top speed

[kickingbug1]

    yesterday my wife and i sailed carlyle lake in illinois with a wind forcast of 5 to 10 (a little more than 10 i expect). our gps showed a max speed of 5.2 knots. i weigh about 208 and she weighs (?) and we did have a lot of gear aboard. im just curious what speed others have achieved on one of these little gems.

[adschmid]

6.1 knots is the fastest my gps has recorded my cp16. Close hauled, 10-15 knot winds on Lake Erie. I fly the stock sails. I bet a 155% genny would speed her up a bit. Maybe next year.

Anyone have experience flying a 155% genny and/or a spinnaker on the cp16? Just curious if its worth the upgrade to either of these sails.

[Rick Klages]

If waterline is about 15 ft, the max hull speed would be a calculated 5.19 Kts.  "Surfing" can temporarily exceed hull speed.

http://www.sailingusa.info/calculate_speed.htm

[don l]

We have had our 16 up to 6 knots, just before a puff and round up.  Boy,  I now reef sail, at about 5 knots.  I am trying to keep  certain rides, for vacation at  Disneyland parks only!  I yell abandon ship to early, and it's embarrassing to me, when the wife has to take over, while she is getting my life jacket all tighted up...   I hope this helps.

[Shawn]

If waterline is about 15 ft, the max hull speed would be a calculated 5.19 Kts.  "Surfing" can temporarily exceed hull speed.

http://www.sailingusa.info/calculate_speed.htm

Also worth pointing out that the GPS is giving speed over ground, not water speed. Sail with a 4 knot current and your GPS will tell you you are going way beyond hull speed, even though though speed through the water is still at hull speed.

Shawn

[kickingbug1]

 i read the calculate boat speed section and it seems to me that a wood chip on the water isnt very precise. seems like the chip would have to be perfectly stable for the formula to be accurate. i normally dont have a lot of regard for high tech stuff like gps  but i think it works in this context. if im going to windward making 5 knots wouldnt that be faster given the movement of the water aft? granted speed isnt really that important especially on a compac its the sailing effect that is. we just use the gps as a way to best our previous record----kind of silly i grant you

[Steve Ullrich]

I was out sailing on the St. Croix river last Sunday.  At one point, while waiting for NateD to launch his C-16, we thought we'd just put the sails down and float.  As it turns out, because of the current, the GPS said we were moving at 1.5 knots without motor or sails, and we weren't in the channel.  With the current assist in the channel we could see 5 knots on the GPS.  Going against the current we could only see 2 knots on the GPS but it seemed like we were moving just as fast either way with respect to the surface of the water around us.  I suppose if we were to take her white water rafting we could really see some speed on the GPS!

[Shawn]

"if im going to windward making 5 knots wouldnt that be faster given the movement of the water aft?"

Just because you may be going to wind doesn't automatically mean you are going against a current. Tides don't really care which way the wind is blowing.

For a simple water speed indicator check out:

http://www.knotstick.com/

Shawn

[Potcake boy]

Too bad electronics has gone to the extreme - I like simple especially on small boats. I recall a knotmeter (I think it might have been a DataMarine) that was self powered - meaning the paddle wheel provided the electrical impulse to power the analog needle. Worked great all the time and no battery drain. Unfortunately marketers are as usual driving the product selection. What does GPS mean anyhow - is that an acronym for Gnarley Pot Smoker?

I will say however that in my book the two best uses for GPS are:
1. Providing an accurate heading when sailing on the wind, saving us the trouble of accurately compensating for leeway which is significant on our shoal keel vessels.
2. Providing a precise bearing to a mark that is too far for visual confirmation.

I stand firm in my view that conventional navigation should be practiced as a primary technique, and electronics as a possible back up.  I'd say it's like the feel of the embrace of your first slow dance compared to dancing with a Wii machine. It just ain't natural!!

Ron

[B.Hart]

  I agree with the cajun, I sail only by the seat of my pants feel and have found that you don't need to have the rail in the water to go fast, and it's better than having to hang on to stay in your seat. my 2 cents   BILL