how to improve performance

micheal i have looked at that site before, in fact i have gone out to dinner with the person who wrote that site. i have looked so many places to improve the boat and it seems like non are worth the money that i haven't done already. except for sails. i am thinking of trying some new rigging but i am not sure. keep coming with the ideas though because i can never have enough.
thanks.

-dylan

 

Ok I have a Merit 25. Great boat. Sails are important.. Get those first. Carbon rig is not worth the money. You will also take a rateing hit because of it. Dont go there.
Im assuming you have a good bottom. Mine is baltoplate, very slick. One of the biggest things I have done to make my boat faster, has to do with the rig. I took the wire backstay off, and replaced with a 3/16 dyneema 12 strand line. I changed it to a cascade system. Now the thing is. Since its a cascade instead of the V method. I was able to move the mast around alot. Way back for upwind and way forward for downwind. This requires removing the aft lowers. I had done this years ago anyway. as they are not needed. (if you sail in big waves, you may want to put in some checkstays ) Let your headstay back as far as you can. then add a 2 in tang. this boat can handle a ridiculus amount of rake. As far as letting the mast go forward downwind. I let mine go so the tip of the mast is at the front of the hatch. Any further is to far. Play around with it, but that seems to work for me.
The biggest problem I seem to have now. is the keel flexing...

 

Also I have worked with a buddy of mine on the sails for my merit. We have made a bunch of diff sets for the boat. The main is max max max deminsions. the 155 we carry to about 17-18, we eliminated the 3 and the 2, and went with a 3+ its a 119 % sail. It has a scalloped leech so It doesnt hit the spreaders, and its small up top. but just the right size for down low. Like I said Ive done a ton of work to mine. My dad bought it new in 83 , when I was 12 or so yrs old. Ive grown up sailing the boat. So I have alot of years of learning on it. I beat the other 2 we had here everytime we go out. None of them have as radical of a rig set up as I do. So. My guess is thats the key. I also have a flattener in my main which is ,a big gear change, to use. Im not sure if you have that or not. umm what else. If I think of anything , Ill post it.

Well back to work on Cherry.