sailing upwind

[Bob]

Has anyone bought a new sail or sails for their boat lately? If so how many degrees does it take you to tack? Last time I checked it took us 130* in our 27' to have good forward motion. Is it time for us to get new sails?



Cdchartley@aol.com

[bob loewenstein]

Last time I checked it took us 130* in our 27' to have good forward motion. Is it time for us to get new sails?

Wow. Our 27, in good winds (10 knots or better), will tack between 85-90. Lighter airs will result in something like 90-110. We have the original 1981 sails.

What size foresail do you have? Do your sails appear to have too much belly? Are you able to trim so that you see your sails working better (better twist, use of telltales, etc)? Is your helm light or do you have a large weather helm?



rfl@yerkes.uchicago.edu

[Catherine Monaghan]

Make sure you're sailing close-hauled before tacking. In light air you may have to fall off a bit to gain some speed in order to tack if the boat is only travelling at around 3 knots.


catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
<a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/bcomet/real ... lization's Home Page</a>

Has anyone bought a new sail or sails for their boat lately? If so how many degrees does it take you to tack? Last time I checked it took us 130* in our 27' to have good forward motion. Is it time for us to get new sails?

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[marv brinn]

Last time I checked it took us 130* in our 27' to have good forward motion. Is it time for us to get new sails?

Wow. Our 27, in good winds (10 knots or better), will tack between 85-90. Lighter airs will result in something like 90-110. We have the original 1981 sails.

What size foresail do you have? Do your sails appear to have too much belly? Are you able to trim so that you see your sails working better (better twist, use of telltales, etc)? Is your helm light or do you have a large weather helm?

130 tacking!! there is somthing wrong
are you sure its thru 130 ?
perhaps by the time you tack the wind has shifted so that you have tacked into another header.

Have you tried to sail her in moderate winds? say 10 -15 kts..lighter stuff is often very shifty.

If the jib is not brought in as well as the main you may not be able to tack thru less than 130.

are you pulling in the headsail..as a rule you should see the uppermost tell tail on the headsail streaming aft on occasion. when in doubt let it out
if you have a traveller pull it to windward and ease off the mainsheet
inducing twist. look at the uppermost tell tail again..
if the sails are REALLy old then you have a sail problem....



mibrinn@aol.com

[Don Carr]

Some very good posts. You haven't mentioned what you were flying for headsail nor the wind strength. I have found that in 12 knots or over I can sail as fast close hauled 40-50 degrees by using a working jib as opposed to the genoa. The reason is that the working jib can be set up for far tighter sheeting angles which, due to the rigging will never occur with the genny. When you say 130 degrees you are talking broad reach and without knowing all the facts it would be hard to issue an opinion. Generally the ability to sail close hauled is a function of rig tuning and hull characteristics. My mainsail is the original 1981 'delivery' sail and is being replaced this year and although it is 'bagged' beyond belief doesn't pose any real close hauled issues. Just my $.02.



carrd48@netzero.net

[Bob]

Thank you everyone for your input. I would like to clarify a few items which you folks have questioned. First of all, this dilema generally occurs using the genny. She is a modified deck sweeper; modified when a head sail furling system was added. Often we prefer the working jib in winds over 20 kts. since it is easier to sail. However, the genny is favored in our typical 12-15 kts of Buzzard's Bay. Our waves in this amount of wind are usually about 3 foot. Our winds our not commonly shifty or light during the afternoon. This is not a light wind or shifty wind condition problem. We have some weather helm but don't consider it excessive. As far as belly in the sails; well, how much is too much-that is the question! That is why we asked about new sails and how they perform. I do hope this answers many of your questions.

This is not a broad reach situation as someone asked. It is sailing as high on the wind as we are able. The 130* refers to the number of degrees we travel as we come about (reading off the compass). So, therefore, tacking while attempting to make progress upwind is frustrating because you don't gain much distance on each tack.

Do you think taking up on the cunningham will help? Our sails are circa 1984. We have good reason to believe that this is the age and that they are not the originals.

While we are talking sails...can anyone tell us the maker of the original sails that Cape Dory issued? We have assumed we need to have our sails recut or replaced but thought you folks might have ideas and comments. Thanks very much. Bob



Cdchartley@aol.com

[Don Carr]

The delivery sails on the CD25 were Lee Sails. You might try Lee Sails Northeast.



carrd48@netzero.net

[Catherine Monaghan]

Cape Dory used local sailmakers depending on where the boats were to be delivered. Our original sails were built by UK Sailmakers of City Island. The boat was also originally delivered to City Island, NY.

So just find a sailmaker that you like and trust, select quality sailcloth and have them make sails that are appropriate for how you'll be using them.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
<a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/bcomet/real ... lization's Home Page</a>

The delivery sails on the CD25 were Lee Sails. You might try Lee Sails Northeast.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com