riding sail question

[william3045]

i posted a question about my h23 sailing at anchor af ew weeks ago. i tried more scope and still sailed allot. (less dramatic due to about a 7:1 lenght of the rode but still too much). this could be a problem in crowded areas...not to mention a little embarassing. (...look at the new guy . the theory of a riding sail at anchor as i see it is like the rudder on an airplane....keep the nose pointed at the wind. well, my h23 seems to keep the bow mostly pointed at the wind but swings back and forth using the anchor as the focal point...which in a mudddy, no holding bottom is not good. my questions are: 1) has anyone had good results with a riding sail? 2) does anyone sell one made for the h23 reasonable? 3) with the split backstay, its my understanding that the riding sail attaches to the boom the way the mainsail does....probably with a rope, but form there what does one do to attach it to the backstay?...attach to one of the "split/angled" sections, (and how), or raise the toping lift enough to attach to the single section of the stay above the triangle?tia,

 

[Bill18593]

rudder

Have you tried to anchor with the rudder / tiller hard over to one side?

 

[william3045]

thats worth a try

i always have centered it.....

 

[B Noble]

I tried tiller position but no help

WilliamLast season on my Hunter 23 I tried tiller to port, tiller centered, tiller to starboard, and it made little or no difference. I still swung like a pendulum. I found a wonderful retired sailor through eBay that made a custom ridding sail out of sunbrella to march my sail covers. I believe the luff is about 3 feet and the cord is about 5 feet, and there are 3 hanks on the luff with a cringle at the clew. To use it I attach the first 2 hanks on to the backstay above the split backstays and the last one to one of the splits, run a line from the clew cringle to the mast, and use the mail halyard to raise it. I had a powerboater comment that the sail is on backwards, but I tried to explain it to one and his reply was that all I “needed a bigger anchor and more rope.” I’ve only used it a couple of time on my smallish Nebraska lake in 20-30 knots and it reduced the anchor swing to almost nil. I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures, but I know there out there on the web. Bob NobleS/V I Miss Lisa

 

[Steve677]

Balance

I have found that balance makes some difference. If all of the load is on the motor/battery/galley/port side she heals very very slightly to port which means her bow isn't perpendicular to the water and She sails on her rode. If I put every thing else, sails/gas can/fishing gear/everything, to starboard it helps to keep her steady.

 

[Marc B]

Try a sentinel

I've tried a sentinel on my 240 and it seems to reduce the movement. I take a 10 pound mushroom anchor, on a separate line from the anchor rode, connect it to the rode with a carabiner, an lower it until it hits bottom. This seems to reduce the arc of the swing, and has the benefit of improving the angle on the anchor rode, to improve holding power.Search the archives for "sentinel" for more posts.Regards,Marc_B

 

[ruedi ross]

Definately try an anchor sail

off your backstay or topping lift. it will help with the boat sailing back and forth at anchor.

 

[HoldFast]

sailing at anchor

When at anchor, raise your board and tie beach towel to your stern rail, this helps alot on the H26.Ken

 

[George H260]

Riding Sail

I've attached my riding sail to the topping lift and it does work to some degree. Use of a Kellet on the anchor line also helps reduce swing. I've never tried pulling the jib out to enhance the weather vane effect but that makes sense to me. I'm going to try it next time I anchor.The posted picture shows the riding sail on my H260. Since this pic was taken I've adjusted how it is mounted. In this picture it needs to be tightened and the front brought down more to make the foot parallel to the boom.

 

[william3045]

question for Bob Noble

do you have an addrss or phone number for the gentleman who made your riding sail? i might contact him about one for my boat. what was the price if you don't mind my asking. i have consisered making one myself from sunbrella but i hardly have time to sail as is. am hoping to get out this morning if i can get away before someone calls with a crisis. there's one on ebay now for $75.00 but it is pretty big for my h23 it seems......you could e mail me at gdbg66a2000@yahoo.com