover four times. It will not darken the canvas. You can put two applications on day one followed by two more day two. Allow to air for another forty-eight hours.

The Elements of Racing Tactics by Alan Brown

As you begin your experience in sailboat racing, you soon realize that the winning boats have certain techniques and maneuvers which they use in race after race to put them out front. These bits of strategy and maneuverings are racing tactics. To the beginner, racing tactics often seem quite complicated, and well they might be. However, the basic fundamentals of racing tactics are quite simple. With a sound understanding of them you will develop good racing habits and will be well prepared to learn the more intricate details later on. Here are some tactics that will help you win races. Get the most out of your boat. Few skippers ever get their boats racing fast as they can go. Most sit back and say, “I’ve just got a slow boat.” The only thing slow is the brain behind the tiller. Tune your boat to perfection. There is always one more little thing that can be done to a boat to help her speed. Keep working for a glass smooth bottom. Check the sails and condition of the sheets. Use the North Sail tuning guide found on our website www.y-flyer.ca. Throw out bits of unwanted articles that seem to gather in the cockpit. Some paint their centre boards to reduce drag. Tune up the skipper. Have him read as much as he can about racing and how it could be applicable to a Y-Flyer.

Sail hard every minute of your race. This basic principle is so important it ranks first. Don’t forget it. No race is over until you have crossed the finish line. Concentration is key. Until then, anything can happen. A dying wind can becalm the leaders. A fresh wind may blow your way and send you speeding through the middle of the fleet. The boats ahead may sail to the wrong mark or the person next to you may just relax enough so you can get the jump on him. Don’t stop racing for a minute until you cross the finish line. Don’t let down for an instant. Even when you are far behind, make it a point to sail hard and keep racing. Trim and re-trim your sails. Think and talk about your tactics, rules and what other boats are doing. Watch the boat ahead of you to make a mistake. If you race every minute, you will see the mistake and know how to take advantage of it.

Don’t over steer. In the excitement of trying to work up to windward on a beat there is a tendency to pump or abruptly move the tiller from side to side. The total effect is it slows your boat down. Each time the rudder is turned at an angle to the water, it acts as a drag. Whenever changing course or heading up to adjust to the wind move the tiller slowly.

Don’t over tack. Every time you come about you boat loses some headway and speed until you are off and sailing on a new tack. This can be approximately two boat lengths. This means that you have lost precious seconds and distance to other boats that have not tacked. This can amount to quite a distance by the time the windward leg is finished. Tack when it is necessary with the wind shifts and watch how other boats are pointing on opposite tacks. Tacking is done often during a race. It becomes one of the most important maneuver for you to learn to do well. If you and another Y-Flyer take the same number of tacks to get to the windward mark, the team that has done the best job will get there first. You and your crew need to work together as a team. Work to make sure your tack is smooth.

Other boats around you will affect your wind. When another boat is within seventy feet of you and is somewhat ahead or to windward, the wind deflecting off their sails will be less strong by the time it reaches your Y-Flyer. In addition, it may be coming at you from a different direction, which also decreases its effective power. The way in which the wind is deflected from other boats should be understood thoroughly, because it is a basic principle on which many racing tactics are built upon. When the wind strikes the sails of a boat, it slides along the sail and then is deflected aft. This deflected wind is called backwind and will strike the sails of another boat on the leeward side, causing the second boat to lose power and speed. The most effective position for backwinding is to be slightly ahead and to leeward. The wind bouncing off the sail will greatly affect the boats going to windward. The position is so good it is often called the safe leeward position. If you are the boat being backwinded, the best defence is to tack immediately to clear your wind. Every second you stay in the backwind means you lost speed and distance.

Blanketing is another technique. This refers to stealing the wind of another boat that is down to leeward. On the lee side of each boat will be an area where the wind is lighter, simply because the sail has stopped most of it temporarily. This wind shadow or blanket zone extends out as much as seventy feet, depending on the strength of the wind. and seems to trail the boat in the direction of the apparent wind. If you find yourself in a boat’s blanket zone, you must get your wind clear right away. The blanket zone contains nearly dead air with no driving force. Do this by changing tacks or by falling off and get to a safer leeward position. Most blanketing is done on leeward legs, but here the blanketing zone can be deceptive. Even though you are directly upwind of another boat, you will not necessarily blanket her. This is because of the trailing effect of the blanket zone, which lies along the line of the apparent wind. To blanket a rival boat on a broad reach or beam reach, you will have to work well up to windward before the blanketing is effective. At the same time you need not fear being blanketed by a boat directly astern as long as you are reaching. To counter this tactic, the boat that is being over taken can respond by heading up. Good racing to you all.

Higher and Faster by Morgan Reeser

To get the most out of your equipment, read the sail maker’s tuning guide. Ensure your rig tuning and sail controls are set according to the sail maker’s guidelines. Measure and then remeasure them. Once you reach the starting line, you should be confident that you have your boat prepared properly. But a tuning guide won’t solve your upwind speed problems out on the race course. To do this , you must develop an understanding of the controls, or what I call the “cures” that will remedy your upwind performance problems. When trying to cure a performance problem, try only one adjustment at a time. If you try more than one adjustment at a time you will not know the effect of one that may be negative, even though another adjustment may have a positive effect. Once an adjustment has been made, note its effectiveness (either positive or negative) and only then try another adjustment if performance is lacking.

Most importantly, keep an open mind. Don’t have a maximum or minimum for any adjustment on the boat. Murry Jones from New Zealand revolutionized the Flying Dutchman Class by raking his mast up to three feet aft than ever before. His vision became a class standard and your vision can possibly become a Y-Flyer standard.

To find the right cure for your performance problem, get use to thinking in the following sequence. Visualize sailing upwind; a boat to windward is starting to roll over you. Obviously you have a speed deficiency, so go through the checklist of cures for poor speed. Main leech too tight? Ease the main sheet slightly. You wait a moment. That helped a little, but you’re still not going fast enough. Better try something else. Main too full? Don’t think so, move onto the next cure list. Too much weather helm? Raise the centreboard slightly. Now that did the trick.

If you encounter a pointing problem, you can go through the same process for pointing. Main leech too open? Increase the sheet tension. Main too flat? Decrease the mast bend. Jib entry too round? Move the jib lead inboard. Jib leech too tight? Increase jib sheet tension.

Some additional tips that you may wish to consider influencing the amount of helm are as follows. Mast rake forward to decrease weather helm and mast rake aft to decrease lee helm. This works in light air and flat water. The crew position can be critical. In general you can move the crew weight forward to point and a bit aft to go fast in heavy air.

Remember, it is not necessarily the weight or age of the sails but what you can do with them as a result of wind conditions. Good sailing to you all.

Go it Alone, It’s Faster by Michael Flannigan

Almost everyone who attends regattas with large fleets eventually finds themselves back in the tank at the weather mark. Their immediate problem at this point is of course how to pass enough boats to get back in the ball game. One technique used by many with great success for passing large numbers of boats on broad reaches and runs is to pass groups not individuals. Boats on runs in large fleets tend to flock together. Think back at the pattern of boats you normally see. Singles go faster than flocks. All factors being equal single boats will go faster than groups for several reasons. First the lead boats in the group are slowed by the blanketing effect of those astern. Second, unless they leave the group, the boats behind are slowed because when their extra speed compared to the leaders allow them to catch the leaders, they can pass them in a blanketing zone or unable to pass because there is no hole to go through. very often many can’t go around because of the congestion of surrounding boats. Finally, the “snow fence effect”, often noted just before the start, diverting air over and around the group resulting in reduced wind velocity for all boats. Other factors in favour of the single boat is the skipper can concentrate on boat speed, can manoeuvre to be in a better position and has a better chance to see and get to the wind. Jibing in a large group can be murderous. Keep clear of large groups of boats if possible. If passing a large group, pass as wide as possible and when cutting back wait until you are clear and well ahead. If you end up fighting with another boat you will slow and loose your advantage. Be aware and win!

The Art of Light Wind Sailing by CYFYRA

Light wind sailing is definitely an art. In most regattas you can expect two races minimum to be sailed in light wind, so it is critical that you master this type of wind condition. The first and most important thing to remember is patience. Position of the skipper and crew in the boat is the next consideration. The Y-Flyer is a V shaped hull. To maximize any speed possible it is important for the boat to be on a single plane. If this means that both the skipper and crew are both on the same side to allow the boat to be heeled then do it. Try to keep your butts from being in the water to reduce the drag effect. The crew and skipper should be as far forward as possible as to keep the aft section out of the water to minimize drag. This maybe uncomfortable for the skipper to view his main sail telltales but a necessity.

You may not be able to control the wind but you can adjust your sails. When going upwind first you need to adjust your sails to the wind conditions. If both main and jib are in too tight you will stale or choke your boat speed. In very light winds ease the jib out. The main sail should also have a bag shape at the boom level so take the out haul off and boom vang. The main sail should be allowed to move out of the boat. The skipper needs to keep an eye on the main’s second batten telltale. If the telltale is not flying straight back then continue to let the main out until it is. In addition, try to keep your sheets both main and jib out of the water to reduce drag.

Keep an eye on the direction of the wind and be aware of “holes” and thermals that may or may not be of assistance. If there is a shift in the wind go with it. It may not always take you as close to the mark as you wish but it keeps the boat moving. Once you stall and are dead in the water it will take time to get moving again. If the wind completely dies then you must be really, really patient and wait. This also means not moving around in the boat. Be completely still. Light wind sailing in many ways takes more ability, stamina and concentration than sailing in heavy winds.

