Close hauled in a 30

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Feb 18, 2011
93
Catalina 42 42 Windsor
I spent the day on lake St.Clair trying everything to get closer to the east wind that was blowing at 12/14 knots. I can't get any closer than 55 degrees. I carefully noted the wind direction prior to trying this. Are 30 O'Days just too tubby to point? I should add that I had my 110 Jib (new) and a good main sail. I pulled every line , adjusted the topping lift , attachment points for the jib, Vang and Cunningham, so I could pull the main as tight as a drum. No effect!!!!
I just stall out as I try to point.
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Adjusted topping lift? It's supposed to be slack. Do you have a traveler? What is/was Boom position? Jib sheets inside the lifeline? My boat points ok but I don't have a meter,just use a windicator. Do you have a swing, shoal or fin keel?
 
Feb 18, 2011
93
Catalina 42 42 Windsor
30 O'day

Yeah ,I relaxed the topping lift to get the sail tighter. I usually keep it a bit too high to save my head from the boom. I had the Jib well inside the lifelines. The traveler was a smidgen past the center-line to help keep the boom close to the center-line. I got as close as I could on StarBd tack. I noted the compass heading and switch to a Port tack. Again I worked it as close as I could get. The compass indicated I had changed course 110 degrees. I guy from my marina with a C&C was pointing less than 45 degrees. I studied his sails and compared them to mine. I've got nothing! It is an 83 with a fin keel. I removed all the crud and bottom paint sanded the bottom and coated with interlux 2000.
I can get 6.5 knots on a beam reach in 12 knots of wind. But I can't get her to point. Frustrating.
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Mine usually points (this is by eying the windicator) I use "clock" for my friends to understand I'd say she points around 2 and 10 o clock. There are times when I've had the boom slightly to windward to get the "twist" in the upper part of the main. Oh and my boat is essentially the same as yours. try loosening the leach a little?
I'm not an expert by any means.
Maybe some reading would help. http://www.sailingworld.com/experts/how-to-point-foot-and-shift-gearsSolving Pointing Problems
An inability to hold a lane or position close to other boats can really destroy a tactical game plan. Pointing problems are not so much indicated by the angle that the boat seems to be sailing relative to the boats around us, but more by the fact that the boat is actually sliding to leeward.
Trying to pinch to maintain height can be the crux of the problem. The old adage, "foot, then point," says a lot. A boat needs to go fast before the underwater foils can develop enough lift to hold their position in the water. To regain pointing ability, ease the sails out, bear off slightly, and get back up to speed. Once up to top speed, re-trim to your starting point trim and reevaluate your pointing problem. If the problem persists, check your sail trim.
When sail trim is the cause of the problem, it’s usually the main, not the jib. The upper leech of the main provides most of your pointing ability. Be sure to trim the main so the upper batten is at least parallel to the boom. If you need more pointing ability, try trimming the main tighter. You can hook the upper batten as much as 15 degrees to weather for short periods. Avoid the temptation to overtrim the jib to help pointing ability. Hooking the jib leech will choke the slot between the main and jib, stalling the entire sailplan. The jib should never have less twist than described in the "basic setup."
Only after you’ve decided to trim the main harder should you try to pinch the boat. In this mode, the weather telltales on the jib will be stalled. In big puffs, the luff of the jib can break as much as 8 inches back. This "super pinch" mode can only be held for short bursts and in flat water. Once the boat starts to slow down, be sure to ease the sails out, regain your speed, then start the process again.
While it may seem natural to let the boat heel more when trying to point, fight the urge. Keeping the boat flat will help maintain a balanced helm and maximize the efficiency of your underwater foils. Still not pointing? Either your rig is too loose, resulting in too much headstay sag (i.e., the jib is too full) and sometimes too much mast bend, which makes the leech too open, or the luff tension on either sail is too tight (the draft is too far forward).
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,083
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
110 degrees? Actually, you''re doing quite well. Don't try to compare your performance to different boats. We can't point as high as many other boats. I wouldn't try to compare our tacking angles to a J boat, for example. I shoot for 120 degrees each tack and harden up after the tack.
 

BarryL

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May 21, 2004
1,074
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hey,

As Stu wrote, I don't think that 110 degrees true (not apparent) is that bad. My O'day 35 with shoal draft keel does about the same. My main is 1 year old and my 140 genoa is 5 years old. I race on a c&c 34 with fin keel and he can point much higher, to about 35 apparent or about 40-45 true.

I can pinch my boat up higher if I have to, to about 40 apparent, but the speed falls off and I make a lot of leeway.

To point as high as possible in 10-12 kts apparent wind the boom should be on center. You will have to raise the traveler to do that. The cunningham and vang should be off. The topping lift should be eased and the main sheet full tight. The headsail should be in as far as possible, but be careful with the sheets on the shrouds. If I try to bring my sail all the way in, the sheets hit the shrouds before the sail hits the spreaders. Then just steer as best as possible.

Good luck
Barry
 
Feb 18, 2011
93
Catalina 42 42 Windsor
30 O'day

Thank you all. Some great tips. I know I will never point like true racer but I want to keep playing with it and see if I can do better. Thank you again ..Colin
 
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