Cape Dory and heeling angle

[John Stone]

Our boats are narrow by modern standards and a bit tender initially. But they stiffen up fast. Because they are

After the rebuild she was down in the bow about 1”-2” due to removing the engine. I then added 230lbs of lead pigs that I cast and placed it below where the engine had been. I had already installed my bronze Edson 117 gallon a stroke bilge pump aft as well as all my spare anchors and chain. That got her in within 1/2” of her marks.

Fore and aft trim makes a big difference on these boats. I have experimented quite a bit, as I still do, but my boat sails best on her fore and aft marks. I have just installed an engine which weighs almost the same as the lead pigs which I have removed. So, I think we will be on our lines. That’s the plan anyway.

Old blown out sails will increase your heeling too so make sure you consider that as well.

So you think I would benefit from adding weight to the stern to get the bow back up? I did consider that but was not sure. Dennis

Dennis, In general I would say yes. Get her on her marks unless you have reason to sail her a little bow down. As mentioned, a little bow down can negate some weather helm. But you can do the same by raking the mast a small amount forward. Or, conversely new sails can mitigate helm issues. It ease the main a little when sailing upwind along with dropping the traveler. But yes, in general, on her lines. I would not recommend overloading her stern. She’ll squat and be slower and have wx helm issues in all likelihood.

[fmueller]

I have been flying progressively smaller jibs since I bought Jerezana, a CD 27, in 2013.

I never sail with the rail even close to under ...

She came with a 135% which frankly frightened me initially when I was just getting used to the boat. I'd read so much about what stout boats Cape Dorys are, but I just felt out of control in even moderate wind. Also, I could not see to leeward at all and in Boston harbor where I started had a near miss with a barge that was invisible to me until the last moment.

In 2015 I had a high cut 115% genoa made by North in Marblehead ... this was a big improvement, and if I was on Long Island Sound or in the Chesapeake where winds can be lighter I might have stopped there - but Narragansett Bay and close by waters are pretty famous for pretty stiff southerlies that come up in the afternoons - even on days where the forecast is for moderate wind you can find yourself in suddenly heavy air - so on a whim two years ago, (and eyeing the OEM coachroof tracks on my 27) I went to Quantum sails in Bristol and had a 100% "working" jib made. Its Dacron, but the cut is a tri-radial design and it runs right up to within a foot of the masthead so it's blade like. I did not have roller furling luff foam or bolt rope added on the advice of Quantum, because they said it would roll up pretty well without those, and I'd have super clean entry. All the power in a jib is in the first few feet of the luff.

I did not like the initial sheeting angles and we lifted the clew about 5 inches ... I may have another 5 inches removed this winter ... still deciding. Also, it took me some time to get used to a sail where "inches" on both the sheet and position of the car make a difference. And the boat needs to be sailed with more precision. The "grove" is not as wide.

Let me just say - what I've gained in confidence and real ability to sail in almost any weather makes up for the small deficit in speed in light air. I drop a fraction of a knot close hauled in light air, but gain almost unlimited ability to handle really heavy air right up to force 7 ... and I gain about 5 degrees pointing. In 10 knots and up Jerezana is a faster boat, especially to windward. It's quite a sensation to have 20 knots on the nose, 30-35 degrees apparent and making nearly hull speed. This just never happened with a rolled up genoa for me.

The other perk is that for single handing, not having to drag the jib around the stays is a big big plus. Even in heavy air I can often tack without having to use the winch handle at all - I've only got about 4' of sheet to retrieve.

Next up will be a new mainsail with either a third reef, or two reefs that are deeper than the two I have now.

Did you know - average oceanic wind speed has increased 17 % in the last 12 years ?

cheers

[Carl Thunberg]

For the record, I actually sail a fin-keel boat. Those heeling angles are about right even for fin-keel boats. Balancing the helm is a lot more important than heeling angle.

[radsailor]

I have been flying progressively smaller jibs since I bought Jerezana, a CD 27, in 2013.

I never sail with the rail even close to under ...

She came with a 135% which frankly frightened me initially when I was just getting used to the boat. I'd read so much about what stout boats Cape Dorys are, but I just felt out of control in even moderate wind. Also, I could not see to leeward at all and in Boston harbor where I started had a near miss with a barge that was invisible to me until the last moment.

In 2015 I had a high cut 115% genoa made by North in Marblehead ... this was a big improvement, and if I was on Long Island Sound or in the Chesapeake where winds can be lighter I might have stopped there - but Narragansett Bay and close by waters are pretty famous for pretty stiff southerlies that come up in the afternoons - even on days where the forecast is for moderate wind you can find yourself in suddenly heavy air - so on a whim two years ago, (and eyeing the OEM coachroof tracks on my 27) I went to Quantum sails in Bristol and had a 100% "working" jib made. Its Dacron, but the cut is a tri-radial design and it runs right up to within a foot of the masthead so it's blade like. I did not have roller furling luff foam or bolt rope added on the advice of Quantum, because they said it would roll up pretty well without those, and I'd have super clean entry. All the power in a jib is in the first few feet of the luff.

I did not like the initial sheeting angles and we lifted the clew about 5 inches ... I may have another 5 inches removed this winter ... still deciding. Also, it took me some time to get used to a sail where "inches" on both the sheet and position of the car make a difference. And the boat needs to be sailed with more precision. The "grove" is not as wide.

Let me just say - what I've gained in confidence and real ability to sail in almost any weather makes up for the small deficit in speed in light air. I drop a fraction of a knot close hauled in light air, but gain almost unlimited ability to handle really heavy air right up to force 7 ... and I gain about 5 degrees pointing. In 10 knots and up Jerezana is a faster boat, especially to windward. It's quite a sensation to have 20 knots on the nose, 30-35 degrees apparent and making nearly hull speed. This just never happened with a rolled up genoa for me.

The other perk is that for single handing, not having to drag the jib around the stays is a big big plus. Even in heavy air I can often tack without having to use the winch handle at all - I've only got about 4' of sheet to retrieve.

Next up will be a new mainsail with either a third reef, or two reefs that are deeper than the two I have now.

Did you know - average oceanic wind speed has increased 17 % in the last 12 years ?

cheers

I had a similar issue with the 155 genoa that came with the Typhoon I acquired last Spring. For the Fall and Winter I got a 110 high cut jib which is so much more pleasant and easy to sail with and greatly increases my wind speed tolerance. Maybe in the Summer I will go back to the 155 when the spray is refreshing.