Why is the Y-Flyer a Fast Boat? by CYFYRA

The hull lines of the Y-Flyer were adapted from those of large inland lake scows which hold most of the world’s sailing speed records. The hull shape has been scientifically developed over a period of years as the best performer on comparatively smooth water. There are some very good reasons for this spade nose design. All the lines can be longer, easier, flatter curves, without narrowing the beam or resorting to excessive lengths. When the boat is heeled slightly on a twelve (12) degree angle, almost everything in the book that makes a boat fast takes place. The waterline length is extended. The waterline beam is cut almost in half. The wetted surface is greatly reduced. An underwater shape is produced which does not increase the drift as hulls with widely flared sides tend to do. A fore and aft line drawn through the centres at each frame would actually arch to windward. With these centres so far to lee, stability is inherent. An excellent planing surface is formed and the boat will lift with moderate.

Handling New Crew by Carlos Frewin

Again its that time, in the off season at parties when people who find you have a sailboat let you know they have always wanted to try sailing. You may wish to avoid their company come spring so you may wish to consider these tactics to make sure they never ask you again. These are almost guaranteed to work, especially if your crew is new to sailing, a little nervous or cannot swim. Mention that you go sailing in any weather, the rougher it is the more exciting. If they ask if the boat will tip, just say, ‘It hasn’t yet! Ask them to bring an extra change of clothing as you get lots of spray and the odd wave in the cockpit. When they arrive, ask if they read the news about the sailors who were lost in that race down under. Tell them about the close calls a few of your fellow sailors have had with broken rigging and summer squalls. Be sure to mention the person that fell overboard. Show them the bucket that ‘another crew’ used because he was sick most of the sail. Haul in the sails on a broad reach and get the boat heeling – 10 degrees is OK for modest discomfort, 15 degrees for genuine panic and 20 degrees and above for a show stopper. Bark out a couple of orders using as much terminology as possible, such as stow that spring line, or shorten the topping lift or tie a figure eight in the main sheet. Above all, don’t tell them where you are going, or what you are going to do next and why. Just yell, ‘Coming about’ and hope for the best. Don’t pay any attention to worried looks and ignore requests to wear a PFD. Be sure to mention that you haven’t had time to check out a through hull fitting and you hope it holds. When they cannot hold out any longer let the mainsheet out so it takes twice as long to return to the dock for them to use the facilities. When you arrive at the dock, mention how calm and easy it was. Then ask them to come racing for some real excitement. Introduce them to friends (or enemies) who are on the lookout for crew. And finally, at no time during the outing mention or even hint how much you love to sail, how much you enjoy the peace and quiet and the chance to renew your soul.

Boat Care by CYFYRA

Many young skippers feel that they have some magic bag full of tricks, or a special formula for moving the mast around before they can tune their boats. The truth is much simpler, as any good racing skipper will tell you. The best tuning is simply good upkeep of your boat The hull is the place to start. If you keep it neat, clean and dry, both inside and outside, you have gone a long way towards making your boat faster than any others in your fleet. When water is allowed to stand or accumulate in the cockpit of a wooden hull Y-Flyer, the wood will absorb some of the water if not properly coated with epoxy. Over a summer of sailing the water in the wood may nearly double the hull weight, making your boat slower. In older fibreglass boats this can also occur.

Unless your boat is stored in a shed, cover the cockpit, and the complete boat if at all possible with a plastic or a good quality canvas boat cover. The best type of cover is one that fits over the boom and comes down the sides of the boat. This should allow for ample circulation of air both fore and aft sections. Otherwise the moisture inside will collect and heat up with the sun promoting growth of fungus and mildew. A simple cover that has both ends open will keep air moving. The cover will also protect the damage caused by UV.

At each station of your wood Y-Flyer, along the centreboard trunk there should be small drain holes. This allows the water to drain to the lowest part of the hull and is evacuated by the bailers. These bailers may not be perfectly installed, so water may remain against the centreboard. You may have to sponge from time to time. Drain holes plug up frequently and should be cleaned from time to time with a small wire or a clothes hanger.

Keeping the hull smooth and clean cannot be emphasized enough. All wetted surfaces, the boat bottom, rudder and centreboard make friction in the water. This slows the boat down. If these surfaces become dirty or damaged, even a small amount, the boat will be even slower. The answer to this is to scrub the bottom and if necessary wet sand with soap and 600 grade sandpaper. Some skippers also wet sand and paint their centreboards to reduce drag in the water. If you are hauling your Y-Flyer to a regatta, even with a bottom cover, it is important to wash and scrub the bottom of the hull when you arrive. You would be surprised actually how much dirt can penetrate through the bottom cover on a trip. Boats can be tipped on their trailers, at a dock or a sandy shoreline.

