Have recently started social racing with a Catalina 26 and have found the upwind performance poor. Specifically can't seem to maintain the same heading as other boats.... can any one provide some assistance?
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up wind
Gordon; How much sailing experience do you have? Do you know the basics? Have you crewed on another boat for a racing season before you campaign your own boat? (It helps a lot) Your best bet is to get a book, study it, take it out on the water with you, do what it says, take notes on what works and what doesn't for your boat. Sailing is easy, but getting that last tenth of a knot, or pointing up that extra 2 degrees is what separates the gun boat from the back of the pack.
Gordon; How much sailing experience do you have? Do you know the basics? Have you crewed on another boat for a racing season before you campaign your own boat? (It helps a lot) Your best bet is to get a book, study it, take it out on the water with you, do what it says, take notes on what works and what doesn't for your boat. Sailing is easy, but getting that last tenth of a knot, or pointing up that extra 2 degrees is what separates the gun boat from the back of the pack.
Sail your own boat 
Comparing your upwind heading with other boats is not a very accurate way to evaluate your performance. How does your boat sail against another Capri? Start with basics, rig tune and mast rake. Foil condition and bottom finish. Sail trim and rudder angle. You may be getting all that you can out of your boat and trying to match the heading of other boats is slowing you down. If another Capri or very similar boat performs much better, compare your trim and technique to theirs and note any differences. Try to copy the settings of the other boat and see what works for you. Since the racing is social, find another Capri ot very similar boat and have a practice party. Change settings, swap crew, have fun. Both boats will go better afterwards.
Comparing your upwind heading with other boats is not a very accurate way to evaluate your performance. How does your boat sail against another Capri? Start with basics, rig tune and mast rake. Foil condition and bottom finish. Sail trim and rudder angle. You may be getting all that you can out of your boat and trying to match the heading of other boats is slowing you down. If another Capri or very similar boat performs much better, compare your trim and technique to theirs and note any differences. Try to copy the settings of the other boat and see what works for you. Since the racing is social, find another Capri ot very similar boat and have a practice party. Change settings, swap crew, have fun. Both boats will go better afterwards.
Race and more racing
Practice Racing is the fastest way of improving your sailing and boat performance. By racing other boats often, you'll see your improvements in sail and rig tuning. More serious racing will produce a need for understanding the science of hull and rig tuning and the adding of all the mechanical sail controls for that little extra one tenth of a knot. All of this knowledge and racing skills will only increase your love of sailing!
Practice Racing is the fastest way of improving your sailing and boat performance. By racing other boats often, you'll see your improvements in sail and rig tuning. More serious racing will produce a need for understanding the science of hull and rig tuning and the adding of all the mechanical sail controls for that little extra one tenth of a knot. All of this knowledge and racing skills will only increase your love of sailing!
Keel
Keels make a lot of difference. Do you have a wing or fin keel? Fin keels will point better; wing or shoal draft keels work better on other points of sail.
Keels make a lot of difference. Do you have a wing or fin keel? Fin keels will point better; wing or shoal draft keels work better on other points of sail.
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