Light Air Sailing C310

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I was reading this article as I am still thinking of a new sail for our C310, what is the C310 owners go to light air sail? what are your conditions and location too. I'm lake locked for the next 5-10 years and we have a lot of weekend with light air, I learned love our old drifter on our O'Day 25 on those days and really think I could use something on the C310 next year.

https://www.sailmagazine.com/cruising/light-air-sailing
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Love it @paulj but not exactly light wind day to me! I see in the video you have something rigged in front of the Geny, what is it?
 

paulj

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Mar 16, 2007
1,361
Catalina 310 Anacortes,Wa
A asym on a RollGen. One picture shows it unfurled.
I use the asym only on winds 12 knots or less.
paulj
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
oh, that link only showed me a video of a crossing on the jib only, I see an attached picture now:) Looks cool, why is your main under the boom?
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
For perspective, JRT, here are some pictures in the Georgia Strait last February.
Conditions "Breeze".
IMG_5097.JPG IMG_5102.JPG
@LeslieTroyer maintaining a watch and @Ward H at the helm of Mahalo, Les's boat.
IMG_5101.JPG
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
@paulj that made me laugh out load in real life! Ya I'm giving my Dutchman a little more time but a stackpack is probably in my future.

@jssailem I'm pretty sure if we see that on the lake it is the end of the world... I enjoyed those days on other peoples boats in Maine and Rhode Island, but not so much in Lake Guntersville
 
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KZW

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May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
In mast furling main. Roller furling 155 Genoa, wing keel. Florida panhandle. I carry full sail to 13 - 14 knots. Boat will round up with full sail at 15 knots (lots of weather helm). Then I reef the main to the leading edge point of the Catalina symbol diamond. That eases the weather helm. At 16 knots I keep the main reef and furl Genoa to 135%. At 18 to 20 I reef the main to the aft part of the diamond and go to 70% Genoa. At that point the Genoa shape is rather useless. I also have an asymmetric I fly with winds up to 12 knots (one must know one's limits. I don't move as well as I once did). I try to limit my excursions to wind under 15 knots and most of the time it is. The admiral does not like it when the boat "leans" and the hull port light is under water.

There are five C-310s sailing in Choctawhatchee Bay. I can tell you the fin keel points higher and the baton main is faster. By boat is slow, but she is, roomy, comfy, and easy to sail.
 
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Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Traditional full batten mainsail, original. New 115 Yankee cut Genny with luff tape for improved shape furled in. Wing keel. Sailing the tropics. Conditions vary.

Last week sailing the west coast of Martinique, started light on the nose, around 5-8 knots on the nose so we motor sailed with 1st reef in the mainsail (hits the back stay when fully up in light air). As we approach Fort de France the wind clocked to a close reach at 12 knots. Furled out the Genny and killed the engine. Fort de France is a deep wide bay. So as you go past the wind has more fetch and gets stronger. Picked up to 16 knots. Still had full headsail but we were starting to round up on gust and healing over 20 degrees. Making about 6 knots. Furled in a bit, leveled up and increased speed to about 6.8 knots.

A squall hit with gusts to about 32 knots. The Precision sail has 3 reef points marked. Reef it until just past the 3rd point. Probably 85-75% but with the Yankee cut it reduces sail area more. Still making over 6 knot but lots of weather helm.

Squall passes. Winds shift and decrease. Now around 14 knots on A broad reach. Furled our the Genny. Only making about 5.6 knots. Needed more mainsail. Wished we had an inmast furler for times like this. But we knew the winds would change again soon. And they did.

Now it's back on the nose as we approach the southern tip of the island. Blowing about 16-18 knots. Seas are picking up to about 5-6 foot chop. Now we are only making about 3 knots motoring at 80% WOT. Now we see a squall coming around the southern tip. It looked to be a big one. With the wind and the waves we weren't sure it we could keep the bow into the wind and didn't want to get knocked down. So I chose to come about and run with the squall. We still had the mainsail at the 1st reef, the Genny was furled in. The gusts hit 45 knots and we hit 9.5 knots running down wind. It was white knuckle for about 30 minutes while I struggled to keep the boat going down wind.