Many an old hand will tell you that the way to store your boat is near the water that you sail on and in the same upright position as when sailing. This is good advice. Storage outdoors keeps the boat in the same dryness or dampness that exists in nature. If kept in a warm cellar or garage the hull will dry out and even crack from the winter heat. However, the boat needs protection from the elements, especially ice and snow, so the ideal storage would be in a unheated outside shed. Otherwise a small frame should be built over the hull and covered with a waterproof tarp. Air should be free to circulate underneath. You can store the boat on your trailer, but you may wish to jack up the axial to take the weight off the trailer tires. Flipping the boat over is also a good idea, to prevent water from entering into the cockpit. You may wish to cover the hull to protect the paint or finish. Make sure all the water is out of the boat and remove all sheets and halyards. A few ounces of prevention will keep your boat in good shape and prevent costly repairs in the spring. This will allow you more time for sailing rather than being stuck on shore completing repairs.

Sail Storage by North Sails

Store sails for the off season in a warm dry space away from hot items like furnaces, water pipes and electric heaters. Sails should be folded or rolled to avoid unnecessary creasing which breaks down the material. Take your sails in for annual inspection and maintenance. If this is not practical, spread them out and look for wear, broken stitches and rips.

Annual cleaning to remove dirt and salt before winter storage is good. Use a mild laundry detergent, a brush and rinse thoroughly. Do not use excessive agitation. Dry before folding or rolling up for storage.

Mildew should be killed as soon as it appears to stop spreading. Small areas can be sprayed with Lysol spray. Larger areas can be washed with a 25% solution of Clorox bleach and water. Note sails made with kevlar or nylon should never be exposed to Clorox. Allow to rinse thoroughly with a hose. Stains will fade slowly with sunlight exposure once the mildew is dead. Storing sails dry in a well-ventilated area reduces the chance of mildew. In damp climates, spraying Lysol into the sail bag before closing will help reduce the chance of mildew. A suggestion is to add a pocket to the inside of sail bags for a sponge that gets soaked in Lysol to help kill mildew.

CYFYRA Note – a quick fix for stitches and small tears is waxed dental floss string and inexpensive but strong surgical tape found in any drugstore. See your local sail loft for repairs at your next earliest convenience.

Are You a Passionate Sailor? by CYFYRA

If your crew puts up the spinnaker sideways, do you: Patiently explain what they did wrong and ask them to try again? Begin pelting them with turnbuckles, beer cans and any other objects close at hand? If another boat crashes into yours, do you: Immediately ask if everyone is OK? Jump into the cockpit of the other boat and start to strangle it’s skipper? When sailing in flat calm, do you: Sit back, relax and work on your tan? Hoist your youngest to the top of the mast and tell him or her to look for wind? When a crew member complains that he or she is wet, cold or otherwise uncomfortable, do you: Listen sympathetically, then try to relieve the person’s discomfort? Shrug your shoulders and snarl ‘WIMP!’

Tactics: Covering and Breaking Cover by CYFYRA

An important tactic that one should remember when protecting a lead or your position is to cover your opposition. Providing what we call a ‘loose’ cover can do this. This means that though you may be several boat lengths in the lead, you stay on the same tack as your opposition. That way they don’t get a shift of wind that you won’t get. Races have been lost because the lead boat had not paid attention to what was happening behind them. Even if you are on a tack that is a bad tack, your opposition is also on the same bad tack. They are not going to get air that you won’t get. Breaking cover is the counter to the lead boat covering. This is an art and can be done in several ways. Know your opposition and their boat speed. If you want to slow them down you can get into a tacking duel. Every time a Y-Flyer tacks, depending on wind speed, it looses approximately two boat lengths. This is something a skipper and crew must master, working as a team. The crews acts as the traffic controller, advising the skipper of the lead boat’s position. The boat breaking cover may end up tacking several times in short succession. It also depends if the lead boat wants to play. There is also the false tack, making it look like you are tacking, then at the last second pull back and maintain course. If the opposition is too eager, they may change course. This may be the break you are looking for to get away.

If the lead boat is covering two boats, they can cover both if everyone is on the same tack. However, you are not going to win if you stay on the same tack. Split away on different tacks. The lead boat must then make a decision on which boat to cover. To counter this split the lead boat must make a decision on their opposition. Who has the better boat speed, who is on the most favourable tack and who is the most experienced skipper.

Want to Go Faster by CYFYRA

Do you want to go faster? Then get tuned up. Go to the y-flyer.ca links section and there you will find the North Sails Tuning Guide. This will tell you how to make the most modern adjustments to your sails and rigging. The back of the mast slot to the centreboard should be 16 inches. The back of the mast slot to the forestay connection to the deck should be 100 inches. The fair lead slides should be angled as such that when you measure from the jib sheet exit from the fair lead block that it is 13 to 13.5 inches to the centre of the mast.

