This is my second year sailing, I would like to know how far I could lean with my Mac 25, for I would not like to end up in the water, but would like to get a little closer to the edge. I just put on a clin-ometer, now I need to know how manay degrees I can get? Any Help would be helpful. Thanks!
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Joe Barrett
It's called Heel!
20 degrees should be about the max but the boat could take more if your just having fun. For best performance sailing 12-15 degrees should be the max.
20 degrees should be about the max but the boat could take more if your just having fun. For best performance sailing 12-15 degrees should be the max.
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Allen
Another thing.....
..to consider, Joe, is that when you are heeling excessively, the boat has a natural tendency to head into the wind. In order to hold a straight course, so much pressure is put on the rudder so that it acts as a brake. Really heeling over can be exciting and fun, but not really efficient sailing. I agree with the other Joe....12 to 15 degrees is plenty of "lean".
..to consider, Joe, is that when you are heeling excessively, the boat has a natural tendency to head into the wind. In order to hold a straight course, so much pressure is put on the rudder so that it acts as a brake. Really heeling over can be exciting and fun, but not really efficient sailing. I agree with the other Joe....12 to 15 degrees is plenty of "lean".
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Bob
About the time
you start taking water over the rail and into the cockpit, your self-preservation instinct will kick in (if it hasn't before then), and you will start taking steps to make the boat sail more upright. In other words, for most of us the boat can stand more heel than we can. The more it heels, the more wind is spilled from the sails, and the greater the leverage of its ballast, so it actually becomes more resistant to further heeling, all other factors being equal. Many boats are sailed "rail under" much of the time, and I recall seeing a photo taken early in the century of the royal yacht "Britannia"'s captain with one foot in the water rushing along the deck, holding the wheel, and steering her quite comfortably.
you start taking water over the rail and into the cockpit, your self-preservation instinct will kick in (if it hasn't before then), and you will start taking steps to make the boat sail more upright. In other words, for most of us the boat can stand more heel than we can. The more it heels, the more wind is spilled from the sails, and the greater the leverage of its ballast, so it actually becomes more resistant to further heeling, all other factors being equal. Many boats are sailed "rail under" much of the time, and I recall seeing a photo taken early in the century of the royal yacht "Britannia"'s captain with one foot in the water rushing along the deck, holding the wheel, and steering her quite comfortably.
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Steve
Actually, about the time.....
.....you go too far over, your boat will head into the wind no matter what you do with the rudder. My wife and I race, and when racing either reef or let out the mainsheet in order to keep heeling to a minimum. However, when not racing, just for fun we push our Catalina 34 over - gets pretty exciting. Don't worry, without big waves, you won't go over. You will suffer a round up before it goes over. We got hit in a race near the finish line by a gust that rounded us up and forced us to do a complete 360 turn before we were able to get headed back toward the finish line. Needless to say, the first place finish I was beginning to see possible faded away by the time we completed our full rounding.
.....you go too far over, your boat will head into the wind no matter what you do with the rudder. My wife and I race, and when racing either reef or let out the mainsheet in order to keep heeling to a minimum. However, when not racing, just for fun we push our Catalina 34 over - gets pretty exciting. Don't worry, without big waves, you won't go over. You will suffer a round up before it goes over. We got hit in a race near the finish line by a gust that rounded us up and forced us to do a complete 360 turn before we were able to get headed back toward the finish line. Needless to say, the first place finish I was beginning to see possible faded away by the time we completed our full rounding.
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Ron Mehringer
High freeboard
Most of the newer boats, with high freeboard, are fastest when they're sailed flat. On a Hunter 26 the rule is reef if you can't keep heel below 15 degrees. Older boats were often sailed with the rail in the water. On those boats it might have occurred at 25 to 30 degrees of heel. Our high freeboard boats are practically flat on their side by the time the rail hits the drink. Ron Mehringer s/v Hydro-Therapy
Most of the newer boats, with high freeboard, are fastest when they're sailed flat. On a Hunter 26 the rule is reef if you can't keep heel below 15 degrees. Older boats were often sailed with the rail in the water. On those boats it might have occurred at 25 to 30 degrees of heel. Our high freeboard boats are practically flat on their side by the time the rail hits the drink. Ron Mehringer s/v Hydro-Therapy
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John Dawson
Dive
The more you heel, the more your rudder tells the boat to climb or dive rather than go port or stb. Unlike catamarans, the loss of rudder control usually results in the boats design taking over.
The more you heel, the more your rudder tells the boat to climb or dive rather than go port or stb. Unlike catamarans, the loss of rudder control usually results in the boats design taking over.
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Tom
It won't turn over
A friend had a mac 25 and we would get out on windy days and see who could get the most water in the cockpit. Even with a lot of water in the cockpit it came back up "no problem" Be sure to close the hatch before getting on the edge. It's poor sailing technique but can be a lot of fun. My daughter has laid on the leeward side and asked me to get her hair wet!!!! Make sure everything is secure below and place heavy stuff low in the boat.
A friend had a mac 25 and we would get out on windy days and see who could get the most water in the cockpit. Even with a lot of water in the cockpit it came back up "no problem" Be sure to close the hatch before getting on the edge. It's poor sailing technique but can be a lot of fun. My daughter has laid on the leeward side and asked me to get her hair wet!!!! Make sure everything is secure below and place heavy stuff low in the boat.
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