Angle of Heel in Cape Dory 30 Cutter

[ckreitlein]

I do not have an inclinometer. Does anyone know the angle of heel on a CD30 cutter when the leeward toe rail touches water?

Thanks for the help.
S/V Miss Marley

[GLutzow]

I believe that is called the first reef angle. LOL

[Oswego John]

It's not a CD 30, but on my Ty it reads 18-1/2° to 20°. (If I remember correctly)

O J

[Neil Gordon]

I believe that is called the first reef angle. LOL

Progressively, it would be the second reef angle, too. Also the furl the genoa angle, bare pole angle, etc.

I'd only worry if the windward toe rail was touching the water.

[Steve Laume]

I was surprised that the rail never seems to go under with Raven.

Of course the previous posters have explained part of the reason why. I have pushed the boat where it should have been reefed and if I remember correctly and was observant at the time I believe the rail stays dry at well over a 20 degree angle of heel. If I were to guess it would be around the high side of 25 degrees.

To look at the boat with it's relatively low freeboard you would not think this was the case. Those wide high sided designs will sail with the rail under water way before your CD-30.

It is a masterful design, Steve.

[Stan W.]

The other estimates are way low. On a CD 28 (same basic hull) the rail dips at something like 40 degrees of heel.

Yet another good reason to have a tiller instead of a wheel. Bulkhead compasses have built-in inclinometers.

[Jim Walsh]

What would the angle of heel have to do with the preference of a tiller?

[Stan W.]

What would the angle of heel have to do with the preference of a tiller?

I was just kidding around. Pedestal mounted compasses don't have built-in inclinometers.

[chase]

All I remember was stuff going everywhere, don't remember what the tiltometer said. Besides that one gust on a river, have never really sailed that far over but think it is in the mid to high 20's. Seems like we're normally in the 15-20 range when fully powered.

Chase

[Ed Haley]

Ha, I had to laugh at the thoughts of the several angles of heel that were mentioned that takes place. The one most familiar to me is the camera heel - that's where a camera nicely resting in the helm cupholder drops directly from the helm into the drink without so much as a bump on the leeward rail! If I remember, I have 3 good cameras on the bottom of Lake Ontario.

[ckreitlein]

I appreciate the feedback... humorous as some were.... I obviously need to install an inclinometer if I really want to know the answer (if it should happen to me again.) Here is how this came about for those who like a sailing story.

I was sailing in Pensacola Bay two weeks ago on a windy day. I sailed directly down wind on yankee and staysail at 4kts. At the other end of the Bay, the wind was almost calm. A Beneteau came by and complemented the lines of my Cape Dory. I replied I was looking for more wind (and soon got more than I needed!) I raised the main and tacked to return to the marina. I headed up wind and soon picked up speed. In the middle of the Bay, the wind freshened considerably. I was soon heeled over and going at 6+ kts. Then a big gust came along and the boat heeled more than I had ever before experienced. I was kneeling in the cockpit so as to not fall out with white knuckles on the wheel. I did have on my life vest, but was not tied on. The boat pulled hard to round-up, but I held the rudder over to maintain course. I was nervous, and concerned. I wondered (1) will the shrouds hold and (2) will the wheel cable part. I was pulling very hard on the wheel to keep the rudder down while the boat's weather helm fought to turn into the wind. I looked down and saw the lee rail underwater as we skimmed along at 6+ kts - the first time I had ever seen that! I finally grabbed the mainsheet and eased it out to reduce the heel. The boat came up as I let her turn a bit into the wind. The front of the mainsail began to luff (is that why they call it the 'luff'?) as we came almost upright. Our speed dropped a bit, but we were still moving well. I thought I should reef the main, but was heading back to the marina and did not want to stop, so I did not. I had spent two hours sailing downwind across the Bay and made it back to the channel buoy in 45 minutes. At the buoy I tacked and backed the yankee, and went forward to lower the main. As I pulled it down the bow fell downwind and we took off wing-in-wing. By the time I got back to the cockpit with main tied down, we were half a mile down wind. I gybed and headed back to the buoy. I pulled the two remaining sails down, started the engine and motored up the narrow marina channel and to my slip. Had an exciting, but short trip.
As everyone knows, a Cape Dory backs down poorly - as do most long keel boats. I like to back into my slip but it is always hit and miss on which way we go when I put Miss Marley into reverse. I have now latched onto a little technique which seems to work for me. Fortunately, I am at a marina that has lots of room for maneuvering. I approach my slip at nearly 90 degrees with headway on. As I get a boat length away, I put her into reverse and swing the bow out. The boat slows and then stops, but the momentum keeps the stern moving forward a bit, almost rotating the boat, and positioning the stern in the slip opening. As boat slowly begins to back down, the momentum causes her to back right into the slip. Of course, I end up pushing off the pilings and manhandling things a bit, but at least she is trying to help me. Soon we are tied up neat and snug.

[Roy J.]

I would not worry about the rig in those conditions. If you have inspected your standing rigging for "meathooks" and other sgns of deterioration, your running rigging for undo wear, have recently taken a look at your turnbuckles and chainplates etc for signs of corrosion, then the truism that CDs are built to take more than their sailors can kicks in. After reefing, i have sailed my 25 for hours in 30 - 35 mph winds in MA Bay the rail in the water w/ no negative outcome besides big grins and sore body parts. The initial tenderness that tosses Ed's cameras is followed by classic CD settling in for the ride. Our boats are built to bring us home safely as conditions deriorate when well handled.

[barfwinkle]

Once upon a time my daughter was at the helm and I was standing on the companionway ladder talking to my wife on the phone. I looked to leeward and "holy crap I gotta go hun, Kimmie let her up, let her up" came out of my mouth.

The winch base was in the water on my 25D!

From snowy Oklahoma where its still coming down and just think two days ago I was sailing a beam reach in beautiful sunshine

[ckreitlein]

Great comments.... thanks.

[David van den Burgh]

Compare the angle of the mast to the horizon and you'll have an idea of what happens on a CD36. Totally inefficient, unnecessary, and uncomfortable, but it makes for a fun picture. There's already a reef in the main. I don't remember, but we probably dropped the jib soon after.