Hi all, Just wanted to update you, last fall I posted a question about my terrible pointing on my 170, and gots loads of great advice. I was a little overwhelmed by Danny's guide to shroud tension, I followed Joe's "crude but works" method. I am sure I still improve things, One of the tools that Joe said I would need was patience, and I ran out after a couple of hours, but I have gone from having a "no go zone" slightly less than 180 degrees, to slightly more than 90 degrees. Also, the boat behaves better on all points of sail, and the roller furling works better! Thanks for the advice John Kivel
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M
Mike
Pointing -2 cents
Hi John, Sadly, I just had to sell my 170 because I bought a larger sailboat. But I thought I'd add my two cents re: optimal pointing in the 170. I'd added rear-boom sheeting to my 170, and this helped me gain more subtly/ease of sheeting on all points of sail- and gave me alot more mechanical advantage when hauling in to closehauled. I bet you're already doing this, but I always made sure to have plenty of "way on" before trying to point the boat high into the wind. For instance, after coming about, I would bear away just enough so that the boat dug in and accelerated and really got moving ---then I would push her up as close as she could go. My current boat (a Compac 19 keelboat) will never point as high as the 170- and so the lessons I learned for good pointing in the 170 are definitely paying off now on the larger boat- where everything's more subtle and the feedback not as immediate. Best, Mike G.
Hi John, Sadly, I just had to sell my 170 because I bought a larger sailboat. But I thought I'd add my two cents re: optimal pointing in the 170. I'd added rear-boom sheeting to my 170, and this helped me gain more subtly/ease of sheeting on all points of sail- and gave me alot more mechanical advantage when hauling in to closehauled. I bet you're already doing this, but I always made sure to have plenty of "way on" before trying to point the boat high into the wind. For instance, after coming about, I would bear away just enough so that the boat dug in and accelerated and really got moving ---then I would push her up as close as she could go. My current boat (a Compac 19 keelboat) will never point as high as the 170- and so the lessons I learned for good pointing in the 170 are definitely paying off now on the larger boat- where everything's more subtle and the feedback not as immediate. Best, Mike G.
J
john
speed first, then point
Thanks Mike, and let me add my congrats to the list on the new boat!! I have a dream of upsizing to something with a bed someday. For now the little lakes near my house are perfect for a little boat. I am a good solid hour from the nearest of the five sisters (Lake Erie), so I am guessing I would sail less often on a larger boat. I would be curious to hear from you in a year or so and see if you think it was a good trade. By the way, do you think that my "slightly better than 90 degrees," is in the ballpark, or should I keep tweaking?? As bad as it was, I am thrilled with how good it is now, but I am always interested in getting better. Thanks, John
Thanks Mike, and let me add my congrats to the list on the new boat!! I have a dream of upsizing to something with a bed someday. For now the little lakes near my house are perfect for a little boat. I am a good solid hour from the nearest of the five sisters (Lake Erie), so I am guessing I would sail less often on a larger boat. I would be curious to hear from you in a year or so and see if you think it was a good trade. By the way, do you think that my "slightly better than 90 degrees," is in the ballpark, or should I keep tweaking?? As bad as it was, I am thrilled with how good it is now, but I am always interested in getting better. Thanks, John
M
Mike
90 from tack to tack sounds good, John
John, By slightly better than 90 degrees I assume you mean 45 degrees off the wind. Then with a tack, you've made your angle from stbd. tack to port tack a full 90 degrees? Do I have that right? If so, I think 45 degrees off the wind is very, very good. Whatever you're doing to attain that- stick with it. I'll definitely send an update after a year or so with the Compac 19, but right now I must say I love it. We took her for our maiden voyage yesterday in 15-20 knots of wind without even thinking about reefing the main or the 130% genoa. My wife and the dog took a nap below on the v-berth while I singlehanded. I think we caught some gusts above 20 knots and I just headed up slightly and put her back on her feet. Although she never really heeled past 5 or 10 degrees. The 40% ballast on the boat is a little unreal to me as a neophyte to this boat. In this wind on the 170 I'd have been sailing reefed main only- no jib. I didn't see a big sacrifice in speed with this added heft either. Looking to daymarks/fixed channel markers along the way- and past them to land, I was very satisfied with the headway we were making. Broadreaching seems like her fastest point of sail, by a nose. But closereaching and running are pretty quick too. Wing on wing running with the 130% jib gave some serious oomph. The one drawback to the setup (the genoa sheets to the outside of the shrouds and the shoal draft keel) is that the boat will not point quite as high as a 170, or a Cal 24 or other, speedier, deeper draft keelboat. I'm extremely pleased with the Compac now, and predict same for a year from now. When I step aboard-- 160 lbs., 5' 10"-- she barely moves under my weight. This stability will serve us well as we take weekend cruises and longer occasional trips. At this phase in life I was ready to trade some responsiveness for a much steadier ride in a blow and a relatively large cabin (for barely a 20 footer) and a head! I'm going to write a little more about my first impressions in the "Adieu from a former 170 sailor" post on this site. Happy sails to all, Mike G. s/v Freebird, Compac 19/2
John, By slightly better than 90 degrees I assume you mean 45 degrees off the wind. Then with a tack, you've made your angle from stbd. tack to port tack a full 90 degrees? Do I have that right? If so, I think 45 degrees off the wind is very, very good. Whatever you're doing to attain that- stick with it. I'll definitely send an update after a year or so with the Compac 19, but right now I must say I love it. We took her for our maiden voyage yesterday in 15-20 knots of wind without even thinking about reefing the main or the 130% genoa. My wife and the dog took a nap below on the v-berth while I singlehanded. I think we caught some gusts above 20 knots and I just headed up slightly and put her back on her feet. Although she never really heeled past 5 or 10 degrees. The 40% ballast on the boat is a little unreal to me as a neophyte to this boat. In this wind on the 170 I'd have been sailing reefed main only- no jib. I didn't see a big sacrifice in speed with this added heft either. Looking to daymarks/fixed channel markers along the way- and past them to land, I was very satisfied with the headway we were making. Broadreaching seems like her fastest point of sail, by a nose. But closereaching and running are pretty quick too. Wing on wing running with the 130% jib gave some serious oomph. The one drawback to the setup (the genoa sheets to the outside of the shrouds and the shoal draft keel) is that the boat will not point quite as high as a 170, or a Cal 24 or other, speedier, deeper draft keelboat. I'm extremely pleased with the Compac now, and predict same for a year from now. When I step aboard-- 160 lbs., 5' 10"-- she barely moves under my weight. This stability will serve us well as we take weekend cruises and longer occasional trips. At this phase in life I was ready to trade some responsiveness for a much steadier ride in a blow and a relatively large cabin (for barely a 20 footer) and a head! I'm going to write a little more about my first impressions in the "Adieu from a former 170 sailor" post on this site. Happy sails to all, Mike G. s/v Freebird, Compac 19/2
Great John
Glad it worked for you! No need to be toooo fussy as rigging doesn't allow for such precision. As long as you're ending up with the mast having a slight upper mast aft bend confirmed with the hanging halyard 2in distance and no sideways bowing, you got it. Enjoy, Joe
Glad it worked for you! No need to be toooo fussy as rigging doesn't allow for such precision. As long as you're ending up with the mast having a slight upper mast aft bend confirmed with the hanging halyard 2in distance and no sideways bowing, you got it. Enjoy, Joe
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