I'm new to sailing and new to racing. I'm looking to shortcut the learning curve on how to configure my boat for top level racing. I have a PHRF handicap of 102. My boat has older UK sails(dacron) that are in pretty good shape. I can still flatten the main. Since there is no adjustable back stay, I'm pretty much limited to the track positions to shape the genoa. The genoa is a 110. The boat is fast the way she is. We sail he well over 8 knts in 12-15 mph wind. So, what can I do to get the boat going powerfully fast? (From hull mods to new sails to rigging changes, to etc.) With regard to sails, if someone recommends a brand and type of sail, I'd like to know "Why" its being recommended. Thanks, Fred Hecker
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short cut
To go fast you need new sails, a crew that practices together, a clean bottom, a crew that practices together, A good coach,a crew that practices together,Have the yard fair your bottom and did I mention that practice helps? Whwn you start to slow down it's time for new sails and a botom job and more practice.
To go fast you need new sails, a crew that practices together, a clean bottom, a crew that practices together, A good coach,a crew that practices together,Have the yard fair your bottom and did I mention that practice helps? Whwn you start to slow down it's time for new sails and a botom job and more practice.
A few more suggestions
To take a cruising boat and race it for all it's worth is quite an ambitious project. Although it is relatively straightforward to think of ways to make the boat faster (if that is all you want) it is a lot harder to weigh the penalties used by the various handicapping rules against the expected net gain in speed. In other words: to know what to do to a boat in order to sail faster is relatively easy; to know what to do to a boat in order to WIN (on corrected time) is a whole different ballgame. In fact, although we have some very competent racers on this board you might also want to post to the usenet group <rec.boats.racing> for advice if winning is your primary goal. The basic issues are, of course, maximizing DRIVE and minimizing DRAG. The only way to maximize drive is to get the best sails you can afford and learn how to use them right (including how to tune the rigging). Minimizing drag is a beast with many different heads. Keeping the hull clean has already been mentioned. Also make sure you have a folding or feathering propellor (unless the handicapping penalty....etc.) Then keep the weight either out of the boat or place heavy items as low as possible while keeping the vessel "on it's feet" (i.e. moving with minimum heel). To reduce weight in a cruising boat, remove any accessories, tools and supplies that you don't really need during the race and, especially, make sure your water, diesel and waste tanks are nearly empty (unless that causes critical balance problems). If the rules allow that, you can even put your drinking water in a few big jerrycans that can be moved from one side to the cabin to the other (and strapped down) on the different tacks while doing same with heavy toolboxes, etc. On one short offshore passage (Ensenada to Guadeloupe) in 1995 we left port with a slight list to starboard because of uneven stowage and tankage. Before we had time to worry about that, we got 25 knot NNW beam winds and found ourselves averaging 9-10 knots on a starboard tack the whole way to Guadeloupe (with a heavily loaded cruising boat!). It helped , no doubt, that we had a clean bottom and fairly new sails. However, as soon as we went to port tack to sail around the island we heeled badly and couldn't make any decent speed because of our uneven ballasting. Have fun! Flying Dutchman "Rivendel II", Legend 43 (hull #1)
To take a cruising boat and race it for all it's worth is quite an ambitious project. Although it is relatively straightforward to think of ways to make the boat faster (if that is all you want) it is a lot harder to weigh the penalties used by the various handicapping rules against the expected net gain in speed. In other words: to know what to do to a boat in order to sail faster is relatively easy; to know what to do to a boat in order to WIN (on corrected time) is a whole different ballgame. In fact, although we have some very competent racers on this board you might also want to post to the usenet group <rec.boats.racing> for advice if winning is your primary goal. The basic issues are, of course, maximizing DRIVE and minimizing DRAG. The only way to maximize drive is to get the best sails you can afford and learn how to use them right (including how to tune the rigging). Minimizing drag is a beast with many different heads. Keeping the hull clean has already been mentioned. Also make sure you have a folding or feathering propellor (unless the handicapping penalty....etc.) Then keep the weight either out of the boat or place heavy items as low as possible while keeping the vessel "on it's feet" (i.e. moving with minimum heel). To reduce weight in a cruising boat, remove any accessories, tools and supplies that you don't really need during the race and, especially, make sure your water, diesel and waste tanks are nearly empty (unless that causes critical balance problems). If the rules allow that, you can even put your drinking water in a few big jerrycans that can be moved from one side to the cabin to the other (and strapped down) on the different tacks while doing same with heavy toolboxes, etc. On one short offshore passage (Ensenada to Guadeloupe) in 1995 we left port with a slight list to starboard because of uneven stowage and tankage. Before we had time to worry about that, we got 25 knot NNW beam winds and found ourselves averaging 9-10 knots on a starboard tack the whole way to Guadeloupe (with a heavily loaded cruising boat!). It helped , no doubt, that we had a clean bottom and fairly new sails. However, as soon as we went to port tack to sail around the island we heeled badly and couldn't make any decent speed because of our uneven ballasting. Have fun! Flying Dutchman "Rivendel II", Legend 43 (hull #1)
