There is a huge difference between the maximun heel allowed by design from a capsize point of view and from a fast sailing point of view. A Catalina 30 will heel to 118 degrees before it rolls, so from a "tip-over" point of view you could put the spreader tips in the water and the boat will still come back up. From a fast sailing point of view, when going to weather in 20 knots true (23 knots apparent) the best performance is at 21.9 degrees of heel. With the apparent wind on the beam in 20 knots true, a Catalina 30 will do over 7.6 knots at 28.6 degrees of heel. Highest boat speed in 20 knots true is just over 7.8 knots at 130 degrees off the true wind and only 15.8 degrees of heel. More heel = faster to a point, after that more heel = slower = stoopid = upset crew = undue stress on boat = skipper needs sailing lessons. If you want to know thses numbers for your boat, contact US Sailing and get a peformance package. You will beat your buddies to the next anchorage and have a happy safe crew and be able to listen to their horror stories as they try to get warm in your nice, tidy, DRY, boat (their gear and sleeping bags got wet when they were laughing at you for reefing early). The perfomance package is the best few hundred dollars I've ever spent on the boat. I don't guess how much sail or heel the boat should have, I know. The boat is faster and more pleasant to sail, and I have a crew that still has romantic thoughts at the end of the day rather than one that won't speak to me. That alone was worth the purchase price! You too can laugh at the macho men that are sailing sideways with the deck in the water. I'll wash my cabin ports and deck with a bucket and brush while I wait for them to finally arrive.