Boat faster on Port Tack...

[capta]

In my one and only adventure on the Great Lakes I really enjoyed the lack of tide. Wouldn't that generally mean a lack of current also, except in places like the Detroit River or the Kingston area?
Why would rake or lack of it change performance on a tack? Wouldn't the effect be the same on both tacks if the mast was true athwart ship?
I wouldn't count on a log for accurate speed readings. As mentioned above use only GPS.

 

[Jackdaw]

In my one and only adventure on the Great Lakes I really enjoyed the lack of tide. Wouldn't that generally mean a lack of current also, except in places like the Detroit River or the Kingston area?
Why would rake or lack of it change performance on a tack? Wouldn't the effect be the same on both tacks if the mast was true athwart ship?
I wouldn't count on a log for accurate speed readings. As mentioned above use only GPS.

It is not atypical to see 1-3 knots of current around points and in slots between the apostle islands.

In general, Lake Superior has a counter-clockwise current that flows around the lake.

 

[capta]

Th

It is not atypical to see 1-3 knots of current around points and in slots between the apostle islands.

In general, Lake Superior has a counter-clockwise current that flows around the lake.

Thanks. I did the lakes before GPS so we probably wouldn't have noticed, had we encountered any, beyond the choke points I mentioned.

 

[jssailem]

I have been on the Michigan beaches when wind driven waves have set up rip currents, changing the shape of the beaches and snatching at your legs in the water. Have to believe these currents extend further out into the lake. Not like Ocean currents but they would have similar affect on boats near shore or structure that confines or channels the water.

 

[druid]

I also have a knot difference between port and stbd tacks (in many conditions, and I take into consideration ocean currents). I've looked at the mast and it looks pretty vertical (I had the shrouds replaced a few years ago by a reputable firm that SHOULD have centered the mast properly...). I don't see any curve or lean to the keel when she's out of the water. Sail trim is symmetrical. There is a lot of "stuff" on board a cruising boat and I imagine the CoG is not centered - if I look at the boat in the slip, I THINK I can see a bit of a list to port.

Would that cause such a large disparity in speed between tacks?

druid

 

[JohnVTX]

I also have a knot difference between port and stbd tacks (in many conditions, and I take into consideration ocean currents). I've looked at the mast and it looks pretty vertical (I had the shrouds replaced a few years ago by a reputable firm that SHOULD have centered the mast properly...). I don't see any curve or lean to the keel when she's out of the water. Sail trim is symmetrical. There is a lot of "stuff" on board a cruising boat and I imagine the CoG is not centered - if I look at the boat in the slip, I THINK I can see a bit of a list to port.

Would that cause such a large disparity in speed between tacks?

druid

Allot of difference in shroud tensions VS in or out of water. Curve or lean needs to be checked in the water with sails up and sailing.

 

[Cayennita]

One thing to renember is that you are sailing in lake Michigan. How did she perform last year compared to this year? Did you tape the threads above the turnbuckle so that you can repeat the settings? Is it vertical? The only time there is any kind of current is when the winds has been blowing from the north towards Indiana. Eventually all that waters has to go back north, otherwise current and tide are not an issue.
If you are close to shore in lake Michigan and there is very little wind, and confused seas from power boater, other sail boats abd the wave refraction from shore then you can have different performance in each tack. I raced Sonars in the NACC last week out of Belmont harbor abd my jib leads were on purpose on position different. One forward for a rounder shape to help through that very typical short chop, the other side flatter and played the waves different.