I have a CD36 Klutter (Ketch with staysail) and am thinking of some possible changes in the sail plan long term for extended cruising. The previous owner gave away a roller furling 150% Genoa (ugh) and now I just have the Yankee on roller furling. I removed the staysail and boom to clear up the deck for my hard dinghy but left the stay in case I need the staysail when it blows like stink (which it hardly ever does in S.Cal). I have a Spinnaker but never have even flown it, and am not even sure how to rig it with the roller furling in the way, but that's for another posting.
Here's my thought and hopefully will receive some interesting feedback from this intelligent crew: I am contemplating adding roller furling on the staysail and recut the staysail for use in heavy weather, and also add an inner track on the cabintop with sheets led back so I don't have to go forward when it picks up. Of course then I need two more winches, and also lose the advantage of my hank-on storm trysail that I can now use on the inner stay since the stay would now have the roller furling staysail on it. I am up in the air (no pun intended) about obtaining a larger Genoa since the Yankee is quite small, but usually effective in winds above 10 knots or more.
Obviously there are tradeoffs - extra cost for the track, winches, sheets, but I already have a roller furling spare for the staysail. There is increased safety by not going forward with a roller furling staysail, however, there would also be less use of the storm trysail forward unless I drop the roller staysail idea...etc, etc. I know with a ketch rig I have the mizzen working for me with a staysail combo for heavier weather, but if it really blows stink a try on the inner stay makes me perceive safety. I have two reef points in already for the main, but haven't yet obtained a storm trysail for the main or added a track for one, but also may do that. Do I sound like I'm trying to be overprepared? (I usually am, but better safe than otherwise).
Anyone out there in CD land care to brainstorm this stuff with me? Thanksabunch guys...and I'm always impressed by the extent of knowledge and helpfulness on this board. Keep up the good work!
tim@iga.org
CD 36 Sail Questions
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Patrick Turner
Re: CD 36 Sail Questions
Tim,
The real big advantage of having a stays'l on a club boom is the ability to "self-tack". This is a real advantage if you sail in and area that require you to tack alot. I sail in San Francisco Bay and have to tack frequently so I find the club boom a real help. Also the winds are always strong enough that pushing the Yankee past the innerstay is rarely a problem. If you are "cruising" and therefor generally on longer tacks or if the winds in your area don't often get above 13-15knts making it difficult to push that sail around the inner stay you might find that stowing the stays'l and it's boom and sailing with a bigger genoa is a better sail plan for you.....'till it starts to "blow like stink" that is.
What sounds like the best plan to me for the area you are sailing in and for the projected plan for cruising is to remove the club boom and add the inner tracks but leave your stays'l as is - removable for light winds, and use a larger 135% Genoa. The stays'l/110% yankee combination is equivalent to about 135% Genoa in sail area. This will serve you well most of the time for the sailing you are doing in your local area.If you are off cruising and are sailing in more wind..... anything above 15knts and way before it's "blowing like stink".....hank on the stays'l and replace the Geona with the Yankee. It will require some deck planning to lead the stays'l lines aft in a tidy manner, but I don't think you would need additional winches for sheeting in. The stays'l is not so big that you couldn't manage it with just your arms and a rope clutch or cam cleat. The Yankee/stays'l combination along with mainsail reefing really gives you alot of flexability as the winds start to get a little stronger. You might have your local sailmaker add some additonal stitching and support for the stays'l and perhaps a third reef in the main with addtional support up there. With this comination you could roll up the Yankee all the way, tuck a few reefs in the main (or drop it all together) and sail like this up to about 35knts or so of wind.....then you might have to consider storm sails or "heaving-to" for awhile.
If you opted for the 135% Genoa (and assuming that your roller furling is double grooved) then you could run both headsails for dead downwind sailing. For broad reaching you could fly the Yankee poled out to windward and the Genoa to leeward. I would then add an assymetrical to your sailplan for lighter wind broad reaching and you'd be set.
From what I've read on cruising, the bigger problem is how to keep the boat moving in light air, not what to do in heavy air.
I currently sail a CD36 cutter with a removable inner stay and 110% yankee. I also have a 135% genoa that I use in Winter when the winds are milder and I remove the club boom and stow the inner stay and sail at that time. I have not yet sailed twin headsails as I described above but I'm set up to do so and plan on "trying it out" this Fall. I have plans to supplement my sail plan with an Assymetrical spinnaker this Winter. No plans at this time for storm sails. I think storm sails are necessary if you plan on being more than a half day sail off shore (50-75nm). Most really bad weather you can see coming or can hear about in time to get to a safe harbor if you are this close to land.
my 2 cents.....
