"Nav" wrote in message
...


DSK wrote:

Anyway, long narrow boats like the IACC class and the old 12s too
tend to sail at higher angles of heel than more normally proportioned
boats. I still think 30 degrees is a bit of an overstatement.




Nav wrote:
Wot only a 'bit' now is it? Just yesterday you rubbished it! Doug,
lots of boats are only fully powered up at 30 (or more) degrees heel.


OK, I am still not sure what you mean by "powered up." It sounds to me
like you are relishing the feeling of heeling too much. It's fun, but
it's really not fast.

.... Of course as a dingly sailor you wouldn't know that but it's
really true.


Spoken like one whose experience in racing class dinghies is limited to
embarassing capsizes within 100 yards of the club dock.


Let me paint a typical picture for you: At that 30 degrees heel the
boat is alive and really punching through waves to windward.


At 30 degrees heel, the boat is heeling too much. It is "punching"
through waves because the hull presenting a set of awkward angles. Other
boats have depowered a little and are going faster.

Have you done any big boat sailing or been in a race in windy
conditions? Why not read the book whose URL I posted and then come back
on it. Better yet go back to the classic literature and look at the
tests of the Gimcrack. She was fastest at 30 degrees and was no faster
at 35 degrees. That's still a correct rule of thumb for most fast
cruiser racers today.

Perhaps Donal would like to post the figs. for his boat -if he's got them?

I'm waaay out of my depth here. However, Doug's words are making more sense
to me.


I've done the Round the Island (~65 miles) several times, with an
experienced, and competent helmsman. As you can imagine, my confidence has
increased each year. The first year, I was as culeless as Bobsprit.


My helmsman was a great sailor, but he had two faults. He always had
everything (halyards, sheets, etc) too tight, -- and he always sailed as if
he was in match racing.


Our third race was the best. I wasn't confident enough to take the tiller,
but I *was* confident enough to do the start, and control the sail plan
during the race.

The following year, I also did the helm - and we did crap. So, I'm an
average tactician, and a lousy helm. I *do* feel that my boat will perform
much better if she is reefed a bit earlier.


PS. I'm incredibly lucky with my crew. One of them has crossed the
Atlantic 3 times, one has done the Fastnet twice. I'm lucky that we get on
so well together.


Regards


Donal
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