Water Ballast Pros/ Cons
- Thread starter DAVA390
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You have to wonder why Catalina's standard genoa for the WK is 135% when the WB's is 110%. In S. Carolina the PHRF handicap for the WK is 231, the WB's is 237. I regularly race my 1999 250WK against a newer 250WB. The difference in performance is a lot more than 6 seconds a mile even with my old sails and I don't think it's due to skill.
Forget about them
I certainly wouldn't worry about or repair blisters under the rear cushions inside the boat!
250 headsail size
I posted earlier in this blog with my comparison of the Catalina 22, 250 and 25. My friends 250 WK was a 99 and he said he called some sail lofts and was told that they were not allowed to manufacture a sail larger than a 135 headsail for his boat, a liability problem.
When looking at Catalina’s website for the WK, I see that the boats “Approx. Basic Wt. is 4200 lbs.”
Looking at the WB the “Approx. Basic Wt. is 3250 lbs.”
The sail area for both boats is 265 sq. ft. in their specifications, so is it the dealer fearful of a liability problem by installing a 110 headsail?
I posted earlier in this blog with my comparison of the Catalina 22, 250 and 25. My friends 250 WK was a 99 and he said he called some sail lofts and was told that they were not allowed to manufacture a sail larger than a 135 headsail for his boat, a liability problem.
When looking at Catalina’s website for the WK, I see that the boats “Approx. Basic Wt. is 4200 lbs.”
Looking at the WB the “Approx. Basic Wt. is 3250 lbs.”
The sail area for both boats is 265 sq. ft. in their specifications, so is it the dealer fearful of a liability problem by installing a 110 headsail?
Hello mate...I have a tailorable 1993 Hunter 23.5 water ballasted,swing keel boat.I sailed yesterday in building winds which reached 25kts on Beaver Lake. The high wind gust tested my skills and boat's integrity with passing colors.
I only have three years sailing experience and the first time being caught in the heavy weather winds. It has proved to me that the" myth of a water ballasted boat being to tender" is diffenantly not a correct an accurate statement.
I only have three years sailing experience and the first time being caught in the heavy weather winds. It has proved to me that the" myth of a water ballasted boat being to tender" is diffenantly not a correct an accurate statement.
I own a 1995 Hunter 23.5 WB. My sailing buddy has owned 2 H26 WB (1995 and 1997) and a 2000 Hunter 270 wing keel. The hulls and sails of the H26 and H270 are pretty much the same. We've sailed both on a lake and on the west coast San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands. There's absolutely no doubt that the boats feel different and wing keel is more stable. The WB boats heel more and round up easier. It's a compromise. You have to reduce and/or trim sails accordingly on the WB boats.
That said, we love our water-ballast boats. My friend just sold the 2000 wing keel and bought a 2002 H260 WB two days ago.
That said, we love our water-ballast boats. My friend just sold the 2000 wing keel and bought a 2002 H260 WB two days ago.
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I've had my Mac26s out in some pretty high winds of 20+knts. This bieng my first full year with the boat learned a lot. I think the main thing is sail control. I still had the stock sails which I think don't have enough options built into them. I have a new main being made with 2 reefs, large roach and loose footed. I also learned the boat needs both main and foresail to balance better. When the wind really piped up I would use just the furled genoa and found it put more stress on the rudder. I was only able to use my main up to about 20 knts reefed. Above that the boat heeled too much. Below 20 with both sails up she handles pretty good. I could sail well with any other keeled boats in the same length, however I have noticed in a gust I have to work a bit harder than a keel boat. I believe the sails and having more control over them make the WB boats just a good as any other.
I have owned 2 iron swing keel boats, a Venture 222, and a Macgregor 25, and a water ballast Hunter 26. There was not a lot of difference in hte heel or stability of these 3 boats, I believe the Hunter probably was less tender that the other 2, probably because it had heavier displacement, and more ballast, although not as low as the swing keel boats. The Hunter did not point as high as the Mac 25, but I believe that had more to do withthe broader beam of the Hunter, and the jib, and how it was sheeted, I do not think the type of ballast had anything to do with that.
So often I have seen so much on this topic. Water ballast boats were designed for the sake of trailering often with a mast raise system so one person can handle in raising the mast, launching and sailing single handed. There are alot of old posts in the Hunter 240 and 260 posts, go there and look for responses from me known as Crazy Dave Condon. My experience is wiith all water ballast boats. A few tips. Always watch out for the backstay not catching on anything when raising the mast as well as making sure the shroud turnbuckles are not twisted. Do not heel over 12-14 degrees as you will loose performance.
Many will rember me. The last show at Annapolis was in 2009. When leaving on the water ballasted Hunter Edge 27 with a 75 hp engne on the back, I was challanged to put the metal to the pedal. I came out on plane creating alot of wake to include throwing water on the harbor patrol. Of course I pulled the throttle back to idle when going thru the harbor not to create any more wake while letting DNR and the Harbor patrol catching up with me with their blue light specials. Well, guess what, I talked my way out of that which many could not believe. When the water cops left, I had to stop to laugh so hard, tears were comeing out of my eyes. There was a loud roar from the crowds and the last big roar was years ago when all the sailboats left ther show under sail only.
crazy dave
Many will rember me. The last show at Annapolis was in 2009. When leaving on the water ballasted Hunter Edge 27 with a 75 hp engne on the back, I was challanged to put the metal to the pedal. I came out on plane creating alot of wake to include throwing water on the harbor patrol. Of course I pulled the throttle back to idle when going thru the harbor not to create any more wake while letting DNR and the Harbor patrol catching up with me with their blue light specials. Well, guess what, I talked my way out of that which many could not believe. When the water cops left, I had to stop to laugh so hard, tears were comeing out of my eyes. There was a loud roar from the crowds and the last big roar was years ago when all the sailboats left ther show under sail only.
crazy dave
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