315 Winds & Sails & Heel Angles

[asalotto]

Hello fellow 315 owners!

I was sailing yesterday in 10 kts, with slightly reefed main and slightly reefed 135 genoa. With this, I was getting 20 - 25 degree heel angles (according to Garmin). This it the beginning of my second season with this boat, but I'm surprised at the amount of heel with only 10 kts of wind.

Does this level of heel at 10 kts match your experience? At what winds do you do an initial reef?

Thanks!
Anthony

 

[stephen_i_w]

How fast were you going? I ask because in my expereince 10 knots would not over power my c315 even with full sails out. Although, 25 degrees of heel could be fun.

 

[asalotto]

Hi Stephen. Yes, I'm surprised too. I was moving, like 6.5 to 7 kts, which is great in 10 kts of wind. But again, the heel confused me. 25 degrees was fun, but again, seemed excessive for 10 kts. I'm wondering if I had it trimmed all wrong!

 

[stephen_i_w]

If you were moving slow, I would have thought that you were too trimmed in. But, 6.5 knot boat speed is great. I have sailed in 30 knot winds (reefed) and she handled just fine.

Maybe your wind instrument is a bit squirrelly. Sounds like a fun day!

 

[Davidasailor26]

Are you sure the wind instrument is reading correctly? 10 knots of wind shouldn’t be overpowered. What did the water look like? Consistent whitecaps are a good indicator for winds above 12 or so.

 

[Alansails]

We have had our sailmaker make a recommendation for headsails and headsail was 135% which was what the boat was designed for.
we have sailed in 30 knots and were balanced so I would say trim? or wind speed
BUT the boat does sail good!

 

[stephen_i_w]

Today, I was out on Lake St Clair. According to my wind instrument it was gusting up to 20 knots, true wind. My boat was heeling, I was doing better than 6 knots and it certainly felt like 20 knots at the time. But, I saw no white caps. The thought occured to me that perhaps the wind atop my mast (almost 50 feet above the water) was more that the wind at the surface. Perhaps that explains the conundrum.

It was a fun day!

 

[Alansails]

As long as you were safe and had fun!
Great Stories to tell!

 

[danstanford]

If the heel was more than you wanted in the gusts you can feather the main sheet or traveller when the gusts hit to keep her on her feet. Make sure you are looking at true wind as well since your apparent wind will be much higher when you are going upwind.

 

[Siamese]

2014 Catalina 315 here. In ten knots of wind, we'd be using the main and genoa with no reefs, and wouldn't be heeling nearly that much.

One or more of your numbers is...goofy.

We do our initial reef at about 15 knots.

6.5 to 7 knots with reefed main and genoa in 10 knots of wind? Were you going downhill?

Sounds like maybe you were in something a little north of 15 knots of wind.