Having gone through all the posts on this thread, I'm amazed that no-one
has stated the obvious. the difference in handling between flying at 40
knots on tow and flying at 40 knots off tow.

In the first case you are trying to get the glider to climb so you have a
high angle of attack so you can follow the tow plane. The wings are
pulling more than 1g, you just can't fell it in the cockpit. In the second
you are descending, and you might even be pulling less than 1g.

Or did someone mention it and I missed it?

At 18:10 05 November 2013, John Carlyle wrote:
A question for any aerodynamicists out the why does low aero tow
speed
=
adversely affect the handling of a glider so drastically?

Occasionally I=92ve received an aero tow in my LS-8 (dry) at 55 kt
(minimum=
recommended aero tow speed is 54 kt). The plane is heavy and
unresponsive
=
at that speed; it=92s an extremely stressful experience! But once off tow
t=
he same plane handles like a dream at speeds down into the upper 30 kt
rang=
e.=20

Before anyone asks, yes, I do immediately ask the tow pilot for 10 kt
more
=
speed - right now! I=92d just like to understand what the root
aerodynamic
=
cause of the poor handling might be.=20

-John, Q3