Closing The Gap

This old chestnut. Was mucking around yesterday concentrating on 'Closing the Gap'.

Usually I just sail to whatever feels right, and I'd say that is creating 'Mast Base Pressure'. All the drive feels like it comes from the mast, pulling me forward, with the occasional squeeze.

So while closing the gap yesterday:

- I'm not sure I was actually going any faster, but perhaps I was.
- I didn't feel as comfortable, not as much control.
- My ass hit the water a couple of times.

- And, overall, the rig felt very back-handed. Most of the power was going through my legs to the fin.

Perhaps I didn't have the rig set right? I had maximum downhaul, minimum outhaul and was powered up most of the time, occasionally lit up, occasionally underpowered. Personally I'd say it was a very comfortable and fast setting, except when 'closing the gap'. I was mostly sailing on a reach.

Now I think of it probably the only times I 'close the gap' ...just because, is when fully lit on flat water.

10th edit: I know what I'm trying to say/ask. Should I be really slamming the sail down for every last inch of power, or letting it breath a little (like I usually do)?

Depends what you mean by 'closing the gap'.. That phrase should be replaced with 'having the sail sheeted in 100%'..

By doing this, many sails that have a large foot will literally 'close the gap' between the board and the sail. But wave sails will never be able to 'close this gap', even if they are sheeted in 100% simply due to the high cut..

I remember being told I wasn't 'closing the gap' when I used to sail Formula, I tried to close it but it was my sheeting angle, not rake that was my main problem..

When I was in the position to teach others, I never used that phrase, because I found it misleading. Any gaps will naturally close with a sail working at the correct angle..

In other words, the sail is most efficient when the gap is closed on the X,Z plane.. As a result of that, it will settle on the X,Y plane..

agree - "closing the gap" was just one of those hype things that resonated with the over analytical crowd.

if anything having area too low and on the deck just gets in the way when gybing

the fact is that when everything is tuned it naturally sits in the right spot and you are at max velocity (assuming good and proper gear design)

this concept is very closely related to "it is what it is"

i ws under the impression you would go faster buy closing the gap? but then i was told on newer sails that there was no benefit?
i observed alot of speed sailors do it. Im pretty sure it works but correct me if im wrong/
also that phrase is related to placing the bottom of the sail parallel to the board? or the set-up on the universal extention .

closing the gap from what i have been taught by locals refers to runs where the rider closes the gap between the board and sail.
Think youd have to ask a gps sailor about this. And i also think that certain sails e.g wave may not accommodate or benefit from this.

I Think downwind possibly up wind on a certain angle with the correct fin and sail closing the gap is benefit.but hey most of the sailor i have seen doing this are hardcore and way overpowered.. its out of my league to comment.

Closing the gap should be more a result of trying to go all out for speed as opposed to doing it to go faster.

sheeting in hard and holding it down will bring the sail back and close the gap.

I find the gap closes easily when I'm going downwind as i'm leaning back a bit more but fully sheeted in.

Moving the rig forward when going upwind is probably more a weight transference thing.

For boards designed for maximum speed the lateral force will be mostly provided by the fin. Wavesailors and freestylers might get lift from the rail or the rocker, but they do that only because they use such small fins.

So, when "sailing off the fin", If the force of the sail is not centred over the fin you will either turn upwind or downwind. You are constrained as to where you can rake the sail to by the position of the fin.

If you can't close the gap and you want to close the gap either move the fin back or move the mast foot forward.

I have a 212L Bic that I have added a mast track 30+CM ahead of where Bic put one.

More chance of closing the gap now.

Not sure what Bic were thinking of when they put it in the middle of the board instead of 1/3 back from the front. Maybe there it would suit a teenager learning to sail, rope starting꜡