I notice that when I'm sailing in a reach, either broad or beam, that I don't get the speed that I desire compared to when I sail close hauled. I was told that a larger head sail, (or Genoa) would give me more sail area therefore helping with speed in a reach. I do however lift the keel all the way hoping this would help but to no avail. I have a need for more speed at every bearing. please tell me if a larger head sail would help.
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Why?
What size headsail do you have now? Do you really retract the keel on a broad or beam reach? And what kind of speed do you have now? Just curious Brian
What size headsail do you have now? Do you really retract the keel on a broad or beam reach? And what kind of speed do you have now? Just curious Brian
What actual speeds are you attaining?
Hi Chris - Are you really getting better actual speed through water on a beat than a reach? What speeds are you getting? In basic terms, more sail area will give you more power, but typically a reach is a faster point of sail. But it might not feel like it. Watch your knot meter and report back what the differences are. Sail trim could be a factor. I appreciate the need for speed! Trevor
Hi Chris - Are you really getting better actual speed through water on a beat than a reach? What speeds are you getting? In basic terms, more sail area will give you more power, but typically a reach is a faster point of sail. But it might not feel like it. Watch your knot meter and report back what the differences are. Sail trim could be a factor. I appreciate the need for speed! Trevor
Speed generates a close haul
You do realize that a wind that starts at 90 degrees to the non moving boat will start to move forward as your boat speed increases, therefore the faster you go the closer your getting to a close haul.
You do realize that a wind that starts at 90 degrees to the non moving boat will start to move forward as your boat speed increases, therefore the faster you go the closer your getting to a close haul.
C22 Lifting Keel on a Reach will...
...answer your question of why you think you're going too slow. Chris: all you're doing is sliding sideways. You NEED the keel down at all times unless you're running downwind or need to get off being aground. Also, let your mainsail out until it luffs and then bring it back a little bit. Could be your sails are too tightly trimmed. Stu
...answer your question of why you think you're going too slow. Chris: all you're doing is sliding sideways. You NEED the keel down at all times unless you're running downwind or need to get off being aground. Also, let your mainsail out until it luffs and then bring it back a little bit. Could be your sails are too tightly trimmed. Stu
sorry, no beam
brian. sailing without the keel down on a beam reach would be tricky, actually when I've tried it on a broad reach and when running and of course when I motor around. my head sail has a 12' foot and the luff is around 21' to 25 '. i believe that it is a little larger than the factory jib but i could be wrong. chris
brian. sailing without the keel down on a beam reach would be tricky, actually when I've tried it on a broad reach and when running and of course when I motor around. my head sail has a 12' foot and the luff is around 21' to 25 '. i believe that it is a little larger than the factory jib but i could be wrong. chris
loose foot verses a tight foot main sail
trevor: my main sail has foot that runs inside the boom. I've read that a loose footed main sail will give you more belly therefore a better trim. also. does a boom vang really help for trim on the main? chris
trevor: my main sail has foot that runs inside the boom. I've read that a loose footed main sail will give you more belly therefore a better trim. also. does a boom vang really help for trim on the main? chris
Just let the keel down
Chris: Just let the keel down, and in my opinion and Catalina's, locked down. It doesn't really make any difference raising it. Some people think that it does, but I've never seen a C-22 that I was passing on a run, change the outcome by raising their keel. I suggest that you borrow or buy a GPS. It will tell you what speed you are going, (over the bottom), to the 1/10th of a knot. I do think, as many of the other replies indicated, that you are going by what you feel, and also being confused by the feeling of the apparent wind. If you can put "numbers" onto the speed, you will see what your boat is actually doing. Also, one thing that a GPS will allow you to do is see what effect each adjustment of the sails has on the boat's speed. But this only applies if you stay on the exact same heading. I actually do this all the time, adjust the sails, and see what affect it has by looking at the GPS. (You can also see that raising or lowering the keel hardly makes any difference in speed. It does make a lot of difference in stability though.) You will figure this all out, and I can tell that you will fun doing it. You sound like the right kind of person to have a sailboat. I only have one more piece of information on this issue to share with you, but your name has me a little confused. Is your name Chris, short for Christopher, or Christine? If it's Christopher.... when I started sailing I was told that the little hairs on the back of your neck were for telling the direction of the wind. (This was, of course, long before GPSs and all of the instruments that are available today were around). I do believe that there is some truth in this though. So that's an alternative way to determine the affects of the wind, but you might have to get a haircut or a different hat, and it won't be accurate to the 1/10 of a knot. Aldo
Chris: Just let the keel down, and in my opinion and Catalina's, locked down. It doesn't really make any difference raising it. Some people think that it does, but I've never seen a C-22 that I was passing on a run, change the outcome by raising their keel. I suggest that you borrow or buy a GPS. It will tell you what speed you are going, (over the bottom), to the 1/10th of a knot. I do think, as many of the other replies indicated, that you are going by what you feel, and also being confused by the feeling of the apparent wind. If you can put "numbers" onto the speed, you will see what your boat is actually doing. Also, one thing that a GPS will allow you to do is see what effect each adjustment of the sails has on the boat's speed. But this only applies if you stay on the exact same heading. I actually do this all the time, adjust the sails, and see what affect it has by looking at the GPS. (You can also see that raising or lowering the keel hardly makes any difference in speed. It does make a lot of difference in stability though.) You will figure this all out, and I can tell that you will fun doing it. You sound like the right kind of person to have a sailboat. I only have one more piece of information on this issue to share with you, but your name has me a little confused. Is your name Chris, short for Christopher, or Christine? If it's Christopher.... when I started sailing I was told that the little hairs on the back of your neck were for telling the direction of the wind. (This was, of course, long before GPSs and all of the instruments that are available today were around). I do believe that there is some truth in this though. So that's an alternative way to determine the affects of the wind, but you might have to get a haircut or a different hat, and it won't be accurate to the 1/10 of a knot. Aldo
More C22 Chris
You wrote: "I've read that a loose footed main sail will give you more belly therefore a better trim. also. does a boom vang really help for trim on the main?" 1. Main, yes, but few, if any, C22s have them. It's generally a bigger boat issue. Your boat will sail fine with what you have, and not be measureably improved with any expensive and unnecessary changes. 2. Boom vang - Don't have? GET ONE. Have one - learn to use it. Yes Yes Yes. Very important piece of equipment. Stu
You wrote: "I've read that a loose footed main sail will give you more belly therefore a better trim. also. does a boom vang really help for trim on the main?" 1. Main, yes, but few, if any, C22s have them. It's generally a bigger boat issue. Your boat will sail fine with what you have, and not be measureably improved with any expensive and unnecessary changes. 2. Boom vang - Don't have? GET ONE. Have one - learn to use it. Yes Yes Yes. Very important piece of equipment. Stu
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