Please select your home edition
Edition
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD




Load Data Key When Margins Are Tight

by Cyclops Marine 14 Jan 2021 03:51 PST
smarttune load sensor installed on the forestay of McFly © Cyclops Marine

One design racing is all about those tiny margins. A skipper that knows this better than most is Tony Mack who retained the J/111 National Championship and was awarded the J-Cup at the helm of McFly back in September last year.

Cyclops Marine proudly sponsored the event and gifted the winner of the J-Cup a smarttune load sensor.

Cyclops were excited that Tony should be the recipient of the device, not just as a worthy winner after his crew's performance, but because they knew that he was a competitor who would get the most out of it. The owner of McFly is so well respected not just for being fast on the water, but for the effort and diligence put in in preparation and fine tuning.

"As with our J/111 one design class (or any similar OD) the margins are very close, technology that can help us go a little faster can be invaluable".

McFly leaves nothing to chance, because their skipper knows what all the best do: that you can always get faster, tighten those margins and know more about your boat - that resting on your laurels is the first step toward letting your upper-hand slip.

"Last year we lost a Cowes Week race by just 12 seconds after almost 5 hours sailing. Having been able to test smarttune we can already see that it is an essential product that will provide us with the next competitive edge".

smarttune helps you get the edge and keep it. Easily swapping in for existing turnbuckle (forestay/backstay/shrouds/diagonals), the device sends live load data to your phone via the smartfittings manager app, and to existing on-board displays, allowing you to learn your fastest settings, set up to match them, make real time adjustments to conditions, and see immediate results in the numbers - finding that winning gear time and time again.

The app also logs data integrated with GPS, ready for export to sailing analytics software - maximising the value of time spent in training and taking post-race analysis to new levels of detail. (Unsurprisingly) this excited McFly's owner:

"During the winter we are looking forward to developing our base setting numbers and continual improvement through the 2021 race season to hit our fast numbers quicker and more reliably."

smarttune is available in 5 sizes, for boats of all sizes. Find out more here.

Related Articles

Stop Guessing, Start Winning
The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Fast Rig Settings You know the boats that kept finishing ahead of you last season? They're not faster. They're just better at repeating what works. Posted on 8 May
Smarter at the Dock, Safer at Sea
How Upgrades Are Changing Cruising The service being offered by yacht manufacturers leaps forward every year - responding to a market which demands the highest quality in every aspect. Posted on 25 Apr
The Real Impact of Sprit Tension in an Optimist
You might think that there's nothing more to learn about Optimist sailing You might think that there's nothing more to learn about Optimist sailing—that you've heard it all. Posted on 16 Apr
The Cruise Control for Your Rig
Cruising in the green zone Could I push harder and go a little faster? Are the sails too powered up? Should I reef now or wait? Is my rig under more strain than I realise? Second-guessing leads to hesitation - the enemy of smooth, assured sailing. Posted on 27 Mar
Want to be better than last season?
Cyclops Marine will help you make a plan to move up the fleet It's shaping up to be a big year. Maybe you're not aiming to win the 100th Fastnet or the Admiral's Cup, but whatever your goal, it should be doing a little better than last year. Posted on 17 Mar
Precision Two-Boat Tuning is Easier Than You Think
Cyclops' Atto load sensor is the smallest, most affordable device of its kind Picture this: Tom and Ben are out sailing their ILCAs. Tom is faster upwind, Ben downwind... but they don't know why. Posted on 21 Feb
Simplifying Rig Setup for Owners
How leading yacht manufacturers are setting new standards Leaving the dock with the incorrect rig settings guarantees suboptimal performance and comfort, but it can also lead to serious safety hazards and unnecessary damage to equipment. Posted on 29 Jan
How to get more out of your sails
Cyclops Marine have introducted smartbatten, providing real-time compressive load data Consider the time you dedicate to selecting the right inventory, choosing the right sailmaker, and all the other meticulous considerations before you even hit the water. Posted on 30 Dec 2024
Monohull cruising with Cyclops Marine
Safety, when to reef, and what we learned from wireless load sensors However you're deciding when to reef will be combined with other visual and feeling based cues, but you should act to depower your rig before these show up. The more reliant you are on subjective judgement, the less sure you can be of absolute safety. Posted on 4 Dec 2024
Breakthrough in Monitoring Detects Rig Danger
Before you even leave the dock What if you knew your rig was about to fail due to fatigue, before even boarding your yacht? You could simply book in for a service and get back to safe sailing as soon as possible. Posted on 19 Nov 2024
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTER