extra weight versus speed

[txtowman]

I have a catalina 22 swing keel

I want to take some heavy items with me since I stay out for at least 3 days at a time.

2 cf fridge 50 lbs(loaded)

honda 2000 gen 50 lbs

portable water heater 30 lbs

15 gallons of water

I solo so it may be moot.

how much will it affect speed and pointing in light air?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Not enough to concern yourself about. All together it doesn't amount to the weight of one person.

Have fun

Joe S

 

[Alan]

The smaller the boat the greater the percent of extra weight you are dealing with. To the QE ll, an extra 250lbs is inconsequential. That 250lbs is a much greater percent on your boat. Any weight should be moved low and centered in the boat for minimum affect of speed and pointing. Keep as much weight out of the ends as possible. For example, carrying an anchor on the bow rail is the absolute worst place to carry it. However, if you are carrying an aluminum Fortress in place of a CQR plow the affect is less noticeable.
Another major factor in pointing, boat speed and weather helm is a clean smooth bottom. If you have an outboard motor remove it from the water flow while sailing.

 

[sailingdog]

Your math is off or your people are a lot bigger than mine are...

130 lbs + 15 gallons of water at 8 lbs. per gallon is 250 lbs... that's more than a person, at least for my crew.

Not enough to concern yourself about. All together it doesn't amount to the weight of one person.

Have fun

Joe S

 

[sailaway78]

What does it matter

If your going out for two or three or four days to enjoy the water and sail your boat, what does it matter if the boat is a knot slower, or points 5% less high. Who cares. If your racing, it would be a big deal. But when cruising, it's about enjoying being on the water. Take what you need to make yourself comfortable, sail your boat and don't worry about an extra knot of boat speed.

 

[John Nantz]

It all adds up, but...

Conventional wisdom is to keep the weight low and in the middle of the boat; however, to tweak things a little bit, watch the water at the stern of the boat.

Some boats are designed so that the transom is above the waterline and as the boat speed increases the boat sits lower in the water. For example, the typical '30s boats had long overhangs so as speed picks up the waterline length actually increases and the long overhangs allowed for this.

Many modern designs have the swept-back transom and this was to decrease weight in the stern, but the other thing, if you look closely, is the underside of the hull slopes up to a point and then the sloped transom begins.

Now then, if the stern of the boat sits so low that the water rolls up the swept back stern you're loosing speed. If your boat resembles this picture then if the weight is moved forward so the stern comes up then the boat can go faster. By the same token, you don't want to burry the bow so it's a balancing act.

An example of this was a Hunter 35.5 that won their class in the Pacific Cup race from San Francisco to Hawaii. They noticed this effect and moved weight forward and boat speed increased, consequently they won their class. Yippee!

A clean bottom and no motor/prop drag was a good recommendation. Going downwind and even on a beam reach the centerboard might be able to be angled or raised to reduce drag.

As for the 250 pounds, yes, it may be more than one person if they are naked but I wouldn't nit-pick it. However, my woman brings "stuff" along. Maybe not the kitchen sink but close! This is not Florida where bikinis rule.

A heat wave into the 90s is forecasted for next week though.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Yes sailingdog, my people are heavier than yours. I used to be a lot lighter but now I weigh 235 and I always carry a bag of gear. I haven't weighed it to see if it was 10, 15, or 20 pounds , but I thought 250 #s was a good generalization. I didn't stop to wonder if he was also going to carry bedding, towels, rain gear, soap or toilet paper. It's still not going to make a lot of difference to him.

Have fun

Joe S

 

[txtowman]

plus cooler box, 10 life jackets, porta potti, laptop, bedding for 3, probably 30 lbs food, fishing gear, 2 80 pound batteries, clothes 4 a week at least. 20 lbs tools.

my boat is 5 inches deeper in the stern at rest, according to the factory boot stripe.
with the keel up if that makes a difference. and no people.
the rudder is almost 0 bouyancy and it was floating nearby.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

txtowman wow! You've got all your weight in the stern. Weight will slow you down but dragging your stern will slow you down a lot more. You should put some of that weight forward and trim your boat so that the actual waterline will parallel the boot stripe even if the boot stripe is submerged, and that's the condition with you in it. So at rest it probably should be down by the bow.

Good luck

Joe S

 

[txtowman]

only things behind the keel winch is me the OB and gas tank

 

[higgs]

Just go.

 

[Alan]

Bottom line here is, yes all these things affect pointing, heeling, boat speed and weather helm. Collectively they can make a significant change in boat performance.

How important these things are for you is a personal choice.

 

[Mark Major]

Just go.

And take anything you want with you. I look at my boat as a life pod: anything and everything I need in life can go aboard. On a week or longer excursion I estimate I take up to 1000 lbs of crap with me; excess food and water first then lately a generator and air conditioner. Sure, this slows me down (and morismor), especially when I discover my new draft as I drag the bottom, but it's a sailboat; "the hardest way to go anywhere, slowly". My extra stuff makes it easier on me.