i'm fairly new to sailing and w/o a doubt new to my 18.5. usually i sail in the evenings when the winds are light (5 to 7) but from time to time i sneak out during the day when the breeze is a bit stiffer (10 to 15). at the local lake i see many boats (in the 22' to 24' range) heeling deeply (like rail in the water)while their owners seem to hardly notice. i on the other hand feel like i'm going to get dunked if the boat is more than 2 degrees to leeward. i know this is a loaded question and is most likely caused by my inexperience but how far is too far? i've done a few rough (and i mean rough) calcs for righting-force and i'm aware of the "capsize" parameter of my boat but that doesn't really give me even a ballpark number. i've never "washed the rail" per say but that is mainly because i would hate to try and end up washing the top of the cabin. i reef early and i roll in the headsail because i'm told Hunters require this practice but even w/ that i tend to be a little leary to go out in a good breeze. any advice would be great outside of that given to me by my gfriend -- "don't be a wuss." cheers. TTaylor "Carried Away"
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Ray Bowles
Tim, I and my wife were new and ...
cautious sailers last year when we were learning to sail our H26. First boat, first time. After our learning experences we found 12 to 15 degrees were totally OK. Since then we have been much, much further. "Like the boat should have turtled with glands a turtle doesn't have pointed to the moon." Find a sailing school in your area, or someone who would teach you on his boat and then on your boat. Your boat can do it all, now you need help to learn how to understand what your boat wants you to learn. ray
cautious sailers last year when we were learning to sail our H26. First boat, first time. After our learning experences we found 12 to 15 degrees were totally OK. Since then we have been much, much further. "Like the boat should have turtled with glands a turtle doesn't have pointed to the moon." Find a sailing school in your area, or someone who would teach you on his boat and then on your boat. Your boat can do it all, now you need help to learn how to understand what your boat wants you to learn. ray
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Toomas
Work with your mainsail
I've had the same experience too. And learned that if I for a short time let the mainsail lose a bit, the boat comes up - slower but upright. Then you may experiment how tight you'll have your main for your convenience. I work with the main-control in one hand and the tiller in the other. After a season or two you'll find yourself quite at ease with a heel that looks dangerous today, because you know how much your beauty can take and still making speed. I've been sailing keelboats for 20 years and even in them you can't set the sails and then sit down for a beer by the tiller and enjoy. You have to work all the time - especially with these light small Hunters. It's the second season with my H26 and I don't know her in all positions yet - and that will come. So reef early, work with your main and course and suddenly you enjoy your cruise with a beer too. Toomas
I've had the same experience too. And learned that if I for a short time let the mainsail lose a bit, the boat comes up - slower but upright. Then you may experiment how tight you'll have your main for your convenience. I work with the main-control in one hand and the tiller in the other. After a season or two you'll find yourself quite at ease with a heel that looks dangerous today, because you know how much your beauty can take and still making speed. I've been sailing keelboats for 20 years and even in them you can't set the sails and then sit down for a beer by the tiller and enjoy. You have to work all the time - especially with these light small Hunters. It's the second season with my H26 and I don't know her in all positions yet - and that will come. So reef early, work with your main and course and suddenly you enjoy your cruise with a beer too. Toomas
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Debra Blatnik
Faster if you keep the boat standing up
Called standing on its feet (as opposed to sailing on your ear). It may seem more exciting, but you will actually go faster and have better steering if you keep the boat more level. Put in a single reef.
Called standing on its feet (as opposed to sailing on your ear). It may seem more exciting, but you will actually go faster and have better steering if you keep the boat more level. Put in a single reef.
