Getting our Catalina 30 to go to weather

[Erik Karlsson]

I find it difficult to point in the races with my competition. I would like some suggestions on sail trim and rigging information to improve my upwind performance. It is a 1981 Catalina 30 with shoal draft (draws 4 1/2 ft.). Invested in new sails last year, with the main sail havimg two upper battens full length. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Erik Karlssoncaptcrew@beachlink.com

 

[Tim Dranttel]

Pointing higher

Erik,I've got an '86 tall rig with the 5'3" fin keel and have been told that combination of extra sail area with the deep keel is the best sailing Cat 30 ever made. That being said, in optimum conditions I tack through 90 degrees and more than that in very light winds and/or choppy seas. As long as I carry good speed I get lots of lift from that keel but if I pinch much closer than about 40 degrees to the wind my speed drops and the keel stalls. I think part of the problem is the outboard sail track for the geneoa. On my boat there is sail track on the coach roof so you theoretically could rig a snatch block to the foresail sheet to bring the sheeting angle inboard. I don't race "offically" so I haven't tried this and I think you may be limited by the spreaders anyway. As far as trim goes I point the highest in light to moderate winds with the geneoa sheeted all the way to the spreader with the sheet lead adjusted so my foresail tell tales break simultaneously. My main is trimmed with the traveler all the way to windward and the sheet tight to flatten the sail. The end of the boom should be to windward of the boat's center line. As the wind increases keep the mainsheet tight but drop the traveler to leeward and start to move the geneoa sheet lead aft. Weather helm should be moderate resulting in about 5 degrees of helm to leeward and my boat sails best if I limit the amount of heel to 20 degrees.Hope this helpsTim

 

[Rhet Tignor]

Trim

Suggestions:You must have a split backstay, so a backstay adjuster is easy to rig. Buy two cable pullys attach them to a SS triangle. then rig a four part tackle from the triangle to an eye fixed well into the inside of the transom. Drawing the tackle tight shortens the backstay etc. Others fix the tackle to one side of the backstay. They then put a line on the otherside and run it through a single block attached to the SS triangle down to the four part tackle. Shortening the backstay, which tightens the forestay and bends the mast. This will generally enhance pointing ability.I disagree with the first writer about taking the travelor to windward. If anything it goes to windward ever so slightly. The key is a very tight mainsheet and a very tight outhaul. However as the wind lightens up the sail is softened with the mainsheet

 

[Michael McCann]

Pointing

Erik;Tim, and Rhet have both given you good information. Your biggest deterent to pointing ability is probably the keel, deeper is better. Let's say you are trimming your sails per Tim's advice, but you do not have an adjustable backstay, and don't want one. Try adjusting the shrouds, and stays to put a little aft bend in the mast, and keep the head stay tight. Your down wind performance will suffer, but you will point better. Or do what Rhet reccomends and add the adjustable backstay. Just remember that you will not point the same as a C30 with a deeper fin (if all other things were equal). Lastly pointing, in racing, is getting to an upwind destination first, and not the compass heading of your competitors bow.Michael