Max. heel
- Thread starter JamesO256
- Start date
- Status
180 degrees...but you'll probably start to get uncomfortable around 25 degrees.
Kind regards
Hugh
Kind regards
Hugh
Max is the one without the hat.My turnI have a dog named Max. I tell him to Heel.
As a reasonably new sailor this is a question I ponder myself often. The literature all seems to favor for boats my size 30 ft, no more than 20 degrees and the best balance of speed and control is around 15 degrees heel much more than that and your rudder angle increases to keep you from rounding up and acts increasingly like a brake.
I have read these posts and some can be considered inexperience or ungentlemen like.
I consider myself one of the foremost on small boat sailing which is based solely on experience and several who raced competively internationally on small boats. Max heel on any small boats 27 feet and under should be 12-14 degrees. Once you go beyond that you are scaring the heck out of passengers/crew even though the righting moment is much higher. In fact you have in most cases more wet water surface creating more friction thus slowing you down. The key to racing is control thru sail either reduced and/or let out with knowledge of sailing tactics to include little to no pressure on the rudder. However, what is small boat sailing is all about. To me it is to have an enjoyable sail with friends and family safely. I have always said, respect the water and it will respect you. So why try to heel over when it is not necessary. I proved that often with the Hunter water ballast sailboats. Take care and God Speed.
Crazy Dave
I consider myself one of the foremost on small boat sailing which is based solely on experience and several who raced competively internationally on small boats. Max heel on any small boats 27 feet and under should be 12-14 degrees. Once you go beyond that you are scaring the heck out of passengers/crew even though the righting moment is much higher. In fact you have in most cases more wet water surface creating more friction thus slowing you down. The key to racing is control thru sail either reduced and/or let out with knowledge of sailing tactics to include little to no pressure on the rudder. However, what is small boat sailing is all about. To me it is to have an enjoyable sail with friends and family safely. I have always said, respect the water and it will respect you. So why try to heel over when it is not necessary. I proved that often with the Hunter water ballast sailboats. Take care and God Speed.
Crazy Dave
Funny read....good to know Crazy Dave's final good sense reply. Since I am a new sailor this summer with my husband on a 25 ft hunter, we are having a blast and small craft warning days are the best fun....what type of an instrument is best advised to measure heel angle? Obviously we don't have one.
I think the proper term is an inclometer which you can easily affix to the bulkhead that can be purchased anywhere for heeling .
Yeah, it's an inclinometer.. but I've found you really don't need one unless you are trying to optimize for speed such as in racing. You will quickly discover what angle is comfortable for you, and pretty much all sailboats will round up all by themselves if you drive them too hard (and some sailboats will round up well before you would like them to do so depending on design, rudder length, etc..). Many people, including myself, simply use the 'scream' alarm.. that is, when you heel over far enough to make your passengers scream, you have probably gone too far!
Beware of the uninitiated though, as they are not used to the heeling motion of a sailboat and tend to sound the alarm a bit early. In those rare instances, I have found that alcoholic beverages can usually readjust their sensitivity to an acceptable level! :dance:
Cheers,
Brad
Beware of the uninitiated though, as they are not used to the heeling motion of a sailboat and tend to sound the alarm a bit early. In those rare instances, I have found that alcoholic beverages can usually readjust their sensitivity to an acceptable level! :dance:
Cheers,
Brad
did you get the answer you were looking for?
not sure why some feel compelled to be such smart a**es
this year i am sailing a 1981 hunter 22 , took me a few sails to get the confidence to let her go over far enough to put the rails in the drink.
got to the point where i was rounding up and had to pop the main free to keep moving forward.
was a workout holding the rudder,like others said it acts as a brake since you have to hold it so far over to keep it sailing.
i only have one jib a 110 not sure how it would respond with a 150 ....
some say the 22 is a tender boat but with 1200 pounds in the belly and the five foot swing keel , i have found it to be very stable.
My wife thinks I am nutty. Har Har Har
crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy Davieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy Davieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
- Status