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#1
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How far do you pull in the main on a beat?
Haven't seen any posts here in a while.
A question came up at the yacht club last night while blowing the froth off a couple. Since I have a traveller, I have two adjustments for my main sail on my Catalina 27. For a beat, I usually tension the boom so there's sufficient draft in my main sail with the main sheet, then I adjust the traveller so the boom is parallel with my boat. I've always thought this allows me to point better into the wind and I've never thought it slowed me down. One sailor was telling me last night to ease the traveller a little and this will add speed. (boom not parallel with boat) With my GPS, when I do this, I don't notice any drop in speed, but I must turn off the win a little. Anybody have any aurgument against boom parallel with the boat on a beat? Guy in Florida |
#2
posted to alt.sailing
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How far do you pull in the main on a beat?
Guy,
Do you have telltails on the leach? If you don't, add them. Now, the telltails should stream straight away parallel to the sail - Except when beating. If you are sailing with little or no wind shear (variation in wind direction with elevation), the top batten should be parallel to the boom (according to may sailmakers). Mainsheet will get you there. Now comes the part you have to learn for your Cat27. When beating, with the main set as above, pull the traveler up to create a little weather helm. - Most boats I've sailed want 10-15 degrees of break on the telltails. You don't actually want the weather helm, but what it is doing is setting the angle of attack (AOA) for the the keel. Sailboats all go somewhat sideways most of the time (given - ask any naval architect). The load that causes the little bit of weather helm is setting the keel up with a 1~3deg AOA. If you set up neutral helm, the keel will still have to have the same AOA to work, but you will loose it from COG. You may not see any change in boat speed, but, if you set the GPS up correctly, you will see an improved WCV or VMG which ever you use. Where the boom ends up is anybody's guess. Kind of typically, it is rare that it wants to be to weather of the backstay. Note: Unexplained TLA (Three Letter Abbreviation) are in the GPS instructions. Matt Colie Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner and Perpetual Sailor Guy wrote: Haven't seen any posts here in a while. A question came up at the yacht club last night while blowing the froth off a couple. Since I have a traveller, I have two adjustments for my main sail on my Catalina 27. For a beat, I usually tension the boom so there's sufficient draft in my main sail with the main sheet, then I adjust the traveller so the boom is parallel with my boat. I've always thought this allows me to point better into the wind and I've never thought it slowed me down. One sailor was telling me last night to ease the traveller a little and this will add speed. (boom not parallel with boat) With my GPS, when I do this, I don't notice any drop in speed, but I must turn off the win a little. Anybody have any aurgument against boom parallel with the boat on a beat? Guy in Florida |
#3
posted to alt.sailing
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How far do you pull in the main on a beat?
"Guy" wrote...
With my GPS, when I do this, I don't notice any drop in speed, but I must turn off the win a little. Anybody have any aurgument against boom parallel with the boat on a beat? It depends on the specific boat, rig, and sails. My SeaPearl sailed best with the boom no closer than the lee rail. I've sailed dinghies that sailed well with the boom pulled in tight... When you use your GPS, check the track made good as well as the speed. While you may sense a bit of change in heading when you ease the traveler, the boat may slip less to leeward, resulting in the same or better course made good. Experiment in steady wind conditions, and see how your boat responds. |
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