Never a quick solution
I currently have a Legend 37 that I successfully race on Lake Michigan. They Keys that are imprtant in her winning are: 1. Smooth Bottom - Get the crew out on a saturday (or two), prior to painting with a fast hard bottom paintt, to sand the bootom of your boat so it is smooth as a baby's B----. 2. Folding Prop. Get a folding prop. the additional drag from a fixed prop is greater than the faster rating for PHRF. 3. Good Sails. I have North Sails, with the latrest technology (3DL mainsand genoas, and Polyester kites). I just think they are the best on the market. 4. Good deck orgainization. Make sure all of your running rigging is working properly. 5. Weight, Make sure all of your tanbks are empty (or as empty as they can be). And keep the cruising stuff off the boat during races. WEight is a major issue, 6. Experience crew. If you and your crew is new to the sport, ask some experienced sailors aboard for your beer can races, and listen to their advice. It generally takes about two years to get you crew up to speed. Practice with your crew, and of course - a well feed crew works bests. Good Luck Tim Gabrielse BLAZE Hunter Legend 37
I currently have a Legend 37 that I successfully race on Lake Michigan. They Keys that are imprtant in her winning are: 1. Smooth Bottom - Get the crew out on a saturday (or two), prior to painting with a fast hard bottom paintt, to sand the bootom of your boat so it is smooth as a baby's B----. 2. Folding Prop. Get a folding prop. the additional drag from a fixed prop is greater than the faster rating for PHRF. 3. Good Sails. I have North Sails, with the latrest technology (3DL mainsand genoas, and Polyester kites). I just think they are the best on the market. 4. Good deck orgainization. Make sure all of your running rigging is working properly. 5. Weight, Make sure all of your tanbks are empty (or as empty as they can be). And keep the cruising stuff off the boat during races. WEight is a major issue, 6. Experience crew. If you and your crew is new to the sport, ask some experienced sailors aboard for your beer can races, and listen to their advice. It generally takes about two years to get you crew up to speed. Practice with your crew, and of course - a well feed crew works bests. Good Luck Tim Gabrielse BLAZE Hunter Legend 37
Practice first
and get to know the boat, you and your crew, the first year. It will give you time to check out the sail lofts in your area and who will work with you. By that I mean when you drop 6 to 10 K on a main and jib will the man hand you 2 sail bags or will he come out to go for a sail or better yet a beer can race to instruct you and the crew how the sails are cut and how to get the most out of them. A lot of loft men sail the big boats and 1-Ds and know it all about sail trim but don't know your cruising boat, and how to get the max out of your boat. Check em out. Even with a keel job, hunters don't point, so don't pinch, go for speed and let the keel lift you. A good keel job is as important as your sails. I had all new crew when I moved from a 25 to a 34. The first year we learned the boat, then a keel job then sails. No sense wearing out sails if the keel doesn't help and we don't know the boat. And ball bearing cars make it easier to adjust the cars, so you will, and you will get the last tenth of knot out of the sails. We take our fair share of the gold with our 84 34. Best of luck. PJ
and get to know the boat, you and your crew, the first year. It will give you time to check out the sail lofts in your area and who will work with you. By that I mean when you drop 6 to 10 K on a main and jib will the man hand you 2 sail bags or will he come out to go for a sail or better yet a beer can race to instruct you and the crew how the sails are cut and how to get the most out of them. A lot of loft men sail the big boats and 1-Ds and know it all about sail trim but don't know your cruising boat, and how to get the max out of your boat. Check em out. Even with a keel job, hunters don't point, so don't pinch, go for speed and let the keel lift you. A good keel job is as important as your sails. I had all new crew when I moved from a 25 to a 34. The first year we learned the boat, then a keel job then sails. No sense wearing out sails if the keel doesn't help and we don't know the boat. And ball bearing cars make it easier to adjust the cars, so you will, and you will get the last tenth of knot out of the sails. We take our fair share of the gold with our 84 34. Best of luck. PJ
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