yesterday was my first day to sail in brisk winds, 20-25 mph, according to weatherman. the small inland lake was full of whitecaps and 2 foot swells. i should have reefed!, but was in a race and couldn't make myself stop and take the time. the boat is tender but didn't round up until heeled well over, i'd guess 40 degrees or more, my incline meter stops at 30 degrees. and the rudder gave lots of warning that it was about to give up before it actually rounded up, so i was usually able to release the sheet to prevent it from happening. if i thought i was going to sail in that kind of wind often, i would add another block and get more purchase on the mainsheet. it was all i could do to sheet in, with both arms. it sailed very fast, especially on the broad reaches, the gps consistenly showed almost 7 knots with a max of 7.1. beating upwind was about 5.5 or more. downwind without the spinnaker, wing and wing, we sailed at 6.5 knots. using the portsmouth rating of 92, we finished third behind a hobie and mc scow. although the thistles and J22 were ahead, we kept them in sight. the catalinas were far behind. considering my novice experience, i suggest that the rating is too high for heavy wind, and should be a lower number. of particular concern, was that on the longest unwind beat, the catalina almost caught up to me. my only thought is that i was so over powered, that i was having to depower the main too much. on the following broad reach, beam reach, and downwind legs we once again open up the margin of lead. however, in the previous day's race, very light winds, drifting race actually, i finished last, next to last, and last. so in those conditions, maybe a higher portsmouth number might be considered. an exciting day, and a muscle sore day after. doug
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H216 reefing
You're right, the boat is tender. I now reef early. In 20 mph winds a couple weeks ago, I repeatedly exceeded 7.5 knots reefed. Boat goes much faster reefed...and is easier to handle and more comfortable. I fly a spinnaker and race against mainly Thistles. I look for a 10-12 mph wind where the Thistles bump up against their lower hull speed limit but the wind is not strong enough for them to plane yet my higher hull speed comes into advantage! In light air, the Thistles cook me. I show good once it gets to 6-8 mph or better. Heavy air they go home and I win! Upwind they are faster and out point me. I think they pinch a lot but they are still faster. Downwind, if I can fly my spinnaker, I catch up. Raced a 20 miler yesterday in fluky winds. Won by consensus (race was called off part way thru final leg) as I kept unexpectedly catching up with the Thistles. Here's the rub: First long leg was upwind, no spinnaker. Second leg up a fork of the lake. Wind quit then clocked 180. Able to fly spinnaker for small part of it until it got too narrow. Upwind back down the fork. 90 degree starboard turn out of the fork back down the long leg. Wind changed direction 90 degrees coming out of the fork making the last leg an upwind leg also. Drat! I do better downwind but, except for a mile or so, there was no real downwind! I accused the club commodore, who is a Thisle'er, of arranging the course so it was all upwind! Fair winds!
You're right, the boat is tender. I now reef early. In 20 mph winds a couple weeks ago, I repeatedly exceeded 7.5 knots reefed. Boat goes much faster reefed...and is easier to handle and more comfortable. I fly a spinnaker and race against mainly Thistles. I look for a 10-12 mph wind where the Thistles bump up against their lower hull speed limit but the wind is not strong enough for them to plane yet my higher hull speed comes into advantage! In light air, the Thistles cook me. I show good once it gets to 6-8 mph or better. Heavy air they go home and I win! Upwind they are faster and out point me. I think they pinch a lot but they are still faster. Downwind, if I can fly my spinnaker, I catch up. Raced a 20 miler yesterday in fluky winds. Won by consensus (race was called off part way thru final leg) as I kept unexpectedly catching up with the Thistles. Here's the rub: First long leg was upwind, no spinnaker. Second leg up a fork of the lake. Wind quit then clocked 180. Able to fly spinnaker for small part of it until it got too narrow. Upwind back down the fork. 90 degree starboard turn out of the fork back down the long leg. Wind changed direction 90 degrees coming out of the fork making the last leg an upwind leg also. Drat! I do better downwind but, except for a mile or so, there was no real downwind! I accused the club commodore, who is a Thisle'er, of arranging the course so it was all upwind! Fair winds!
