attn: Hitchhiker SunCat Jib Sailing

[Osprey]

Attn: Hitchhiker,  I've watched all your videos on You-Tube and am intrigued by your use of a mini jib. I wondering if your still sailing Mermaid? haven't seen a new video in a while. I've just purchased a used Sun-cat and thinking that I may add a jib in the future, so that I may be able to keep up with my friends in light air in there sloops. Most of your videos shows you sailing hard on the wind. Does the jib help with your speed in light air?

Thanks.
Terry
Havana,Fl

[capt_nemo]

Terry,
I was also quite pleased to find Hitchhiker's videos showing him sailing with a small jib.

Since I too was not pleased with the performance of my Sun Cat in light air I took on the challenge of adding more sail area. The first jib I made was a small one, hanked on, with a 11' luff, 11' leech and 4' foot, approximately 21 square feet and sheeted INSIDE the shrouds through fairleads on the forward loop of the handrails to a camcleat on the cabintop. This one helped but I wasn't satisfied.

Then I made a light air DRIFTER out of Jo Ann Fabrics Orange Rip Stop Nylon which has a 11' luff, 12 1/2' leech, and 7' foot for approximately 38 square feet of heavenly sail area. It is set flying with a halyard led aft to the cockpit, and is sheeted OUTSIDE the shrouds to a fairlead and camcleat mounted on a 6" piece of wood attached to my midship cleats with SS hose clamps. Its performance has exceeded my expectations from a very close reach to a broad reach and even a run. When off the wind, by easing the halyard, conveniently located at the cockpit, and easing the appropriate sheet, she cups nicely swinging forward catching the wind and looks like a little spinnaker. I like what it does so much that I rig it at the ramp for flying to around 10 knots of air. In light air it transforms an otherwise slow, lumbering, sail slatting Sun Cat into a light air rocket, relatively speaking, and contrary to modern Cat Boat Lore is not a lot of work. Matter of fact, it adds tremendously to the enjoyment of sailing my Sun Cat. I'm currently thinking about a bowsprit for a larger foretriangle and larger Drifter, and am in the process of designing and making a Nylon Light Air Mainsail.

I've provided a few pics below (thanks to Tom Scott) to give you an idea of what the Little Orange Wonder looks like under sail.

[Osprey]

Capt Nemo,

Thanks for your informative description of your Jibs. You have
convinced me that a simple small drifter may be the way to go.

I'm probably getting ahead of myself, as I haven't even taken
possession of my Suncat yet and I'm already making plans for
upgrades.

For the past few years I've been sailing Tri's. It just got to be too
much work and I've decided it's time to slow down. So, I sold both
of my Tris and have bought a Suncat in hopes of still enjoying sailing
on a simpfied basis. I'm looking forward to getting the Suncat and
learning how to sail a cat boat. I need to try to keep reminding myself
why I'm getting the new boat, that is "keep it simple".

Terry

[capt_nemo]

Terry,

Glad to help.

Your making plans for upgrades before having taken possession of your Sun Cat is music to my ears. The quest to achieve the full potential of our vessels by making MEANINGFUL changes to improve performance, safety, efficiency, or comfort is, in my opinion, one of the most satisfying and rewarding pursuits in the sailing arena. It ranks a close second to only one endeavor, and that is actually SAILING the vessel, to hone our skills to the point that we become one with the vessel as it moves through the elements of wind, water and weather. Oops, got carried away there - didn't mean to wax poetic.

You'll enjoy your Sun Cat I'm sure. It will be quite different from what you're used to with the Tris. I had to adjust also, from Marconi Sloops and Cutters to the Cat Boat Rig. Toss in a gaff headed mainsail and it really gets both interesting and challenging to adjust sail correctly to heading and wind conditions.

Adding a small Drifter doesn't necessarily violate the "keep it simple" principle. Given the boat's less than desirable performance in light air, it just makes good sense to do so.

capt_nemo
Port Charlotte, FL

[Tom Ray]

I want to see Scott with his extra large mainsail and Don and Terry with their jibs (and Hitchhiker, if he wants to come all the way from Japan) at the Sun Cat Nationals.

I know this is the subject of some controversy, racing modified boats against unmodified boats, but I think it is the best way to see how much difference the mods really make.

I'm more interested in a bigger mainsail than in putting a headsail of any kind. My impression from sailing along with Don and his jib is that it adds a little speed when the boat is off the wind and underpowered, but it needs to come down to point best upwind in any breeze. Not surprising. The Sun Cat has enough power to go upwind in a breeze, just not enough to go downwind in light air.

I went out sailing with Joe again, and am more and more impressed with that Hyde sail he got. The loose foot makes it very controllable. Definitely getting one of those for my boat. (Terry, discussion of that sail is on the catboat forum at tsbb.)

[Osprey]

Ratty said it so well,

"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolute nothing -- half so
much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing... about in
boats -- or with boats. In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems
really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you
don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere
else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you
never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always
something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not."

(Ratty)

I'm picking up my boat, tomorrow. Now the fun begins! Tom have you set a date for the
Nationals? The last I read I think you were thinking sometime in Nov. If so, I probably
won't make it. We have a new summer cabin up in NC, so we plan on being up there until Dec.
But we will get down your way sometime for a sail. I have two kids that live in the
Ft. Myera area. We try to visit them a couple times a year. I always do a trip down in the
10,000 Islands in Jan. maybe some of you may be interested in joining us next year.

Terry

[capt_nemo]

Terry,

Congratulations on taking possession of your Sun Cat. Enjoy every moment with her to the fullest.

Be sure to let us know when you're planning to be in our area. The trip to the 10,000 Islands sounds interesting. Don't forget our beautiful and spacious Charlotte Harbor - a really great place to sail!

Otherwise, fair winds, following seas, and may there always be at least a hand's breadth of water 'neath yer keel!

[Tom Ray]

Terry, the Nationals will be in November unless a popular uprising from the Sun Catters prompts a move. No date has been set at this point.

We also have impromptu Sun Cat Regionals here when it looks like a nice day and people feel like sailing. We're having one of those tomorrow and another Saturday. I'm sure you'll get to join in at some point.

[Glenn Basore]

Capt Nemo,

Sure is a pretty boat, the dark green hull with gold really is nice and the orange sail just finishes her off.

Glenn

[capt_nemo]

Glenn,

Thanks.

It will really look colorful when I get around to finishing the Light Air Mainsail.

Then I hope someone has a camera to capture her on the water in all her splendor!

capt_nemo