Heeling angle

[SailMML]

Let me begin by thanking everyone on this forum for some great advice.  I have been reading since i purchased my CP 23 in the fall of 2008.  Last summer i just got to know her a little and really enjoyed the experience.  This summer I am trying to push the boat and myself to really feel comfortable sailing her without scaring my wife too much.

To this end, I want to ask all of you what the expected heeling angle would be in 10-15 kts of wind.  I sail on a lake and the wind gets gusty a times.  I want to feel that i can let the boat heel in a gust with the knowledge that it will find it's groove and cruise along.  I am thinking this is somewhere around 15-20 degrees but thought i would solicit advice from some of you all.

I know this can be a somewhat subjective question.  I have been sailing most of my life in many different sizes and styles of boats and have plenty of experience.  Just want to hear what you all have to say.

Thanks in advance.

Norm

[brackish]

I have to admit that I find my 23 to be a bit tender compared to other boats I've owned and sailed.  I had two Columbia's, a 24 challenger and an 8.7, and never put the lee rail awash with either of them no matter what the wind strength.  The 23 seems to have low initial stability so it responds to gusts fairly quickly with heel, but it doesn't seem to knock down easily.  Think it has to do with the rounded hull form.  Scared me a little at first, but I've gotten used to it and more comfortable not camping on the mainsheet to dump air at the first roll.

[Bob23]

Norm:
   My 1985 seems to like around 10-12 degrees. Maybe a bit more sometimes. She does like to be reefed early, though, at around 15 knots I tie the first reef in the main. Excessive sail area in high winds equates to excessive heel, slow speed and a darned uncomfortable ride.
  As she starts to heel in a gust, I try not to over react and head up too much. Just kinda feel where she wants to go. I've found that in over reacting and leveling out the boat, I loose speed, and at my age, I can afford to loose too much!
  Experiment...she will not go over. Way too much balast for that.
Bob23

[SailMML]

Thanks guys.  I have been experimenting and 10-15 degrees seems to be comfortable.  I understand what you mean by trying not to overreact when hit by a gust.  I did have a nasty broach last year when the wind shifted (ain't lake sailing grand!!) and backwinded the jib before i could release it.  Very scary but we stayed upright.  I guess i just have to trust the ballast and myself.  Experience will hopefuly breed confidence.

[newt]

.  I guess i just have to trust the ballast and myself.  Experience will hopefuly breed confidence.

Yes it will grasshopper

[Craig Weis]

I don't know about the CP-23's but the Cp-19's sail fastest standing up right.

I guess any angle is OK as long as it's not over. The boat will take a lot more than you can stand. LOL.

skip.

[Bob23]

16's and 23's share a similiar soft chine profile whereas the 19 has a flatter bottom and it's chines are less soft. When I sailed on a 19, I noticed it's resistance to heel immediately. My 23 likes to heel a bit...told me herself, she did. Too much heel and the wind spills from the sails and that ain't good, my friends!
Bob23

[doug]

Based upon my experience with a 16, there are times you may want to do either. I knew that my wife and I had a partnership sailing when she was at the tiller and we were on a close reach sailing through the waves. She was on the high side with me on the low when I noticed that the wave tops were above my head and the craft was around 25-30 degrees and she was having a ball. However speed suffered greatly, around 4 knots if memory serves. Trimming to flatten the craft to 15 degrees or so, always achieved maximum forward speed, like all things sailing you have a choice and there is a time and a place for both.

doug