D
doug
reefing downwind
Paul, thanks for the response, do you keep your reef in when on the downwind legs? i'm not sure that i can reef in a reasonable length of time and would guess that once i got the reef in place, it would have to stay for the unpwind as well as downwind legs. our legs usually only last about 15 minutes per leg. thanks doug
Paul, thanks for the response, do you keep your reef in when on the downwind legs? i'm not sure that i can reef in a reasonable length of time and would guess that once i got the reef in place, it would have to stay for the unpwind as well as downwind legs. our legs usually only last about 15 minutes per leg. thanks doug
H216 Reefing
Hi Doug, I wouldn't shake out the reef for a 15 minute downwind leg then reef again on the fly when turning upwind. You'd burn too much time putting the reef back in and it is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Plus, if the wind is kicking you may be running at hull speed downwind so more sail area won't buy you very much unless the extra sail area popped you up on a plane. I don't really have a lot of experience though as I lake sail and the winds are usually far too light to reef...plus my prior boat, a Geary 18, had no reefing capability (which I sorely regretted a couple of times!). The few times I have done it, I reefed at the launch ramp as the winds were 20+ at launch. I have not reefed yet while afloat. I did shake out the reef once when the winds calmed...course shaking out the reef is far different from putting the reef back in. Maybe others on the forum can give their comments and experience. Like you, I have concerns about reefing during a race but the concerns are mostly about getting up on a plane. I have as yet to get the boat up on a plane, probably because of the lighter winds I usually have. I'm afraid if I reef during a race which I have as yet to do, I'll reduce power enough on a broad reach or downwind so I can't get up on a plane. Course in my case I could launch my spinnaker but I have not had the opportunity to do this and, if the wind is that strong, I think I'd prefer to shake out the reef so the main can blanket the spinnaker as much as possible.
Hi Doug, I wouldn't shake out the reef for a 15 minute downwind leg then reef again on the fly when turning upwind. You'd burn too much time putting the reef back in and it is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Plus, if the wind is kicking you may be running at hull speed downwind so more sail area won't buy you very much unless the extra sail area popped you up on a plane. I don't really have a lot of experience though as I lake sail and the winds are usually far too light to reef...plus my prior boat, a Geary 18, had no reefing capability (which I sorely regretted a couple of times!). The few times I have done it, I reefed at the launch ramp as the winds were 20+ at launch. I have not reefed yet while afloat. I did shake out the reef once when the winds calmed...course shaking out the reef is far different from putting the reef back in. Maybe others on the forum can give their comments and experience. Like you, I have concerns about reefing during a race but the concerns are mostly about getting up on a plane. I have as yet to get the boat up on a plane, probably because of the lighter winds I usually have. I'm afraid if I reef during a race which I have as yet to do, I'll reduce power enough on a broad reach or downwind so I can't get up on a plane. Course in my case I could launch my spinnaker but I have not had the opportunity to do this and, if the wind is that strong, I think I'd prefer to shake out the reef so the main can blanket the spinnaker as much as possible.
shaking out reef
You would probably need two other knowledgeable crew members to quickly shake out a reef while racing. For reefing as you tack through the wind: Person B pulls out the sail ties and disconnects the clew reef line. Person C disconnects the tack reef line and pulls on the main halyard. All these activities need to happen at about the same time. You also don't want to be shaking out a reef while going around the mark if there are other boats real close by. Reefing takes a bit longer if for no other reason because it takes longer to pull the sale down and tie in the sail sites at the foot of the sail. I haven't raced my H216 but I have crewed on other larger boats. I agree that shaking a reef for a short downwind link may not be worth it (unless your crew is really gung-ho).
You would probably need two other knowledgeable crew members to quickly shake out a reef while racing. For reefing as you tack through the wind: Person B pulls out the sail ties and disconnects the clew reef line. Person C disconnects the tack reef line and pulls on the main halyard. All these activities need to happen at about the same time. You also don't want to be shaking out a reef while going around the mark if there are other boats real close by. Reefing takes a bit longer if for no other reason because it takes longer to pull the sale down and tie in the sail sites at the foot of the sail. I haven't raced my H216 but I have crewed on other larger boats. I agree that shaking a reef for a short downwind link may not be worth it (unless your crew is really gung-ho).
reefing 216
I made one modification to my 216 which helps unreefing, namely I cut the halliard just forward of the masthead, and attached a block to the upper end. I then ran a new halliard from the cleat, thru' the block, and back to the cleat, thus giving a 2 to 1 advantage hoisting the mainsail, at the cost of more rope lying around. I almost always shake out a reef for a downwind leg, unless it's really honking. With the extra power in the halliard, it takes almost no time to shake out the reef. I agree the boat's quite tender in heavy air, without at least four crew. Over 12 or 15 knots, I would always have a crew member on the mainsheet; can't handle it myself as well as the tiller. I haven't yet fitted a traveler, and would be interested in your experience with one, particularly regarding speed upwind in light to moderate air. Alas, the season here is over. A la prochaine! H.
I made one modification to my 216 which helps unreefing, namely I cut the halliard just forward of the masthead, and attached a block to the upper end. I then ran a new halliard from the cleat, thru' the block, and back to the cleat, thus giving a 2 to 1 advantage hoisting the mainsail, at the cost of more rope lying around. I almost always shake out a reef for a downwind leg, unless it's really honking. With the extra power in the halliard, it takes almost no time to shake out the reef. I agree the boat's quite tender in heavy air, without at least four crew. Over 12 or 15 knots, I would always have a crew member on the mainsheet; can't handle it myself as well as the tiller. I haven't yet fitted a traveler, and would be interested in your experience with one, particularly regarding speed upwind in light to moderate air. Alas, the season here is over. A la prochaine! H.
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