The next order of business is to know where the wind is coming from in all wind conditions and how to respond. Tell tales on all four sides stays are tres (very) important, in light or shifting winds. So make sure you have them on the boat and bring extra on board in case they are accidentally damaged and need to be replaced during or after a race. So use non static wool…but if you still have unused tape decks, they work great. The Rolling Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” works the best.

Tell tales not only on the side stays tells the tale where the wind is coming from….the tell tails on your sails do the same thing. If you want to point higher and go faster upwind then you need to not only look at your jib sail but as important your main sail as well. Don’t bother looking at other boats….they could be in a different wind streak. The two sails must work together to be totally effective. The second batten of your main sail must have a tell tale on the end of it, and is the indicator whether you have the right trim or not. The tell tale on the main should be fluttering straight back and then collapsing behind the main sail to reach the proper main sail trim. If not allow the main sail to go out further until the tell tale is straight back. Then trim accordingly. If the tell tale is straight back….keep pulling the main sheet in until it begins to collapse.. If you get it right in moderate or better winds, the centre board will begin to hum. That’s all the skipper does on the upwind….look at the jib and main tell tales…and the odd glance over the shoulder to make sure another Y-Flyer is not in their ear !

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Y-FLYER TUNING GUIDE

Congratulations on your purchase of North Y-Flyer sails. We are confident you will find superior speed over all conditions. Your sails are designed to be fast, as well as easy to trim and handle.

The following measurements are those we have found the fastest for your new North sails. After experimenting, you may find a slightly different setting may mean even better boats speed for you. We are anxious to help you go faster and win races!

Onshore Adjustments

Mast Placement – The mast step should be positioned so that the mast is near maximum aft position. In this position the back edge of the mast should be 16” to 16½” forward of the centerboard pin.

Mast Rake – the best method for measuring the mast rake on the Y-Flyer is by hoisting a 50’ tape to the top of the mast and measuring the distance from the top of the mast to the intersection of the transom and the back deck. Just hook the tape on your main halyard shackle and don’t worry about adding or subtracting any difference for the shackle. With the rig tensioned properly (discussed later) this measurement should be 24’1” to 23’10½”.

If you are trying to correspond this measurement to the older method of the bubble level on the top of the centerboard trunk, the measurement should be approximately 30”-31”.

While the tape measure is hoisted to the top of your mast it is important to check that your mast is set up straight in your boat laterally. To check this, take the tape and measure the distance from side to side at the bottom of the chainplates. Try to adjust your shrouds so there is no more than ¼” to ½” difference from side to side.

Rig Tension – We have found that the Y-Flyer performs best in medium winds with the rig set up fairly tight. It is best to use a powerful jib halyard adjustment system (a lever, magic box, block and tackle, drum, etc…) so that the leeward shroud just begins to go slack when it is blowing 10-12 mph.

To verify the proper rig tension we strongly suggest using the Loos Tension gauge. When using the Loos gauge, and checking the tension on your 1/8” upper shrouds, the number should read approximately 34-36 (not lbs.).

In light winds without changing the shroud position, it is advantageous to ease off the jib halyard slightly so the tension is reduced in the rig. This will allow the jib luff to sag slightly, making the jib slightly fuller. Using the Loos gauge to check the tension on the shrouds, you should find a number of approximately 28-30. If you still have your tape hoisted on your main halyard, you can check the rake number and see that it will become less (indicating more rake) by 1-2”. In heavy winds, when the boat is overpowered, it is fastest to rake the rig farther aft. If you set your mast up at 24’1” for medium winds, we suggest that you allow it to drop back nearly as far as 23’9” to 23’10”. Ideally, it is best to also drop the shrouds in their channel adjusters so that the rig, when raked farther aft, would still be close to the proper 34-36 Loos gauge number on the shrouds. However, if the breeze comes up during a race and since it is impossible (and Illegal!) to change the shroud tension it is still best to compromise and sail with a looser rig with the mast raked farther aft.

Loos Tension Gauge – This gauge is a very helpful guide in tuning your Y-Flyer.

Mast Bend – when the rig is properly tensioned with the proper rake and spreader settings, your mast should develop positive prebend, where the middle of the mast will move forward at the spreader and the top of the mast will come aft. In medium winds with the rig tensioned at 34-36 on the shrouds the mast should develop nearly 1” to 1½ of prebend. You can check this by pulling the main halyard down tight and holding it at the gooseneck so it will develop a straight line as a reference from the top of the mast to the gooseneck.

In light winds with less tension in the rig, there will be less prebend of approximately ¾”.

