Installing a Clinometer .... what's level

[Git-R-Done]

I've got an inclinometer on my Catalina 25, and I think it's an essential piece of sailing equipment. Mine is right below the companionway, and I just put it level with the companionway opening. After all, you want the instrument plum with the boat, not the water. You might find that your boat lists to one side or the other.

In sailing, flatter is not always better. A boat with a bit of heel has a longer water line than one that's sitting flat in the water. I used to sail with a guy who said that all boats should heel exactly 17 degrees. I'm not sure that I agree that ALL boats should heel 17 degrees, but my Catalina 25 does best with about 20 degrees of heel--17 degrees is pretty close to right.

I use my inclinometer to assist my crew in "butt management," that is, move your butt so that the boat heels about 20 degrees. Sit on the high side in strong wind, sit on the low side in gentle wind.

 

[Mike B]

Re: other WOW stuff

Bill, I usually guage angle of heel by how hard it is to stay in my seat. If I can't stay put it's usually time to tweek the trim a bit
Mike

 

[Ross]

Re: other WOW stuff

Level on a moving platform is slightly absurd. I do all the cooking on board and can tell by the fat in the skillet which side of the boat my 130 pound wife is sitting on.
Learn what is comfortable sailing from the angle of the mast to the horizon. Just eyeball it and it is close enough.
As far as being obsessed with square, plumb and level I haven't worked in a new house or and old one that was perfectly true. you build to what is not what should be. Doors and windows must be true and pipes must drain.

 

[Mike B]

Re: other WOW stuff

Ross, the reference to "square" just simplifies the process of mounting the clinometer. There's no need to gauge the level of the deck or angle of the mast. Nor add or shift weight. For all practical purposes he can assume the companionway is a square as it's going to get. If he aligns the clinometer with the companionway he's going to compensate for any angle the boat is currently sitting at. If the companionway is sitting a tad bit to STBD then so will be the clinometer. It's that simple.
Mike

 

[TimCup]

Ross- I agree-

I did have a boat that built absolutely square though. We called it "raft".


cup

 

[All U Get]

Hi Scott,
I agree with those that say rough-enough and admire those that have a technical way of adjusting the universe. On those old square riggers the spars were set by standing back and using the horizon, a huge water level. However I might offer this method since the work we do has to be approved by the Admiral for more funding.
First of all tie up to the dock and grab a bottle of Pussers by the neck while sitting in the cockpit. Slowly tip the bottle to youe eye to view through the bottom of the jug. If there's any liquid in the way slowly sip it until you can see the bottom without spilling any out. It helps to be a bit boisterous at this time and although the bottle is brown the liquid remaining should provide a level line. Open your other eye and you now see a level line across your entire boat.
Quickly call for the Admiral from below deck and ask her to smile while she stands in the companion way. Keep staring in the bottle until she asks what you're doing. Then say you are tuning the clinometer and her smile has the perfect alignment for the task, she being the most level-headed of the two of you. Then ask her to draw the line since you are having difficulty with level and standing plumb.
Offer her the remains of the bottle and then I leave you to your imagination. It helps to slur a few words and hit your head on something.
All U Get
Still snowing up there, eh? :dance:

 

[Mike B]

Ahhh "All UGet" has the best idea of all!

 

[Scott B]

Still snowing and I think a few of us a little stir crazy and anxious to get back on water that is liquid.



Quite the discussion. I did learn a few tricks and will try some in the spring. I know my boat has a list to port, but don't know if it's from the tank distribution, the mast or both. I didn't want to install something that is based on level and start out wrong, no matter what degree of accuracy.


Of course when we head out for the weekend or longer, all the liquid weight is on the port side, the deisel full, the cooler full of ice and beer under the only settee where it will fit on the same side as the deisel and the galley, fridge and freezer full of food and beverages. I will be adding more batteries on the strbd side in the spring so may help some.

 

[Scott B]

Ross, isn't it that s#*t flows downhill :

 

[Ross]

Ross, isn't it that s#*t flows downhill :

Yup! and payday ius friday and don't chew yer finger nails. That's what they teach the first day a plumbing school.

 

[Ray T]

I like Bob Poffs idea ,quick and simple also accurate enough.

 

[jacksam]

Installing a Clinometer
Second try on picture
Jack

 

[shorty]

Reasons why

1. Sail better when flatter. 2. Do not run (Yanmar anyway) engine at greater than 15 degree heel, say if you are warming up to douse the sails.
I set mine in calm water at the dock when things looked reasonably level. Close enough, within 1-2 degrees.

 

[Scott B]

So you are on the level Jack just what I was thinking.

 

[walt]

Im usually sailing in gusty high elevation mountain wind in an old macgregor water ballast sailboat (ie, sails like a large dingy) so trying to watch the angle meter much would get me dizzy.

But one thing I noticed happened from having it. I have several friends who work at the same company who go sailing on the boat and it seems to be somewhat of a challange with them to see who can get MY boat to heel over the farthest - and of course, this generally seems like a good idea to me (with the small amount of common sense I have, it seems plenty safe in the boat to do this). Fortanetly the meter pegs at 45 degrees. Im guessing that no matter how high the meter pegged, these folks would be trying to peg it.

 

[Nereussailor]

Take a piece or clear hose, tape it so the ends are sticking up a few inches above the line where you want the clinometer. fill the tube with water so that the water is at the line where you want the clinometer. draw a line between the water marks and mount it.

D

 

[BobM]

Boy you folks are making more work of this than it needs to be. Last time I checked gravity still worked. tie a plumb bob to your boom and line up the zero line on your inclinometer with the line on the bob. All done. It isn't that important anyway. If you want to reduce error place it low in your boat and do it when the boat is at whatever average is for tank levels, etc...

 

[Scott B]

Bob, now doesn't that make sense.... sometimes the most simplest answer is not always the most obvious. I was approaching it from a bubble level and trying to figure out how to determine what was level on the boat. Your solution is from the plumb or vertical standpoint and not always what you think of until you smack your head and go DOHHH !!

 

[sailingdog]

Scott—

A plumb bob doesn't help if your boat isn't level on her lines. A better way is to run a tight line across the cockpit, since the two coamings are probably the same height on most boats, and the same distance from the keel. That would give you a line that is perpendicular to the mast (assuming your mast is rigged properly ) and should ideally be the "level" for the boat if she were trimmed level to her lines.

Having the inclinometer level to the design lines of the boat can give you good feedback about things like why the boat may be faster on one tack than the other...since if it is heeled a few degrees more on one tack than the other for any reason, it may well affect the performance of the boat, but not be all that noticeable to you or your crew.