Horizon vs Sun Cat

[Tom L.]

To those interested. I sailed today in wind conditions that were around 15 knots. The sounder worked perfect no error messages. It was deeper water,Lake Harris, from 10 to 18 feet and the wind was lighter so the healing angles were lower. We had white caps but the waves were longer. I am guessing the water wasn't as turbulent. I may decide to leave the transducer up in front of the keel. Like I said earlier it may take some time to try a new location or maybe not.

BTW it was stellar sailing today. 70 degree temps and plenty of wind. Perfect winter sailing in Florida.

Tom L.

[frank]

I really don't understand your dissertation. The Cat boat is a really great boat to do short tacking with since you only need to steer the boat no jib to haul. So I will stick with my sounder because i really don't like to use the motor and I want to go to the limits of the deep water before tacking. It is really enjoyable to sail this little boat in those conditions.

I do agree that the sounder is more valuable on keel boats. But it is also more valuable in shallow waters like the west coast of Florida.  My sailing experience is over 50 years on the Great Lakes and East Coast. I retired in 2000 and cruised aboard our boat. We started in the North Channel of Lake Huron and cruised to the Bahamas and then for 4 years migrated back and forth between The Bahamas and The Chesapeake. I really learned not to rely on engine power but the ability to sail the boat in nearly all weather conditions. I remember one time returning from the islands our weather window closed. We got nailed in the Gulf Stream and had to sail. I used the radar to keep tract of freighters as they really can't see a 38 foot boat in rough sea conditions but I could see them. It was blowing 30 plus from the North against the stream. Big waves. We had double reefed with a small jib and we still buried the bow. It was rough but under power it would have been down right dangerous. Sails up give a sailboat a lot of stability in waves.  Under power we would have been slamming from one side to the other.

Tom L.

Just catching up on older posts. Tom...I totally agree.
1- the Suncat is a wonderful boat to short tack. Talk about "lazy man's" tacking
2- don't know how the discussion started....but I got caught out onnce in a full gale coming down from Charleston to Jacksonville.
   It was "crazy".....34 gusting 42 into the stream. Reefed way down......I couldn't imagine trying to motor in that stuff!!  It truly
   would be dangerous!!  Far more control under sail and much steadier boat! Just my  1 1/2 cents

Glad ya got your depth sounder figured out.  I always figured my centerboard down going "clink, clunk" worked pretty good too   :-)