Competitive Advantage in a Butterfly

by Pam (and Doug)

With the Butterfly Single-Handed Nationals coming up, we have heard from various sources that there has been talk about some boats last year, Doug's in particular, not being one design and possibly having an unfair competitive advantage. The talk has ranged from a picture showing Doug's sail with less than a full hoist to speculation about other ways an old man (he's 62) could have obtained an unfair competitive advantage to win the event. We're told that this year at the Nationals there will be an extra push to make sure the boats are all one design. This seems like a reasonable response to the questions raised.

Many months ago, when we first heard the rumors about questions about how Doug might have been able to win, I was amused. The week before the event, he had been competing in the Canadian Laser Masters where he had come in 2nd. The wind ranged from light and fluky to howling and the windward legs were a mile long against current. When he arrived at the Butterfly Nationals, it's safe to say he was about as prepared to do well as anyone could be. I'm pretty sure that none of the Butterfly sailors that competed in the Nationals would have come close to 2nd in the Canadian Laser Masters the week before and yet the speculations of his success aren't focused on Doug's talent but rather what he might have done to his boat. His boat was provided to him by the manufacturer and he sailed what he was given. It seems kind of silly to complain about the boat when the sailor clearly had the bigger effect, but I sort of get it.

The Dallas fleet has repeatedly taught me that age and experience beat youth most of the time. I'll admit that it was a frustrating lesson to learn at first but, over time, I've come to see it as pure inspiration. Doug mainly sails the Butterfly because of me but he wouldn't bother if the local fleet didn't provide him with good competition. Which means the bar is set pretty high in the Butterfly fleet and the boat probably isn't the factor people should be focused on.

Nonetheless, since the boat is what is being focused on, I do think Doug has an unfair competitive advantage because he has enough experience to know which changes to a boat make a difference and which ones don't. So, in an effort to share his knowledge, here's Doug telling you exactly what parts of the boat and rigging are important to him and why.

From Doug:

I was unaware that my sail didn't have a full hoist at the Nationals as no one mentioned it at the time and, quite frankly, my vision is not the best. I also do not think that it makes any difference in performance. But being a strong supporter of one-design sailing, I will make sure that my sail is always pulled to the very top of my mast.

How could this have been a problem in the first place? I learned in the 70's that main halyards are not your friend. This is one reason why skiffs are rigged on their side - they lock the head of the main in place so that no halyard is needed. The reason is that they affect the bending of the mast, and they create drag exactly where you don't want it and they stretch.

BF rules require a halyard, so I use the thinnest line I can find with a knot locking at the top so that (1) it does not affect my mast bend and (2) it creates minimal drag. But if the knot slips past the lock, the sail will drop by the amount of stretch in the halyard. So, I'm looking for the smallest pre-stretch line I can find and this should fix the problem.

Here are my opinions on things that might affect BF speed/performance:

• Sails not raised to the top of the mast. This makes absolutely no difference. Although I understand some feel it might provide depowering for a light weight sailor … which I am not.
• Mast shape. I prefer the older oval style mast shape to the newer round style mast shape. The oval shape has a lower profile and therefore less drag. As far as I know both are class legal but I believe the oval mast provides an advantage.
• More powerful vang. Not needed, I'd be happy with a 1:1 or 2:1 because the vang is only needed to control the mast rotation, not the boom position.
• Better downhaul. Nope, I do not and have never adjusted this.
• Better outhaul. Nope, not needed.
• Compass. BF's are designed for small lakes, so getting your bearings is not a problem.
• Better traveler. Nope. I recently sailed a friend's BF and the traveler was so loose that the block was 18" off the deck. Speed was not a problem because of the brilliant mainsheet system pulling the boom down and out.
• Better rudder shape. The flat plate stalls too easily, but it's the same for everyone so it's not a factor and should not be changed.
• Better centerboard shape. No, for the same reason. But this needs an explanation.

I had the great fortune of being mentored by a person who, in many circles, was the leading expert on this subject and every high-performance boat in the world has adopted his designs.

I normally sail a Laser and it's vital to focus on getting lift out of the centerboard. When it works, it gives you world-class speed. But we do not sail BF's for speed - we sail them because it's a one-design class and all boats need to be equal ... even with their flaws. Here's the biggest flaw in a BF.

This shape is very different because (1) it has a bevel around the outside and (2) the rest is flat. It's horrible because it creates too much drag, not enough lift, and it stalls way too easily. But, in a one-design class everyone has the same problem, so it's not a factor and should not be changed. If you really want a more "modern" shape, don't sail a one-design boat designed in the 60's.

Subtle shaping of the board would give a sailor a significant and unfair advantage. A shape closer to the more efficient shape above than the class-legal shape below that is not mostly flat and where there is no ridge going into the bevel would be all it took. In my opinion, the class should be much more concerned about what is happening under the boat than at the top of the mast.

Every time I've sailed at a Butterfly Nationals, I generally have not spent any time in the boat I'm sailing and I sail what is provided. In order of importance, I request the following: clean centerboard, clean hull, oval mast, light air mainsheet (thin line) and a boat that has all the necessary parts to be in compliance.

I will be the first to vote in favor of assigning boats randomly before the first race of a championship event and then switching boats between races. Also, I try to wear a head cam during races and put them on this and welcome any and all comments on my setup, racing, and sportsmanship.