Handling waves
 

I am located in Maui, Hawaii, and sail a Catalina 30 off the S.E. coast. The
trade winds normally funnel between the two large volcanoes, often accelerating
the winds to 30+ kts.

With suitable reefing and a small headsail, the heel angle is under control upwind,
however the wind chop has built to shall we say, "uncomfortable" levels --
particularly on a beam reach. I'm not sure of the wave height, but it's enough
to rock us at least 45 degrees. We now sail way upwind of our destination,
just so we can run downwind and skip the beam reach. (If we even sail at all.)

I have to counter steer very aggressively when running/very broad reaching to stay
pointed in the right direction. The excessive yaw if I do not tends to make the
passengers a bit green.

I don't see any way around this, and I'm guessing sailors in the Bay area as well
as elsewhere must have to contend with something similar. Is this normal for
those folks sailing in such wind?

Paul
--
Second Wind (Catalina 30), Maui Hawaii

Handling waves
 

Actually, SF Bay area sailors don't really have any waves to contend
with (though we do get plenty of wind in "the slot") except for the rare
few who get out and do some coastal sailing. Even then, few go out
unless the waves are pretty tame. The day sailing in the bay is just
too nice.

I don't recall having much trouble on beam reaches in the Catalina 30 we
used to have ( http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/sc-600-400.JPG ).
Just the opposite. As long as there was any decent wind, on a beam
reach, the boat would settle into a angle of heel and stay there without
almost no roll. Rocking and heaving, but little or no roll.

Down wind now, with the waves coming from a few degrees off dead astern,
we got the same excessive yaw you describe. First one direction as the
stern started to lift, then the other as the wave rolled under the bow.
It could take some agressive steering sometimes just to avoid a jibe.

FWIW, our current boat has a full keel (w/ a cutaway forefoot) and is
sooooo much easier to steer in a seaway that there's almost no
comparison. I litterally can read a book while steering, glancing up
every couple of paragraphs and possibly adjusting the wheel an inch or
two. Our Catalina had a tiller and you could trim it so that it had a
very light helm, even in high wind conditions. But it liked to turn, so
you had to pay attention at the helm. The Tayana loves to go straight.
Took some getting used to around the docks, but get out where you want
to follow a course for awhile, and it's a pussy cat.

Fair winds - Dan

Paul Billings wrote:

I am located in Maui, Hawaii, and sail a Catalina 30 off the S.E.
coast. The
trade winds normally funnel between the two large volcanoes, often
accelerating
the winds to 30+ kts.

With suitable reefing and a small headsail, the heel angle is under
control upwind,
however the wind chop has built to shall we say, "uncomfortable"
levels --
particularly on a beam reach. I'm not sure of the wave height, but
it's enough
to rock us at least 45 degrees. We now sail way upwind of our
destination,
just so we can run downwind and skip the beam reach. (If we even sail
at all.)

I have to counter steer very aggressively when running/very broad
reaching to stay
pointed in the right direction. The excessive yaw if I do not tends
to make the
passengers a bit green.

I don't see any way around this, and I'm guessing sailors in the Bay
area as well
as elsewhere must have to contend with something similar. Is this
normal for
those folks sailing in such wind?

Paul


--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean" http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

Handling waves
 

Actually, SF Bay area sailors don't really have any waves to contend
with (though we do get plenty of wind in "the slot") except for the rare
few who get out and do some coastal sailing. Even then, few go out
unless the waves are pretty tame. The day sailing in the bay is just
too nice.

I don't recall having much trouble on beam reaches in the Catalina 30 we
used to have ( http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/sc-600-400.JPG ).
Just the opposite. As long as there was any decent wind, on a beam
reach, the boat would settle into a angle of heel and stay there without
almost no roll. Rocking and heaving, but little or no roll.

Down wind now, with the waves coming from a few degrees off dead astern,
we got the same excessive yaw you describe. First one direction as the
stern started to lift, then the other as the wave rolled under the bow.
It could take some agressive steering sometimes just to avoid a jibe.

FWIW, our current boat has a full keel (w/ a cutaway forefoot) and is
sooooo much easier to steer in a seaway that there's almost no
comparison. I litterally can read a book while steering, glancing up
every couple of paragraphs and possibly adjusting the wheel an inch or
two. Our Catalina had a tiller and you could trim it so that it had a
very light helm, even in high wind conditions. But it liked to turn, so
you had to pay attention at the helm. The Tayana loves to go straight.
Took some getting used to around the docks, but get out where you want
to follow a course for awhile, and it's a pussy cat.

Fair winds - Dan

Paul Billings wrote:

I am located in Maui, Hawaii, and sail a Catalina 30 off the S.E.
coast. The
trade winds normally funnel between the two large volcanoes, often
accelerating
the winds to 30+ kts.

With suitable reefing and a small headsail, the heel angle is under
control upwind,
however the wind chop has built to shall we say, "uncomfortable"
levels --
particularly on a beam reach. I'm not sure of the wave height, but
it's enough
to rock us at least 45 degrees. We now sail way upwind of our
destination,
just so we can run downwind and skip the beam reach. (If we even sail
at all.)

I have to counter steer very aggressively when running/very broad
reaching to stay
pointed in the right direction. The excessive yaw if I do not tends
to make the
passengers a bit green.

I don't see any way around this, and I'm guessing sailors in the Bay
area as well
as elsewhere must have to contend with something similar. Is this
normal for
those folks sailing in such wind?

Paul


--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean" http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG

Handling waves
 

I am located in Maui, Hawaii, and sail a Catalina 30 off the S.E. coast.
The
trade winds normally funnel between the two large volcanoes, often
accelerating
the winds to 30+ kts.


I have sailed in simaliar conditions. We have an Orion 27. It has a bowsprit
and an inerstay with staysail. For up wind I use the staysail and main. For
down wind I take down the main and staysail and sail with the jib. Using the
jib only keeps the boat from trying to turn sideways on the waves. We also have
a full keel with cutaway forfoot. That helps too.


Dick

I have to counter steer very aggressively when running/very broad reaching
to stay
pointed in the right direction. The excessive yaw if I do not tends to
make the
passengers a bit green.

Handling waves
 

I am located in Maui, Hawaii, and sail a Catalina 30 off the S.E. coast.
The
trade winds normally funnel between the two large volcanoes, often
accelerating
the winds to 30+ kts.


I have sailed in simaliar conditions. We have an Orion 27. It has a bowsprit
and an inerstay with staysail. For up wind I use the staysail and main. For
down wind I take down the main and staysail and sail with the jib. Using the
jib only keeps the boat from trying to turn sideways on the waves. We also have
a full keel with cutaway forfoot. That helps too.


Dick

I have to counter steer very aggressively when running/very broad reaching
to stay
pointed in the right direction. The excessive yaw if I do not tends to
make the
passengers a bit green.