DSK wrote:

Flying Tadpole wrote:


Doug, I tried and tried, because the catyawl is supposed to be
ideal for this, but the longest I've ever been able to beat with
the rudder free and stay on course is a minute or so, then some
combination of wave and wind will knock the boat a small but
critical amount, the free rudder will swing a bit, and suddenly
we're doing donuts.

It might be that because of the hard chines and/or the leeboards, you get enough
momentary Z-axis torque to overcome corrective feedback from the rig. Maybe if you
actively sheeted the mizzen, you could get slightly better results (or at least larger
diameter donuts)?

Well, yes, but I thought we were discussing a boat already
sail-balanced. I can easily sail Lady Kate with the rudder free
if I'm playing the mizzen all the time, but what I want to do is
set the boat up and have her sail herself. She won't do it for
long, unless the tiller is actually lashed (then she'll sail
herself better to windward than I can)

Re the chines, yes, i think that contributes, with a secondary
contribution from the combination of the extreme shoal draft and
the overhangs bow and stern. (We're not talking conditions big
enough for her to dig the bow in and yaw). THe leeboards though
are locked laterally, bilgeboards rather than leeboards, and
should have no more or less contribution than an equivalent fin
keel.
--
Flying Tadpole

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