There's an article on sailnet (
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on broad
reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get dead
downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's assume
there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.

S/V Cat's Meow
http://www.catsmeow.org

That is incorrect information for any displacement monohull where
it is always faster to run straight downwind. It only applies to
multi-hulls and planning hulls that can, using a strong wind, move
faster than their theoretical hull speed.


"Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message ...
There's an article on sailnet (
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on broad
reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get dead
downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's assume
there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.

S/V Cat's Meow
http://www.catsmeow.org

A lot of people for better or for worse do call it tacking down
wind, but I agree with you.

"The_navigator©" wrote in message
...
No, it's faster to gybe downwind.

Cheers MC

Gerard Weatherby wrote:
There's an article on sailnet (

http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind
on broad
reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get
dead
downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's
assume
there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.

S/V Cat's Meow
http://www.catsmeow.org

It certainly is faster... but it's not always quicker.


CM

"Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message
...
| There's an article on sailnet (
|
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
| or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on
broad
| reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get
dead
| downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's
assume
| there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.
|
| S/V Cat's Meow
| http://www.catsmeow.org

'Always' has such a sense of finality to it doncha think?

Cheers MC

Capt. Mooron wrote:
It certainly is faster... but it's not always quicker.


CM

"Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message
...
| There's an article on sailnet (
|
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
| or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on
broad
| reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get
dead
| downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's
assume
| there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.
|
| S/V Cat's Meow
| http://www.catsmeow.org

Yes....

CM

"The_navigator©" wrote in message
...
| 'Always' has such a sense of finality to it doncha think?
|
| Cheers MC
|
| Capt. Mooron wrote:
| It certainly is faster... but it's not always quicker.
|
|
| CM
|
| "Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message
| ...
| | There's an article on sailnet (
| |
|
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
| | or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind
on
| broad
| | reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to
get
| dead
| | downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's
| assume
| | there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.
| |
| | S/V Cat's Meow
| | http://www.catsmeow.org
|
|
|

I'd say that the judgement call typically comes in at about force 4. But
you should also not forget to factor in the seas that may extend the
wind strengths where reaching down wind is faster. Holding the period of
surfing for longer is a big boost.

Cheers MC

Donal wrote:
"Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message
...

There's an article on sailnet (


http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...d=rousma0082%2
0%20&tfr=fp

or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on

broad

reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get

dead

downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's

assume

there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.


It depends on the strength of the wind.


In light air, it will often be quicker to gybe. Once the wind gets up to
the point where you can goose wing easily, then you will be quicker going
dead downwind!


I should add - "IMHO".


Regards


Donal
--

Most polar diagrams will indicate the optimum downwind angle for a given wind speed. In
the case of my old Nonsuch, 180 is always the optimum angle, but for many other boats,
tacking downwind works. especially in lighter air.



"Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message
...
There's an article on sailnet (
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on broad
reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get dead
downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's assume
there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.

S/V Cat's Meow
http://www.catsmeow.org

nonsense, as usual.

The San Juan may plane, but I doubt it does in 6 knots of wind:
http://www.sanjuan28.org/polar.htm

Here's a different article:
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...eid=leonar0021

"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
That is incorrect information for any displacement monohull where
it is always faster to run straight downwind. It only applies to
multi-hulls and planning hulls that can, using a strong wind, move
faster than their theoretical hull speed.


"Gerard Weatherby" wrote in message
...
There's an article on sailnet (

http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...2%20%20&tfr=fp
or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on broad
reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get dead
downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's assume
there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.

S/V Cat's Meow
http://www.catsmeow.org

Can you say "death roll". We got caught running briefly last Saturday, and
stared to intiate said action. Very uncomfortable, I can assure you.

Finally, a run is dangerous. Those rolls can cause the boom to swing across
and smash your crew's heads. A single quick roll can cascade into a series
of ever deeper dips, alternately to windward and leeward, ending with a wild
broach either to windward or to leeward. This series of events is so
catastrophic that it's called a death roll.

John Cairns
Gerard Weatherby wrote in message
...
There's an article on sailnet (

http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...d=rousma0082%2
0%20&tfr=fp
or http://tinyurl.com/h9z6 ) which claims it's faster to tack downwind on
broad
reaches instead of running straight downwind. (Assuming you want to get
dead
downwind.) Have those of you who sail found this to be true? Let's
assume
there's no spinnaker since I don't have one.

S/V Cat's Meow
http://www.catsmeow.org