Listed below are suggested spreader positions for the various popular masts used the Y-Flyer Class. It should be noted that masts of a particular section may have slightly different bend characteristics depending on spreader height and rigging placement and differences in the extrusions themselves. Because of this, the following measurements should be used as starting points only with appropriate adjustments being make on the actual bend and tested while sailing.

Spreaders for the stiffer mast (W2, H2) – We have found that the spreaders that are 19¼” long and are free swinging forward but lock up when pushed aft at a point where they are 35” to 36” tip to tip will give the proper desired bend. this tip to tip measurement can be found by pulling the spreader together with a tape from one spreader to the other at the tips. Also, check and make sure that the spreaders are angled evenly on each side. These measurements are for masts with spreaders that are 9’1” to 9’2” from the deck. Spreader that are higher on the mast will need to be somewhat shorter.

Spreader for the bendy mast (DP1, C1) – These masts require spreader which are 18 ½” long and 38” measured tip to tip. These measurements are taken of masts when the spreader are approximately 10’ above the deck. To make adjustments to the bend, the “cant” in the spreader should be adjusted (forward for less bend-aft for more bend: or closer tip to tip measurement for more bend, greater tip to tip measurement for less bend).

The Mainsail Look When the Mast is Properly Bent: Basically on all masts we are looking for very slight overbend wrinkles (diagonal wrinkles that will appear from the spreaders to the clew) showing that the mast is beginning to reach maximum mast bend. In light to medium wind these wrinkles should barely appear while in winds above 15-18 mph, these wrinkles will be quite noticeable and in above 20-25 mph winds, will be quite severe. If these wrinkles are not developing, your mast is not bending enough.

Lower Shroud Tension – Your lower shrouds should be adjusted so that the mast is straight sideways when sailing upwind. Check this by sighting up the back of the mast, up the tunnel, and determine if the mast is sagging to leeward or bowing to windward at the spreaders. If sagging to leeward, tighten the windward lower shroud; if bowing to windward, loosen the windward lower shroud. Check both sides independently and when adjusted correctly the lower shrouds will be much looser that the upper shrouds with the jib up and the rig tension as described before.

If you find that it is necessary to sail with your lower shrouds quite tight to keep the mast straight sideways, it could be a good indication that your spreaders are too long. Lower shrouds that are tight can severely impair the mast’s ability to bend properly and therefore harm the boat’s performance. Shorten your spreaders in increments of 1/4” to 3/8” and readjust the lower shrouds to match. Again, your goal is that the leeward lower shroud will be much looser than the leeward upper when sailing upwind in medium winds. The lower shroud should be considered just as a “tweeker” to help control lateral mast bend, but definitely not to be the primary control. The spreaders are most important.

Jib Lead Placement – On your new North Y-Flyer jib you will notice a pencil line drawn from the clew grommet out towards the center of the sail. Use this “trimline” to position your jib lead by making your sheet a direct extension of this line.

In heavy winds, move your jib leads 1” to 2” aft of your medium/light air extension of the trimline position to help depower the jib and open up the slot.

Your leads should be positioned 13½” to 14” off centerline (27” to 28” lead to lead).

Centerboard Angle – It is important that your board is lowered to the maximum, with as little of the board as possible showing above the trunk when sailing upwind.

Sailing Adjustments

Main and Jib Cunningham – For both the main and the jib, never pull tighter than to just leave a hint of wrinkle along the luff of both sails. On your main, these wrinkles will appear in the lower 1/3 to 1/4 of the luff, and on your jib, will appear as small wrinkles approximately 2” long, perpendicular to the luff.

Note: do not attempt to pull out your overbend wrinkles by tensioning your main cunningham. Again, remember that the overbend wrinkles are a necessary guide in showing that the mast is vending properly and pulling the cunningham tight enough to pull these wrinkles out will pull the draft too far forward in your main, robbing your boat of necessary power.

Outhaul – The outhaul adjusts the depth in the lower part of your mainsail. as the outhaul is eased, the shelf on the bottom of the sail opens and the seam that attaches it to the sail moves away from the boom. To gauge outhaul tension, judge the distance from the seam to the side of the boom at roughly the center of the mainsail foot.

The outhaul will be pulled tight enough so that there is just a ½” to 1” gap between the side of the boom and the shelf foot seam in the middle of the foot. In breezes above 10-12 mph when the boat becomes overpowered the outhaul will be pulled tighter until the seam is snug against the side of the boom (max outhaul).

When reaching, ease the outhaul until vertical wrinkles appear across the seam perpendicular to the foot into the body of the sail. Tighten your outhaul until the wrinkles are just removed. When overpowered on a reach, with the spinnaker, leave the outhaul set as you had it upwind. For downwind sailing, leave your outhaul in the tensioned position for maximum projected area.

