[Rhodes22-list] burying the rail

[Richard Smith]

> "As matter of fact, years ago boat owners thought that a sailboat was
> sailing fastest when the lee rail was "buried" (under the water).  It
wasn't
> until speedometers were invented for sailboats that it was discovered that
> they actually slowed down when the lee rail was awash."  >

Not totally true.  Traditional deep draft , long overhang, low free board
keel boats are frequently at their best with the lee rail awash.

Here are some reasons....

1: A boat with long overhangs develops a longer water line when heeled.
This increases the ultimate hull speed.

2:  The designer may have developed his wetted lines so they are
hydrodynamicaly optimized when the boat is heeled.

3:  In a low free board boat it doesn't take much to bury the lee rail

4:  Many keel boats after initial tenderness stiffen up at around the time
the rail buries.

My CD-25 always sailed best when the lee rail was JUST buried.

As a rule of thumb try to sail at 15 or less degrees heel.  That's optimum
for most boats.

Richard Smith