"Joe" wrote ...
Why do they call "cat boats" cat boats?


It stands for *can't always tack*. You have to jibe them most of the time. The sail's too big
and it's too far up in the bow. They get in irons worse than anything......

Cheers,
Ellen

Ellen MacArthur wrote:
"Joe" wrote ...
Why do they call "cat boats" cat boats?


It stands for *can't always tack*. You have to jibe them most of the time. The sail's too big
and it's too far up in the bow. They get in irons worse than anything......

Having sailed catboats most of my life, I can say you are absolutely
wrong. In fact, you haven't been right on much lately, this could be
more proof that you are really Neal.

"Jeff" wrote
Having sailed catboats most of my life, I can say you are absolutely wrong. In fact, you haven't been right on much
lately, this could be more proof that you are really Neal.

I don't know about that but it IS proof that you should start acting like a gentleman.....
I've sailed on catboats, too. Atlantic City Cat 24. They're ok when it's light wind conditions.
But, when the wind gets heavy they don't do anything but head up and get in irons. The rudder
is practically on top of the water and when they heel it comes out and you round up. Once you
round up and get in irons you've blown your tack. People with cat boats *wear ship* in heavy
winds. It's more reliable.

Cheers,
Ellen

Ellen MacArthur wrote:
"Jeff" wrote
Having sailed catboats most of my life, I can say you are absolutely wrong. In fact, you haven't been right on much
lately, this could be more proof that you are really Neal.

I don't know about that but it IS proof that you should start acting like a gentleman.....
How so?

I've sailed on catboats, too. Atlantic City Cat 24. They're ok when it's light wind conditions.
But, when the wind gets heavy they don't do anything but head up and get in irons.

Sound like you don't know how to sail it.

The rudder
is practically on top of the water and when they heel it comes out and you round up. Once you
round up and get in irons you've blown your tack.

Yes, that is the sign of a novice, all right.

People with cat boats *wear ship* in heavy
winds. It's more reliable.

Are you seriously saying that people that only have one large sail,
often with a large heavy boom, find it easier to gybe in heavy air
than to tack? I am at a loss for words!

"Jeff" wrote
Are you seriously saying that people that only have one large sail, often with a large heavy boom, find it easier to
gybe in heavy air than to tack? I am at a loss for words!

The boom is very long and heavy and there's another one on top of the sail. But, if you ever
sailed one in heavy winds you'd know that jibing them is easy. It's easy because the boom on top
called the gaff boom blows the top part of the sail well forward. The main boom is held back by the
sheets. So when you wear ship you slowly tighten up on the sheet till it's almost centered but the gaff
boom keeps the top of the sail downwind. When you go through the eye, no that's not right, what's the
opposite of the eye? The tail of the wind? No that's not right either. Whatever, when you start to go
around on the other tack the gaff boom just swings across to the other side real easy like. Then you
can ease the mainsheet.
If your gonna get a cat boat you'd better learn how to do this....

Cheers,
Ellen

Ellen MacArthur wrote:

If your gonna get a cat boat you'd better learn how to do this....

Cheers,
Ellen


Jeff..
You wanna borrow my mincemenat grinder?.

"katy" wrote in message

Ellen MacArthur wrote:

If your gonna get a cat boat you'd better learn how to do
this.... Cheers,
Ellen


Jeff..
You wanna borrow my mincemenat grinder?.

Are you making a pie?

Respectfully,
Capt. Neal

Ellen MacArthur wrote:
"Jeff" wrote
Are you seriously saying that people that only have one large sail, often with a large heavy boom, find it easier to
gybe in heavy air than to tack? I am at a loss for words!

The boom is very long and heavy and there's another one on top of the sail. But, if you ever
sailed one in heavy winds you'd know that jibing them is easy. It's easy because the boom on top
called the gaff boom blows the top part of the sail well forward. The main boom is held back by the
sheets. So when you wear ship you slowly tighten up on the sheet till it's almost centered but the gaff
boom keeps the top of the sail downwind. When you go through the eye, no that's not right, what's the
opposite of the eye? The tail of the wind? No that's not right either. Whatever, when you start to go
around on the other tack the gaff boom just swings across to the other side real easy like. Then you
can ease the mainsheet.
If your gonna get a cat boat you'd better learn how to do this....

All you're saying here is that there's a chance that you might be able
to gybe in heavy air without destroying the boat. But anyone skilled
enough to do that would have no trouble at all tacking. However, it
is quite a lot of work hauling the doubled mainsheet, and all the
while you're doing this the boat is unbalanced and trying to head up.

Of course, gybing to avoid tacking is particularly stupid if you're
trying to get upwind.

As it turns out, many is the time I've done a "chicken gybe" by
tacking rather than gybing a catboats - muck less stress on the boat
and crew. And I don't recall ever getting stuck in irons.

And the proper spelling is "ware ship."

"Jeff" wrote

And the proper spelling is "ware ship."

Nyut ah!! http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/WEARSHIP

Cheers,
Ellen

"Jeff" wrote
Of course, gybing to avoid tacking is particularly stupid if you're trying to get upwind.

Duh, tell that to Christopher Columbus and everybody else on tall ships.....

Cheers,
Ellen