Surfin

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Oct 3, 2006
1,033
Hunter 29.5 Toms River
This is a pretty general question- but what's involved in getting a sailboat to come up on plane when running? I've heard some general criteria (D/LWL < 150, fair, flattish bottom, downwind sail) Is a hunter 23 capable of it?
 

Dave Groshong

SBO Staff
Staff member
Jan 25, 2007
1,867
Catalina 22 Seattle
hull design

Hull design and speed. Some boats surf well, others have no chance to ever get up on a plane. The Cal 40 is one of the older good surf boats. A full keel displacement boat? Forget about it.
 

Alan

.
Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
Brian

Sure will! Of course you'll need some waves to run down the face of. As the stern rises with the wave passing under the boat accelerates down the face of the wave. As you steer off you will find the correct angle which will keep the boat falling off the front of the wave at the same rate as the wave moves forward. The longer you can hold that critical angle the longer your boat will surf. It takes a little practice but once you master it, it's a howl. We've been able to surf for 30 seconds at a clip in 8' seas and hold 15 knots. As you start to loose the wave the speed drops into the single digits. 8 knots feels sooo tame after 15! Then it's time to set up for the next..... ;D
 
Apr 10, 2006
47
- - St. Petersburg, Fl
Surfin'

I have surfed my capri 22 in Tampa Bay. I sailed out under full main jib rolled up close reaching to keep from pounding and being over powered. Then came about, wind was on the beam but waves were almost from behind. I unrolled the 130 and took off. The boat would surf down the waves at about 8 to 9 knots. It was blowing about 25 to 30 knots at times and had 3 foot chop. Fun but my nerves were shot after a while, waiting for something to break.
 
B

Bill

surf vs. plane

Apples and Oranges here- Any boat will surf: as the wave comes up the stern pump main and kite and ease while you drive down when it's under the boat. Your speed will increase significantly while you ride it. Planing involves hull shapes and hot rod downwind sleds, and doesn't have much (if anything to do with waves) and involves very high speeds compared to hull speed. I'd bet a powerboater here could explain the engineering? Melges 24, Ultimate 20, 27, Hendo's, Open 5.7, etc... will plane, but I'd bet your H23 will still surf like a big dog. B
 
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