[Rhodes22-list] Partial Mainsail
MichaelT
mticse at gmail.com
Mon Jul 27 13:41:24 EDT 2009
I'll have to balance the compromises here w/ needing to get somewhere vs a
relaxing time.
Btw, how real is the risk of a knockdown w/ the board up?
Has there been any reported knockdowns with the board up?
I suppose if a BIG gust came across and the board was up that the boat will
react and heel much easier.
Michael
Arthur H. Czerwonky wrote:
>
> Michael,
>
> These 'board up' options are a new one to me, partly because I began
> serious sailing in a racing mode. I do not know of anyone who would beat
> into the wind with the board up in competition, certainly due to slippage,
> which Hank emphasizes so well, but also the risk of knockdown. I have
> never tried it, Michael, but I'd approach this technique with caution,
> especially if your wife is aboard.
>
> Happy sailing,
>
> Art
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: MichaelT <mticse at gmail.com>
>>Sent: Jul 27, 2009 9:56 AM
>>To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Partial Mainsail
>>
>>
>>Thanks for the first hand knowledge wrt the centerboard.
>>You've certainly changed the fundamentals of my logic. Womehow my flawed
>>thinking was that with the board up that the Rhodes would heel more and
>>difficult to turn. On the contrary, the Rhodes actually sails better (i.e.
>>less heel, easy to to turn) with the board up. Definitely something I will
>>do this week.
>>
>>Thanks Lee!
>>Michael
>>
>>
>>Leland wrote:
>>>
>>> Michael,
>>>
>>> With the board down it will allow you to sail closer to the wind and
>>> make
>>> better headway (less drifting).
>>>
>>> However, the faster you go the less impact the board will have on both
>>> sailing close to the wind and headway. The board is most useful if you
>>> want to make headway in light wind.
>>>
>>> I'm a daysailor so the only time I need to make better headway is if
>>> it's
>>> necessary to get back to my marina at the end of the day. With
>>> yesterday's high wind and the current and chop pushing me away from the
>>> wind, I never once lowered my board and sailed part of the time on broad
>>> reaches and runs. On tacks the boat turned like a sports car.
>>>
>>> With the board down it will act as a pivot point and allow you to turn
>>> easier whether you are tacking or motoring around your slip. I don't
>>> use
>>> if for either one.
>>>
>>> I've measured my speed countless times with the board up and down and it
>>> has always had a negative impact on speed. I think the term is VMG
>>> (velocity made good?) which measures how much headway you're actually
>>> making. If I could figure out how to measure it on my GPS I'm sure it
>>> would show that the board helps, but with the reduction in speed it sure
>>> doesn't seem that way.
>>>
>>> Lee
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> MichaelT wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Lee,
>>>>
>>>> I was just thinking about bringing the centerboard up as you suggested,
>>>> but have concerns.
>>>> Did you flip bringing the centerboard up and down. Down when tacking
>>>> and
>>>> up after the tack?
>>>> I remember when I forgot to let the centerboard down and all I could
>>>> remember was going sideways and difficulty in making headway. In
>>>> essence
>>>> the boat was slipping and pushed sideways by the wind when the
>>>> centerboard is up. I suppose as long as we don't need to be anywhere
>>>> soon
>>>> this is all fine.
>>>> At the end I'll have to let my wife judge!
>>>>
>>>> Great suggestion!
>>>> Michael
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Leland wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael,
>>>>>
>>>>> You're getting lots of good advice.
>>>>>
>>>>> You'll have a little less heel with the board up. From the Rhodes
>>>>> Owners' Site under FAQs under Rhodes vs. Com-Pac vs. Precisions: 5.
>>>>> Retract the centerboard part way in a big breeze. The board is
>>>>> intentionally modest in weight, and does not contribute significantly
>>>>> to
>>>>> stability up or down. Raising the board part way will reduce both heel
>>>>> and weather helm.
>>>>>
>>>>> The quote refers to Precisions. If I raise the board all the way on
>>>>> my
>>>>> Rhodes it usually only reduces heel by about 3 degrees but your wife
>>>>> may
>>>>> appreciate it.
>>>>>
>>>>> In an 8-10 knot wind, lowering the boom will reduce heel also.
>>>>>
>>>>> As Dave mentioned the boat sails better with two sails. For the
>>>>> amount
>>>>> of wind you described you probably weren't going fast enough to tack.
