Joe wrote:

Anyone else sail small Catamarans here?

Yep


When you tack is it like slamming on the brakes for you to?.

Sometimes. It depends on the boat, some will simply not tack properly.
However there are ways to do it better.



You sure can make up lost time in the straight aways.

Again, it depends on the boat.


Do you try to put it up on one hull running upwind, or down wind or
both?

Both. The ideal is to get the windward hull just barely out of the water,
thus halving the drag (well, not precisely in half, but close) and
maximizing righting moment & sail power.


Took a 15 footer out in 25 kts winds yesterday and had a blast
working upwind the whole length of the lake, Was an extremely fast
ride but tacking was a real chore, go from 20 kts to dead stop on most
tacks.

Here's what you do going into a tack: Let the helm to lee slightly &
slowly, as soon as the boat starts to loose speed & power then honk in on
the main sheet. Keep doing this until you can't regain power in the
mainsail, then begin a definite turn into the wind. Put the helm to lee
slowly & steadily, don't slap it around. If you have a jib, uncleat it
now. Move your weight aft.

As the boat comes up to the eye of the wind, ease the mainsheet and hold
the helm all the way over. In heavy winds, there may be so much windage
that the boat will not carry way thru a tack, in which case be prepared to
back the jib & the helm. But if you have done it right, the boat should
carry good way on.

Leave the mainsheet eased, trim the jib first. This will accelerate the
boat & pull the bow away from the wind. Then trim the main for blast off.


Took 45 min to work all the way upwind for a super slead 30 kt
5 min downwind run.... and lost my mast on the final upwind tack, lost
a clevis pin in the rigging. Talk about a bummer.

What, no duct tape??



By the time I got back to the dock the wind died down to 5-10 kts....

Oh well I'm sure the wind will pick back up someday.

Tune in next week for 'How to Right a Beach Cat'

SAIL LOCO wrote:

Flying a hull is usually done on a reach and is accomplished by
oversheeting
the main.

Not hardly.

Of course it depends on the boat. Ever sail an A-cat? A real cat can fly a
hull close hulled or broad reaching. Doing the Wild Thing is fun!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King