Light air strategies ??

[Thinking of 31 or 33]

What is the best way to keep a Cape Dory moving in light airs, i.e., between 3 and 7 knots.

[JD]

What is the best way to keep a Cape Dory moving in light airs, i.e., between 3 and 7 knots.

Turn on the engine!

[matt Cawthorne]

Sail trim is everything. My CD 36 has 17 year old sails, a fixed 3 bladed prop and at least an extra 1000 lb of junk on board. Despite these handicaps I find that in the light airs of the Chesapeake bay during the summer we do most of the passing. My guess is that sail trim techniques are the reason. The techniques are the same as for other boats in light air.
You want to keep the halyards and outhaul at minumum tension to keep the sail shape as full as possible.
Be careful not to over trim. In light air I even let a small pocket of area luff near the mast ( I learned this from a J40 racer).
Use lots of telltales on the sail so you have visability as to when your twist is not correct.
Drop your staysail when going with the wind and put it back up when going to windward.
Constantly monitor your sail trim. When the winds are variable sail trim is a full time job. Spend some time reading books on sail trim and sail as much as you can with someone who really knows it.

I have a friend with a Pearson which has a better phrf rating than the CD-36. One day we agreed to raft up in an anchorage about 10 miles away. The wind was very light. Because the Patricia Louise has a deeper draft than his boat he was able to cross a shoal and cut down on his distance traveled. We still passed him with ease. He then went out and bought a feathering prop. The next year I passed him again on a similar outing. He then went out and bought new sails. He is a good sailor, but I believe that I spend more time looking at the sails and tweaking them. Cape Dory sailors seem to be content with the idea that their boats are slow in light air. I can not speak for the smaller models, but I contend that at least the 33 and 36 are not slow. Island Packets, Hans Christians, and Morgan OI's are slow.

Matt

What is the best way to keep a Cape Dory moving in light airs, i.e., between 3 and 7 knots.

mcawthor@bellatlantic.net

[Carl Jones]

What is the best way to keep a Cape Dory moving in light airs, i.e., between 3 and 7 knots.

Turn on the engine!

Has anyone tried a drifter? I had one on my previous, heavy boat, and it worked great. Could sheet it in for upwind and pole it out down. Have thought it would be a versatile sail for my CD.



GreatCells@aol.com

[Thinking of 31 or 33]

I see light air far more often than I see heavy air. Sure, I'd like the comfort and solidity of the Cape Dory, but not if it restricts my sailing to days when the wind is blowing more than 8 kn. Does anyone use a drifter with their CD?

[sam]

On my boat I have a 'cruising spinnaker' or drifter (1.5 oz nylon) which I have used for up to 4 hours at a shot cruising in the Bahamas. It works from off the wind to a reach just ahead of the beam in light winds. Off the wind it is fine up to 15 -20 true wind speed. For light air windward work my 3.5 oz dacron 'quilt cut' genny by Haarstick is unbeatable. Really makes a difference. Lots of sail changing (no roller furling makes it easier) and as I mostly single hand it is even more work. If you like to sail it is worth the expense and the effort. BUT if you have to make 50 miles that day to the next harbor and the wind is light, there is still no beating that iron genny!

[Jim Stull]

On my boat I have a 'cruising spinnaker' or drifter (1.5 oz nylon) which I have used for up to 4 hours at a shot cruising in the Bahamas. It works from off the wind to a reach just ahead of the beam in light winds. Off the wind it is fine up to 15 -20 true wind speed. For light air windward work my 3.5 oz dacron 'quilt cut' genny by Haarstick is unbeatable. Really makes a difference. Lots of sail changing (no roller furling makes it easier) and as I mostly single hand it is even more work. If you like to sail it is worth the expense and the effort. BUT if you have to make 50 miles that day to the next harbor and the wind is light, there is still no beating that iron genny!

Sam
Could you please tell us how your drifter is rigged.
Jim



jtstull@icubed.com

[chuck yahrling]

What is the best way to keep a Cape Dory moving in light airs, i.e., between 3 and 7 knots.

Turn on the engine!

Has anyone tried a drifter? I had one on my previous, heavy boat, and it worked great. Could sheet it in for upwind and pole it out down. Have thought it would be a versatile sail for my CD.

My CD-27 came with a North Genniker and I agree with Jim and Sam about the versatility and ease of use.

On a reach I also set the storm jib flying inside of the drifter (using the bow cleats as a tack) and am pleased to see an additional half a knot or more indicated hull speed. As a final tweak, I move the mainsheet to windward 6-8 inches.



yahrling@cybertours.com

[Lyn Heiges]

I have a drifter on my CD28 and it works just fine. There is a spinaker too, but the drifter is usually the sail of choice as it is easier to deal with when single-handing and the visability is better. I use the same pole for each sail or the Genny when it is flown. By using the three section Forespar pole the range of trim is greater with little difference in pole strength.

