Running fast

[Colin Wightman]

I'm not sure if this is actually a sail trim question or a helmsmanship issue, but I'll ask it here and you can tell me to go away if I just need to learn how to steer...We had a rolicking good time on Lake Superior with our C36 over the long weekend: after a day of light air and smooth water, we headed out to find 25-30 knot winds with higher gusts. On Lake Superior, that very quickly built 4-6 foot waves that are steep and close together...We wanted to sail a fairly broad reach (about 140 degrees, apparent) and ended up with no main, and only about a third of our genoa rolled out: the shape was ugly but we were flying at 7.5-8 knots so we didn't complain. The problem was that I couldn't steer a reach: As long as we were within roughly 15-20 degrees of a run things were fine, although the steering was very active. But trying to steer our desired course, 30-40 degrees off of the run (hence with the waves on our aft quarter), produced a nasty roll on some of the waves that eventually exceeded our fear/fun threshold led us to beat back to the marina to practice docking in 20 knot gusts So, Should I have put up some scrap of a main to balance the rig, learned to enjoy rolls that launch the cabin contents about, steer with more skill, or all of the above?

 

[Russell Egge]

Our Experience

We like to have some main out in those conditions if possible to "even the ride" On beam waves we like to be healed over some so that we bounce between 30 degrees to leeward and 10 degrees to windward rather than 20-25 degrees in both directions. The inital heal provided by the main seems to help dampen the waves.Anyway thats the way we try to deal with theses conditions.RREggeS/V Allie Kat

 

[Henryv]

A little main works

I recently spent a day going windward with similar conditions. I have a Beneteau 331 with in mast furling so we were able to pull out quite a small triangle. The small corner of main sail combined with just a little more jib balanced the boat fairly well - pointing was quite good. I will say the boat and crew were very clean by the end of the day as the breaking waves frequently covered the length of the boat.

 

[Chris Gonzales]

Balance

Colin,In agreement with Henry a little main probably would have helped. Often in a good blow we douse sail when we should reduce sail. A double reefed main (I know, what a pain to do that a second time)and reefed (furled) jib keeps the boat more steady on course more than just jib alone. For me, If I double reef and roll that jib up to a little triangle and the boat is still overpowered, I head in. Chris