Jib Sheet Trim – Unfortunately, there is not an easy guide for jib trim. We are looking for a parallel slot between the exit of the jib and the entry of the main. A guide that has been used with some success is imagining a middle batten on the jib at mid leech. Set this “batten” parallel to the centerline of the boat, making the upper batten of the jib twist outboard slightly and the lower batten twist inboard slightly. In extremely flat water and winds of 8 to 12 mph, it is possible to trim the jib in slightly tighter so that the top batten is nearly straight back parallel with the centerline. This trim can be used for short periods of time when the boat is traveling at near maximum speed.

In light winds, or when acceleration is needed, ease the sheet out slightly so that the top batten is angled outboard approximately 15 degrees from parallel with the centerline of the boat. The imaginary middle batten will be angled outboard just slightly from parallel to centerline, and the jib will be fuller and less apt to stall.

Mainsheet Trim – The mainsheet on your Y should be pulled so that the upper batten is parallel to the boom. This is sighted underneath the boom looking up the sail, lining the batten and the boom parallel on a horizontal plane. In very light winds, it is usually impossible to keep the upper batten from hooking slightly to weather because of the weight of the boom hanging on the leech. In these conditions, ease the sheet out so that the top batten is parallel with the centerline of the boat.

In choppy conditions in winds above 2 to 3 mph, ease your mainsheet approximately 6 to 8 inches to slightly open the upper batten out from parallel to the boom. This will make your mainsail fuller, more powerful, and like the jib, less apt to stall.

In medium winds and flat water (ideal boat speed conditions) sometimes it is possible to slightly overtrim your main so that the top batten is looked to windward of parallel to the boom approximately 2 to 5 degrees for short periods of time.

Picture the mainsheet as your accelerator. As your boat picks up speed, pull the main tighter and tighter until the upper batten is parallel or slightly looked to the boom, and in lights winds or when the boat is hit with a wave and needs to accelerate, ease the mainsheet so that the upper batten will angle outboard slightly, inducing “twist” into the sail.

Boomvang – Upwind in medium to heavy winds the boomvang should be kept hard enough to keep the upper batten parallel to the boom. This may require a good deal of boomvang tension, but this will also help to bend the mast and flatten the sail. In light winds, never use any boomvang tension upwind. Downwind the vang should be tensioned only tight enough to maintain the upper batten parallel to the boom position. There may be a tendency to overvang downwind in light winds and undervang downwind in heavy winds. Basically, look for the main to set downwind as it does upwind. The traveler is used to help balance the helm of your Y and keep the boat upright. Upwind when the boat becomes overpowered, the traveler should be eased to leeward, with the boat slowly feathering up into the wind to help keep the boat level and the helm neutral. In the lulls, be sure to quickly pull the traveler back up to centerline, but be ready to ease back down to leeward in the puffs.

Downwind – When sailing your Y downwind with the whisker pole up, it is best to ease off your jib halyard as much as 10” to allow the luff of the jib to sag greatly. A loose luff, when sailing with a pole, will allow the jib to basically “turn around” with the leech becoming the luff and the luff becoming the leech. We need to remember that we are trying to create airflow across the jib with the wind entering the jib from the actual leech of the sail. Not attaching your jib to the forestay with the snaps or Velcro’s will make this procedure much easier. Instead, you can set the forestay so that it is loose enough to just allow the rig to lean back to your heavy air setting of approximately 23’9”. There will be slop in the rig, but that is necessary for top performance downwind. A shockcord retainer can help minimize the slop in the headstay when sailing upwind.

In addition, it is also suggested to sail with a longer whisker pole, which will help with better performance on beam and broad reaches. You will find that the pole will just barely fit in the cockpit of your boat!

Once again, a powerful jib halyard adjuster is helpful to make it easy to adjust the halyard tension properly and easily before rounding the leeward mark when the pole is dropped.

When sailing on a close reach, without the pole, be sure to use your barberhaulers and move your jib lead outboard. The proper position of your barberhauler lead, forward and aft, is determined by the trimline on the clew of the jib. This time, position the barberhauler lead so that the sheet is angled slightly forward of parallel to the trimline. This will make the jib slightly more powerful and help to support the upper leech.

We wish you good luck and fast sailing! Do not hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions or problems. Please consider us your personal sailmaker.

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American Y-Flyer Sailing Association

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Categories : Event Management

The American Y-Flyer Sailing Association (AYFSA) is the governing body for the Y-Flyer class sailboat in the United States. The Y-Flyer is an 18′ scow type racing dinghy that is crewed by two persons and is primarily active in the midwest and southern regions of the country. The AYFSA is responsible for maintaining class records, ensuring that a reputable builder is available to construct new boats and to oversee class regattas.