Squall passed, we came about and were headed back towards our destination. Sailed close hauled into our anchorage.

I know. Not light sailing air sailing but it's what we have. Now for light air...

I have been mildly obsessed with the Bob Perry designed Saga 43 sail plan. The boat itself is ok but it's a narrow hull and doesn't have many of the comforts of a modern hull like our Catalinas. But the sail plan is based on two head stays. One comes to the end of the hull and the other is on a short (18" maybe) bow sprit. So less that 2 feet separating the two stays on the bow and less as it goes up the mast. On the inner stay there is a 95% furling jib setup for self tacking. The outer stay is a 140% Genny for light air. Heading up wind you use the self tacker. Once on a beam reach you switch to the larger sail. This means jibing with the big sail means rolling in and out. Won't help for racing but would be a great setup for cruising.

Long response, sorry.
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Good feedback all for sure. 2 sail lofts have talked with said what I want is a code 0. Maybe I need to man up to an asymmetrical.
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I'm guessing not a lot of C310 stuck in lakes with light wind days.
 
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rukidn

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Apr 23, 2012
160
Catalina 310 258 Sandusky, OH
We bought a drifter for our 310 two seasons ago and absolutely love it. Many days on Lake Erie with 4-10 knot winds, and we can comfortable sail 0.5 to 0.6 wind speed rather than fighting the genoa. I know 2 knots in 4 is not much, but we are sailing, and the winds usually change. We can point as well as with the genoa; comfortably. Most importantly, Margie loves this sail.

Sobstad 1.5oz nylon, 155%, 388 sq ft, aspect 2.35:1 cut high for great visibility. I haven't re-rigged the second jib halyard, so we are flying inside the forestay for now but plan to rig the crane over the winter as we've just bought a used 0.75oz asymmetrical. As-rigged, it's easiest to raise downwind of course. Easy to tack, and if the winds climb, the sock helps manage without chaos. Sheets run back to stern cleats to plastic blocks attached with soft shackles so no banging on the gelcoat. Only a few minutes to rig and remove, so I always remove the sheets when leaving the boat. Sheets are attached to clew with soft shackles as well, saving weight and my head.

We did not have a sock until this year and can't believe how easy to handle vs. before. I highly recommend a sock day one. Sorry I missed seeing this and posting earlier. /Ed
 

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JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Thanks @rukidn can you tell me more about your drifter? I loved my hank on drifter on my O'Day 25 but haven't seen one for a C310. Where did you get it? I assume it is free flying too.

It looks cool, any chance you want to sell it now that you are going to a spin:)
 

rukidn

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Apr 23, 2012
160
Catalina 310 258 Sandusky, OH
You must have missed that this is the wife's favorite sail...

We are adding the assym to learn, although the drifter works nice downwind. Free flying, with Spectra luff line, and I sent other details via PM. Sobstad has a loft in Cleveland area (Rocky River).

We bought a never been used 20 year old assymetrical from a dock neighbor who are selling their Catalina 320. Never been out of the bag, clean and like new, just a little musty. Unfortunately, we have to pull out in a few weeks for winter in the great white North.
 
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JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Thanks, Catalina Direct has their sails on 15% discount which puts a C310 cruising Spinnaker at $1700. Seems like a good deal
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I made the decision and ordered a Code 0 from Precision with their black friday deal. They asked about blocks aft of the jib winches which would be tight to add. Is everyone running sheets straight to the winches?
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
It would be better to run to bloc and turn to the winch. This way there is little confusion with your jib sheets which may be run there if the jib is on the furler. Coming off the Turning blocks you may want cam cleats to hold the sheet.
 
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