How Much Heel?

[Jackdaw]

interesting thought. So if the sails, of say a sloop rigged boat, are pulled in all the way, boom over the center line, and the apparent wind is say 27 degs. off the bow, and the sails are pulling properly, and you have a positive vmg to a mark upwind i call that a beat. terms and definitions have never been my strong point. it took me 45 years to learn what to call a bullard. hell, i called fenders bumpers till maybe just 5 years ago. i dont have a captains license, i have a masters licence, or what about those harbor pilots.

so when does a beat become a reach? is it degrees off the true wind? is it degrees off the apparent wind.
i have been on plane many times on my scow making good to weather. i called that beating. but im wrong alot. just ask wifey, she will confirm.

when does a reach become a beat? love some clarification.

Beating is making best windward VMG. It's normally with the wind at 38 -45 true wind angle, depending on the boat.

Sometime you will still be beating and be cracked off a few degrees, but that's normally due to seastate.

Everything else becomes reaching, until you are sailing at your max downwind VMG angle (145-180). Then your are running.

 

[Meriachee]

Reaching

Nice flag though.

 

[jon hansen]

an a scow will plane to weather quite well.

wind surfers, lasers, 49ers, thistles, highlanders, .............. etc.............. even flying scotts all can plane to weather if done right. 98% all centerboard skiffs made in the last 100 years can plane to weather, when all the stars align , enough wind with huge fat skilled crew.
ok, not fat, muscular

every thing can go down wind, even a 4 barreled raft, its going to weather well that is so fascinating .

'high performance sailing' by frank bethwaite. if you could chose one book. get that. first and foremost , the understanding of how air moves across the surface of the earth. then the gear to catch it all. study up on frank and his kids. 49ers are a very cool toys. frank and his friends and now his kids spent the last eighty years exploring the how to's.
........ and the rl24 as seen on its web sight. that boat is on plane, in a beat

 

[jon hansen]

on my 52 year old, full keel, alden yawl. my best vmg's are 50 ish degrees off the wind. modern keel boat sailors are always trying to pinch it up like a more modern shaped boats, always. but my vmg's drop.

a beat means close hauled. no mater the degrees off of true wind. .... i think

 

[jon hansen]

..... and on a yawl, you need to drop the mizzen in a beat for best vmg's. the mizzen becomes all drag in the bad air behind the main. who knew?

 

[jon hansen]

http://bethwaite360.com/

 

[Stu Jackson]

http://bethwaite360.com/

Great stuff.

Now, back to our originally scheduled question:

For a C310, and for most of our mid-sized Catalinas, the answers to BOTH #1 & #2 remain: FLAT.

Can we assume the OP meant apparent wind?

Higher winds require a different answer.

The other discussions were really fun material.

Jackdaw's point about smaller headsails makes great sense:
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A very illuminating and interesting discussion on co.com for those of you who might be in the market for a new jib.
http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=155362
Please read all three pages. Enjoy.
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Mizzens? I thought they were there for radar mounts.

 

[Jackdaw]

..... and on a yawl, you need to drop the mizzen in a beat for best vmg's. the mizzen becomes all drag in the bad air behind the main. who knew?

Old sailing joke:
Q: How do you tell the difference between a ketch and a yawl??

A: Put the mizzen up. It the boat speeds up, its a ketch. If it slows down, its a yawl.

Funny AND true.

 

[jon hansen]

Old sailing joke:
Q: How do you tell the difference between a ketch and a yawl??

A: Put the mizzen up. It the boat speeds up, its a ketch. It if slows down, its a yawl.

Funny AND true.

LOL. so true!

 

[jon hansen]

a yawl's mizzen is functionally a steering sail. as we know sailboats steer with the sails, rudder is just trim.
also that jib and jigger thing is so delightful in a blow.

all the considerations discussed here do have to deal with the OP questions. and the answer is always try and sail your vessel as flat as you can. as flatter is faster for sure. healing over for increased water line is an old wives tale. your water line will increase with the boat standing as tall as it can and your projected sail area will be more.

PS, mizzen staysail is our secret weapon, pain to fly, but pretty.

 

[jon hansen]

a side note if you will, as so few understand the function of a yawl or ketch today. the main mast is placed father forward on these rigs as compared to a sloop. in a deep reach or run as the wind pipes up we drop the mizzen on the stern. this leave the sail spread farther forward then a sloop helping the vessel weathervane ( keeping it steady) on its course. never broached the alden after 44 years. full keel with huge rudder helps too.