Pat
patrick.t@home.com
The real big advantage of having a stays'l on a club boom is the ability to "self-tack". This is a real advantage if you sail in and area that require you to tack alot. I sail in San Francisco Bay and have to tack frequently so I find the club boom a real help. Also the winds are always strong enough that pushing the Yankee past the innerstay is rarely a problem. If you are "cruising" and therefor generally on longer tacks or if the winds in your area don't often get above 13-15knts making it difficult to push that sail around the inner stay you might find that stowing the stays'l and it's boom and sailing with a bigger genoa is a better sail plan for you.....'till it starts to "blow like stink" that is.
What sounds like the best plan to me for the area you are sailing in and for the projected plan for cruising is to remove the club boom and add the inner tracks but leave your stays'l as is - removable for light winds, and use a larger 135% Genoa. The stays'l/110% yankee combination is equivalent to about 135% Genoa in sail area. This will serve you well most of the time for the sailing you are doing in your local area.If you are off cruising and are sailing in more wind..... anything above 15knts and way before it's "blowing like stink".....hank on the stays'l and replace the Geona with the Yankee. It will require some deck planning to lead the stays'l lines aft in a tidy manner, but I don't think you would need additional winches for sheeting in. The stays'l is not so big that you couldn't manage it with just your arms and a rope clutch or cam cleat. The Yankee/stays'l combination along with mainsail reefing really gives you alot of flexability as the winds start to get a little stronger. You might have your local sailmaker add some additonal stitching and support for the stays'l and perhaps a third reef in the main with addtional support up there. With this comination you could roll up the Yankee all the way, tuck a few reefs in the main (or drop it all together) and sail like this up to about 35knts or so of wind.....then you might have to consider storm sails or "heaving-to" for awhile.
If you opted for the 135% Genoa (and assuming that your roller furling is double grooved) then you could run both headsails for dead downwind sailing. For broad reaching you could fly the Yankee poled out to windward and the Genoa to leeward. I would then add an assymetrical to your sailplan for lighter wind broad reaching and you'd be set.
From what I've read on cruising, the bigger problem is how to keep the boat moving in light air, not what to do in heavy air.
I currently sail a CD36 cutter with a removable inner stay and 110% yankee. I also have a 135% genoa that I use in Winter when the winds are milder and I remove the club boom and stow the inner stay and sail at that time. I have not yet sailed twin headsails as I described above but I'm set up to do so and plan on "trying it out" this Fall. I have plans to supplement my sail plan with an Assymetrical spinnaker this Winter. No plans at this time for storm sails. I think storm sails are necessary if you plan on being more than a half day sail off shore (50-75nm). Most really bad weather you can see coming or can hear about in time to get to a safe harbor if you are this close to land.
my 2 cents.....
Pat
patrick.t@home.com
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Jerry Kimble
Re: CD 36 Sail Questions
Unless you are planning on sailing in the rouring 40's, I suggest you have a 130% roller furling jib made. Put the trackes on the cabin top for the staysail. Install wenches under the doger for the staysail sheets. I did this on my CD36 cutter for a round robin in the So. Pacific and it was a great set up . I rarely had to use the staysail as the Cape Dory performed nicely up to 30 knots wind with the jib rolled up to about 90% and the main on 3rd reef. This should even be better on your reduced fore triangle.
I also beefed up the main traveler with roller track and repaced the main sheet wench with a two speed self tailing. I also installed a small self tailing wench on the boom for the slab reef lines.
Note: The spinnaker should fly nicely out front of the roller head stay.
I've never seen a CD 36 ketch. Where in the cockpit is the mizzen mast mounted?
jkimbel@mcn.org
I also beefed up the main traveler with roller track and repaced the main sheet wench with a two speed self tailing. I also installed a small self tailing wench on the boom for the slab reef lines.
Note: The spinnaker should fly nicely out front of the roller head stay.
I've never seen a CD 36 ketch. Where in the cockpit is the mizzen mast mounted?
jkimbel@mcn.org
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Tim Smale
Re: CD 36 Sail Questions
Thanks for your help. The mizzen mast is about a foot in front of the wheel, and although I didn't like it at first, it's nice to have something to hold onto while using the binocs. The sail plan is flexible too.
tim@iga.org
tim@iga.org