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Tim Taylor
thank you all for your advice, it really helped w/ the confidence factor. i realized before that the boat was more than likely built for much more than i am at present but all the same. today the breeze was about 10kn and i let her dip a little more on each tack. i was over about 10 degrees which was more than sufficient for me. i'm not sure who made the point but the boat does seem to make better headway or at the very least steer a more true line when upright. thank you all again. TTaylor "Carried Away"
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Al Zara
Same concern
I have the same concern and wondered how much is too much. Does anyone know what the 2.43 capsize screen mean. Thanks AL
I have the same concern and wondered how much is too much. Does anyone know what the 2.43 capsize screen mean. Thanks AL
Too much heel
I started out many years ago in small dinghies and daysailers. No one can decide for you how much heel is "too much". It is that point when you OR YOUR CREW are starting to feel uncomfortable. Don't worry about the other boats. Just take small steps and build your confidence slowly. Before long you too will be able to sail along with the lee rail buried. Shortly thereafter, you will learn the next big secret. Most people sailing around with their lee rails buried in the water are not sailing as fast as they could be. If your boat doesn't have a tiller extension, invest in one now and get accustomed to working the tiller and mainsheet from up on the windward rail. In a small boat you will have to work the mainsheet and hike out sometimes to keep the boat from heeling too far. Don't worry, these are skills that come quickly with practice. Good luck and happy sailing! Peter H23 "Raven"
I started out many years ago in small dinghies and daysailers. No one can decide for you how much heel is "too much". It is that point when you OR YOUR CREW are starting to feel uncomfortable. Don't worry about the other boats. Just take small steps and build your confidence slowly. Before long you too will be able to sail along with the lee rail buried. Shortly thereafter, you will learn the next big secret. Most people sailing around with their lee rails buried in the water are not sailing as fast as they could be. If your boat doesn't have a tiller extension, invest in one now and get accustomed to working the tiller and mainsheet from up on the windward rail. In a small boat you will have to work the mainsheet and hike out sometimes to keep the boat from heeling too far. Don't worry, these are skills that come quickly with practice. Good luck and happy sailing! Peter H23 "Raven"
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Chris Haraway
I've been to the edge and back...
Hi Tim, I see you are enjoying your new boat as much as we are. Where we sail with our 18.5, the winds are 10-25kts, with 20-35kt gusts. I have experienced a couple of 90deg heels in very heavy gusts (dipping the mast). Although I was scared enough to grease my shorts, the boat popped right back up. You see, as the sails disappeared over the rail, their exposure to the wind reduced to nothing. That's when the keel took over and popped her right back up. The real key is to reduce the sails' exposure to the wind. That's why you should always sail with the mainsheet in your hand in moderate to heavy winds. When you "sheet out" the main, the boom tends toward parallel with the wind, thus reducing the effective area of the sail. This will also both slow you down and steer you to wind, so be ready to compensate. If you have a mate, she can to the same work with the jib sheets. You are right to reef early and roll your jib early. And keep your companionway and hatch secured in heavy winds. I also agree with Peter that you need to get a nice ball-jointed tiller extension. It was like buying a new boat for us. I haven't had any problems since I started riding the rails. And forget what people say about sailing upright. Sure it's faster and more efficient. But I think the maximum fun is found on the close-haul spray-in-your-face course. I recall that you were thinking about running your lines aft to aid single-handing. Have you made any modifications yet? I plan to do the same soon. We should share some ideas. Chris Haraway Lake Pleasant, AZ S/V Cassiopeia
Hi Tim, I see you are enjoying your new boat as much as we are. Where we sail with our 18.5, the winds are 10-25kts, with 20-35kt gusts. I have experienced a couple of 90deg heels in very heavy gusts (dipping the mast). Although I was scared enough to grease my shorts, the boat popped right back up. You see, as the sails disappeared over the rail, their exposure to the wind reduced to nothing. That's when the keel took over and popped her right back up. The real key is to reduce the sails' exposure to the wind. That's why you should always sail with the mainsheet in your hand in moderate to heavy winds. When you "sheet out" the main, the boom tends toward parallel with the wind, thus reducing the effective area of the sail. This will also both slow you down and steer you to wind, so be ready to compensate. If you have a mate, she can to the same work with the jib sheets. You are right to reef early and roll your jib early. And keep your companionway and hatch secured in heavy winds. I also agree with Peter that you need to get a nice ball-jointed tiller extension. It was like buying a new boat for us. I haven't had any problems since I started riding the rails. And forget what people say about sailing upright. Sure it's faster and more efficient. But I think the maximum fun is found on the close-haul spray-in-your-face course. I recall that you were thinking about running your lines aft to aid single-handing. Have you made any modifications yet? I plan to do the same soon. We should share some ideas. Chris Haraway Lake Pleasant, AZ S/V Cassiopeia
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