How good does your SunCat sail closehold?

[hitchhiker]

I have been sailing my SunCat for 9 months.  I don't think I am good at sailing my boat well when going closehold. The sloop-rig boats are supposed to sail closehold less than 45° to the wind. How close to the wind does your SunCat go? Now I am sailing about 70° to the wind and it is like coming and going parallel all the time, never going up to the wind. How about you? Don't you think gaff-rig boats can't sail to the wind well?

[Craig Weis]

Hello Hitchiker, Have not talked to you since this site went down. Last we spoke you were changing the sheet control on the boom. Sounds as if you sailing a bunch more then I am, of course winter and I hit a dry spell for a bit last summer as I was busy with many other projects and had no time to sail. OHHHH HUUUMMMMMM.
Now if I could only find a job, I lost mine when the wealthy people who buy yachts feel like their not going to be so wealthy under this new administration. skip.

[mrb]

Ahoy hitchicker

Don't be getting down on your sailing a cat boat.  Yes sloops generally do sail closer to the wind than cats, however my 16 will not sail as close as a 16-3.  Just the nature of the of design.

Have you tried varying you center board to see if you can increase performance.  Also how you sheet the sail can make a big difference.  A lot of people try to sheet in their sail to tight. When you get her a close to the wind as you can get her try easing off sail until you get a slight backwind effect then tighten sheet a little at a time to see what happens.

Be patient for advice from cat sailors on site as a lot of members are not back yet.  Once more members find their way back you are sure to get more ideas.

Fair winds and good sailing
melvin

[kchunk]

Hi there hh!

I was just on the trailersailor forum and there is quite a thread started about Suncat sail trim. It's not necessarily about sailing "close hauled"  , but if you're not getting close enough to the wind your problem is probably sail trim.

http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/tsbbcomp/trailersailor/index.cgi/read/683720


--Greg

[hitchhiker]

Thank you, Greg!  I will visit the forum.

[tmorgan]

I really don't think SunShower sails poorly to windward.  My guess would be between 50 and 55 degrees.  I really found the literature from the Catboat Association to be very helpful in learning how to trim the sail on a catboat at all angles to the wind. 

[Tom Ray]

When in doubt, let it out.

[Joseph]

Admitting that sail trim is probably the most important determining factor, my guess is that the closest sailing angle to the wind may also depend on the strength of the wind, the canvass exposed, the heeling and the leeway (i.e., the keel or centerboard effect). In strong winds, sloops sailing only on a reefed main may see all forward progression stalled without the deployment of a small jib. I imagine that this may be also be true for a cat-rig and that the only solution would be to motor sail, change course or perhaps, add a small jib?

[Craig D]

Most of the above. Windspeed is always a factor. My experience is that all things being, equal the closer one can sail to hull speed, the closer to the wind you can sail whatever the rig. Of course once one becomes overpowered all bets are off since hydro and aerodynamic forces are compromised. In really light air, my Suncat is ok but tricky when really closehauled and tacking requires a light touch. I really don't like beating to windward and unless I have a specific destination in mind would just rather fall off a little and let the boat find her groove. May have to tack a little more but hey, tacking in a catboat is a piece of cake. Like, think we'll tack now, push tiller over, ho hum, now we're on the other tack, maybe I need to trim a little, good, hand me a cold one! Doesn't get any easier! Love my Suncat!

[Joseph]

Craig D - Love your tacking style...!

J.

[Tom Ray]

Yeah, but imagine after about 12 tacks he'll have to be scraped up off the cockpit floor if every tack ends with a cold one!

[Joseph]

I see what you mean... by then all one would notice would be a hand on the tiller and a voice yelling "tacking" before each accidental gybe... When I am ready to try it I may skip some of the cold ones...