Like most other small sailboat organizations, the AYFSA is run primarily by volunteers who are also members of the organization. As such, their website was previously maintained by someone who volunteered for the job. The original AYFSA website was implemented in Microsoft ASP (“active server pages”) and over the years had additional functionality tacked on using various different technologies. The end result was a site that was a hodgepodge of technologies that no one really understood how they all interacted or, more importantly, how to update them.

The AYFSA webmaster decided to move to WordPress to solve these issues. Unfortunately, the decision was made to stick with the existing Microsoft web server infrastructure. Since WordPress is designed and tested to be used in a Linux -based web server environment, the end result was a sub-optimal site (the least of your worries running WordPress on Microsoft web server infrastructure is the apparent inability to use permalinks ).

Cardinal Acres Web Development re-implemented the site on a Linux-based web server using a theme and plugins better suited to AYFSA’s needs. The new site implements an event registration system via The Events Calendar and Event Tickets that the class can utilize for either displaying their event schedule or leverage for RSVPs to their regattas. If the class wants to move to collecting regatta fees online, Event Tickets Plus is the paid version of Event Tickets that will allow them to do that via integration with WooCommerce .

In addition, the site’s content was re-organized and presentation was improved to make the site easier to navigate. Site pages that were previously just collections of links to other areas of the website were converted into entries in the menu system. Non-HTML content was converted, wherever possible, to HTML to maintain the “look and feel” of the site.

The final result is a significant improvement on the previous site and, via WordPress plugins, offers the ability for the site to grow in functionality as the AYFSA’s online needs expand.

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Sailboat Guide

Turner Marine

Builder of the Y Flyer Turner Marine (217) 895-3395 [email protected]

Associations

Y-Flyer Yacht Racing Association
Alvin Youngquist

1 sailboat built by Turner Marine

About Sailboat Guide

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Y Flyer Sails and Parts

Unbridled Sailing is proud to have been chosen to manufacture the new suits of Y-Flyer sails needed for the 2018 US Sailing Championship of Champions.

Only $1100 per suit, and sewn with your sail number, they will first be delivered to the C of C to be used for the regatta in 20 races.

After that, they are yours!

This is a one-time offer at this discount– The price goes back up once we have sold 21 suits.

All orders must be paid in full by July 1, 2018.

Designed and spec’d by Y-Flyer sailor, Pat Passafiume, these full-cut sails will be built using Dimension Polyant’s 160 OD cloth finished in HTP+, with RBS tapered epoxy battens.

When you order, please include your sail number and what color you want.

If you have questions, please give us a call

Marc Crutcher 502-718-2969

Pat Passafiume 502-594-5491

We prefer checks made out to Unbridled Sailing and mailed to:

Unbridled Sailing 4605 Illinois Avenue Louisville, KY 40213

However, if you would rather use a credit card, we have a Paypal link below.

Need other parts? Unbridled Sailing is a Harken, Gill and Velocitek Dealer.

We know the Y, in and out.

Coming soon! A foam deck kit for both Y cockpit styles

Also, please CLICK HERE to stay up to date with all the specials we run! We dont send a bunch of junk, just good news!

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Y-Flyer Class Membership

A Y-Flyer Membership has many perks! You will have access to the current membership roster, post in the "For Sale" page and race in class sactioned regattas. An affordable, family friendly class that makes sailing a wonderful time. Become a member today!

You can manage your membership though this site!

Choose your membership.

Active member - subscription.

Skipper/Crew In Sanctioned Regattas
Can be an Officer of Class
Voting Rights

Associate - Subscription

Skipper In Sanctioned Regattas (except Nationals)
Cannot Vote

Junior - Subscription

Can Skipper/Crew in Sanctioned Regattas
Under 19 y.o.

Crew - Subscription

Crew in Sanctioned Events

Active Member - 1-Year

Skipper/Crew in Sanctioned Regattas
Can be an Officer of class
Class Voting Rights

Associate - 1-Year

Can Skipper Sanctioned Regattas (Except Nationals)

Junior - 1-Year

Can Skipper/Crew in all Sanctioned Regattas

Crew - 1-Year

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More drifter trimaran plans small trimarans, Four trimaran building plans : drifter 12, 12 , 14, 16 duckworks website. plans include building instructions photos. drifter 12 longer amas bigger rig 12. drifter 16 stretched version 14, people.. Drifter 17 trimaran plans ~ boating, Drifter 17 trimaran plans pictures drifter 17 trimaran plans. drifter trimaran plans . building drifter 17 trimaran – interview mark gumprecht. study profile w17 sailing trimaran. share small trimarans post. Drifter 16 plans - duckworks., Plans consist single pdf file approximately 5 megabytes. 62 pages detailed instructions 53 color photos 12 pages drawings. click information drifter trimarans.

Sample graphic only for illustration Drifter trimaran plans

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