I like what Matt Cawthorne said regarding performance and watching the tell-tales. Maybe you look a little less competent as a "purist" with all those little "flags" on the sail, but for darn sure you can see the sail performance a lot easier day or night!

Best Regards,
Lyn Heiges
CD28 MOON CHILD
CD27 GUILLEMOT

I see light air far more often than I see heavy air. Sure, I'd like the comfort and solidity of the Cape Dory, but not if it restricts my sailing to days when the wind is blowing more than 8 kn. Does anyone use a drifter with their CD?

lheiges@compuserve.com

[Ed Haley]

What is the best way to keep a Cape Dory moving in light airs, i.e., between 3 and 7 knots.

In light airs, the secret in keeping your CD moving is in the sail trim and crew position. Relax the outhaul and have the jib halyard slack.
If you're sailing upwind, use the telltales (if they're moving) on the genny to get them all flying alike by adjusting the jiblead. Keep the sail about 6 inches off the spreader tip. Adjust the main traveller to leeward in very light air and to windward when they get to 6 knots or so. Keep the telltales on the leech of the main flying aft.

If you have crew, put them on the leeward rail to get about 10-15 degrees of heel. Try not to move the rudder much.

These tactics are helpful but each component may change when the wind speed changes. Reading up on sail trim and then practice, practice and practice will help you get the feel.



eghaley@dreamscape.com

[zeida]

Hey, JD: seems you are looking for any excuse to avoid the Cape Dorys.. these boats are not for everyone, maybe you should try a Catalina or an S2, or any fin-keeler for that matter. Cape Dorys have full keels and are not race boats. Where do you sail that you see more "light airs" than steady breezes? I sail in Biscayne Bay, in Miami, FL and my CD-33 moves under sail in under 10 knots of wind.. and if the wind dies, I turn on the engine! I also have a cruising chute that I pole out, and it works fine for me. Cheers,
Zeida
Bandolera II / CD-33
Key Biscayne, FL



zcecil@ibm.net

[sam]

Sam
Could you please tell us how your drifter is rigged.
Jim

I do not have furling so for the drifter (spinnaker)I lower the Yankee and tie it to the life lines then hank it on the spinnaker at the tack and to the yankee halyard and of course the sheets (I have a separate pair of lighter sheets and snatch blocks for it) and hoist it. I have a 'chute' for it. Once it is up I hoist the chute. I have done this alone in light air a couple of times but it is better with 2 people. It is a large sail (1000 sq ft) but because it is such light material, it is easier to handle than the yankee if you keep the wind out of it until you are ready! lay it out on the deck and get all the lines connected and unsnarled before you hoist it.
Okay?

[Carl Jones]

Sam
Could you please tell us how your drifter is rigged.
Jim

I do not have furling so for the drifter (spinnaker)I lower the Yankee and tie it to the life lines then hank it on the spinnaker at the tack and to the yankee halyard and of course the sheets (I have a separate pair of lighter sheets and snatch blocks for it) and hoist it. I have a 'chute' for it. Once it is up I hoist the chute. I have done this alone in light air a couple of times but it is better with 2 people. It is a large sail (1000 sq ft) but because it is such light material, it is easier to handle than the yankee if you keep the wind out of it until you are ready! lay it out on the deck and get all the lines connected and unsnarled before you hoist it.
Okay?

The sailmakers have got us confused by all the different names they have made up for their particular version of assymetrical spinnaker (gennaker, flasher, etc.) The sail that I referred to in my later post as a drifter is a flat cut triangular sail, not an assymetrical spinnaker as referred to above. Now, I might be wrong about this, but I think that is what the traditional drifter is. It is easy to rig because it has a wire luff, you don't have to hank it on to anything. You just tie down the tack, hoist the head with your halyard, and sheet it in. You can winch it up real tight, and it works like a jib, or you can ease the halyard a little, and pole it out in light air off the wind. Mine was 3/4 ounce nylon. It really came in handy in less than 10 knts of wind. I was asking if anyone has a sail like this for their Cape Dory.
Once, I flew it with my 150. I poled the 150 out on the windward side(on a broad reach), and flew the drifter on the leeward side. I left the main furled and reversed the main halyard to hoist the drifter. It worked great, but we kept a keen eye out for increasing wind. I don't know the area of the drifter, but the clew came back to the cockpit winches when sheeted in tight.



GreatCells@aol.com