I've never put water in my forward (under the v-berth) water tank. I'm curious, for those that have, does putting water in the tank cut down on hobby horsing (pitching) in rolling/choppy seas?
Catalina 30 Hobby Horsing
- Thread starter dworfel
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Not really. The boat hobby horses because of several different things, but it is present in most boats of similar designs.
The best way to deal with the hobby horsing is to have some bit of sail up. The boat is designed to sail and the sail corrects for a lot of the hobby horsing. It gives it more stability and drive forward.
I hate going into rough seas on the engine alone. If I have to I will carry a reefed main and point high just to keep from loosing most of my forward progress due to the hobby horse.
The best way to deal with the hobby horsing is to have some bit of sail up. The boat is designed to sail and the sail corrects for a lot of the hobby horsing. It gives it more stability and drive forward.
I hate going into rough seas on the engine alone. If I have to I will carry a reefed main and point high just to keep from loosing most of my forward progress due to the hobby horse.
Actually, it will make it worse. Any weight away from the center of gravity (in your boat right near the engine) contributes to the fore and aft pitching or hobby horsing. As Bad Obsession mentioned, it is slow as well as being annoying. Race boats carry as little as possible in the v berth, and almost nothing, including crew, at the very stern.
Thanks for the thoughts...I too have sails up when we're motoring. Much more stability. Lake Michigan is a major pain to motor on in a rough head on sea.
Sailboat hulls are designed to work most effectively and comfortably going in an ANGLE into the wind induced waves. Think about it...
I am continually amazed seeing sailboats of all sizes motoring DIRECTLY into large waves (usually when there's a nice fair breeze up). It has got to be the most uncomfortable ride known to man.
We usually say to each other when we see that and five people huddled way in the stern of the boat: "It's a sailboat, man, sail it! You'll be a LOT more comfortable."
And being behind the wheel in those conditions is only slightly less uncomfortable than being tied down on the bowsprit.
I am continually amazed seeing sailboats of all sizes motoring DIRECTLY into large waves (usually when there's a nice fair breeze up). It has got to be the most uncomfortable ride known to man.
We usually say to each other when we see that and five people huddled way in the stern of the boat: "It's a sailboat, man, sail it! You'll be a LOT more comfortable."
And being behind the wheel in those conditions is only slightly less uncomfortable than being tied down on the bowsprit.
I refer to this as "bow busting". When racing being as lite as possible means emptying your tanks, but in the case where we sailed my buddy's dad '80 Catalina 30 outside from Mobile, Alabama to Pensacola, Florida one spring day I was grateful I had ballast forward. I had to sail in the troughs and our bow was cutting into 8 foot waves going forward close hauled that day. It was my first experince with the 30 Catalina in seas like this and she sailed well, but I thought the boat was going to crack in two hearing that deep and loud resonnance from the bow slamming forward. Thats when I called it, "bow busting"! Having a full v-berth water tank, I felt was more of a positive then negative. Fiberglass, you gotta love it.
my 2-cents on the subject
Bob
'88 Mark II
my 2-cents on the subject
Bob
'88 Mark II
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