>>>>> Come off the wind enough to get up some speed and you'll then be able
>>>>> to
>>>>> turn her sharply into the wind.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I first got my Rhodes I typically had too much sail out. You
>>>>> were
>>>>> wise to be conservative in your sail plan, but without any headsail
>>>>> and
>>>>> so little main you probably couldn't get enough speed to tack even if
>>>>> you had come off the wind. Last week I was in a 12 knot wind. On a
>>>>> close reach with balanced sails with the board up and my 190 lbs of
>>>>> rail
>>>>> meat, I had less than 20 degrees of heel with the boom up and the main
>>>>> reefed to 80%. With the boom down I had the same heel with 100% main.
>>>>> I have my mainsail furling line marked for reefs at 60% and 80%. If I
>>>>> have to reef the tiny little main beyond 60%, it's too windy for me
>>>>> (over 20 knots) and I go home.
>>>>>
>>>>> Good luck!
>>>>>
>>>>> Lee
>>>>> 1986 Rhodes22 At Ease
>>>>> Kent Island, MD
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> david.walker5 wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Stephen,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tacking with the jib, especially very light or heavy wind can be
>>>>>> challenging
>>>>>> too. The problem is the jib is very powerfull and it wants to push
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> boat
>>>>>> away from the tack. One technique that has worked for me is
>>>>>> something
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> borrowed from sailing a square rigger. When you push the tiller to
>>>>>> lee,
>>>>>> loosen the jibe immediately, but do not let the sheet fly.(for those
>>>>>> interested its called scandalizing the jib) This reduces the drive
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> sail and allows it to turn up wind. Just as the bow comes into the
>>>>>> wind,
>>>>>> tighten the sheet a little. The wind will then backwind the jib and
>>>>>> push the
>>>>>> bow the rest of the way onto the new tack. As you come through the
>>>>>> wind, the
>>>>>> wind on the new tack will push the sail across to the new tack. In
>>>>>> really
>>>>>> heavy wind you may end up "in stays" or headed into the wind and
>>>>>> start
>>>>>> to be
>>>>>> pushed backwards. In that case as I said in an earlier post, shift
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> rudder (tiller to windward) and the boat will back onto the new tack
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> start to sail.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> David Walker
>>>>>>
>>>>>> www.davidwalkerphotography.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Event Specialists
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 781-639-2707 Office
>>>>>> 781-718-8690 Cell
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Stephen Staum" <staum at earthlink.net>
>>>>>> To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 3:32 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Partial Mainsail
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Michael,
>>>>>>> I too have a wife who likes to sail flat. I have an '87 w a 184 per
>>>>>>> cent genoa. I usually start w 1/2 of the genny as the jib really
>>>>>>> powers this boat. Even w the full main out (alone) u will struggle
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> come about. Also, if u have the full jib out in light winds, it can
>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> very difficult 2 get the jib 2 come across when coming about. It is
>>>>>>> often easier 2 jibe or roll up 1/2 the jib b4 come about is started.
>>>>>>> Enjoy!
>>>>>>> Stephen Staum
>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Jul 24, 2009, at 12:47 PM, MichaelT <mticse at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Went out with the family on Sunday and wanted to play it safe.
>>>>>>>> Drew the IMF mainsail approx halfway on the boom (the letter R on
>>>>>>>> the sail
>>>>>>>> wasn't showing).
>>>>>>>> Wanted to keep things simple and used no jib. Centerboard was down
>>>>>>>> all the
>>>>>>>> way.
>>>>>>>> The boat stayed flat as a pancake which was the desired effect.
>>>>>>>> My wife wants no heeling whatsoever. Problem I had was I couldn't
>>>>>>>> tack.
>>>>>>>> It even had a hard time getting into irons and just couldn't
>>>>>>>> cutover.
>>>>>>>> The only way I could change direction was to spin 2/3's around in a
>>>>>>>> jibe.
>>>>>>>> I didn't want to experiment and let out more sail so we just
>>>>>>>> enjoyed
>>>>>>>> sailing
>>>>>>>> the next hour like this.
>>>>>>>> Is this normal behaviour? What am I doing wrong?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>> Michael
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> View this message in context:
>>>>>>>> http://www.nabble.com/Partial-Mainsail-tp24647946p24647946.html
>>>>>>>> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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>>
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