First sail

[rbh1515]

Finally went out on our first sail...me and my 19 year old daughter who is just home from college.  She's the one that convinced me to downsize from the Catalina 28.  She really was looking forward to a smaller boat with a tiller.
It was a bit chilly this evening in the low 50's and it was a steady 12-15 knots of wind out of the NE here in Milwaukee.   The sun was out and the sky was beautiful with few clouds.   We motored out with the Torqeedo to the inner harbor.  Very eerie to motor with almost no noise and zero vibration.  I was a little nervous...would the engine push us out against the wind...would I run out of juice?  It took about 10% power to  get out to the inner harbor and raise the sails.  Very strange to have two halyards for the sail, but it went right up.
I am using a remote throttle on the Torqeedo, so there is no tiller handle attached.  Even with the motor mount in the lowest position, when I tilted the engine up, the prop was completely out of the water.  Since the wind was 12-15 I thought maybe we should stay inside the breakwater and sail for the first time, but it looked so great out on the lake.  We made a bee-line for the north gap and went about 2 miles out on a close reach.  The boat points great!!  Came back on a beam reach, and were really cruising...wish I had hooked up the GPS.
It was a short sail, but I was very impressed with the Horizon Day Cat.  The cockpit is huge.  The boat sailed great, and it was easy to handle.  Love the gaff rig!  At the dock we still had 80% power left on the battery, and I didn't even top if off with the house battery while sailing.  This is going to be a great summer of sailing.

Rob

[Salty19]

Looking good!  Wow the cockpit space it amazing!

[rbh1515]

Cockpit is just over 10 feet long!  Love it.
Rob

[Craig]

Hi Rob, As you have found out first hand many of the "faults" of catboats are myths. The HC with a modern gaff rig and Keel/Centerboard configuration sails extremely well. As she heels a little the wetted surface is reduced and the hull becomes more "slippery". Cats can be quite fast! I have noticed only a desirable degree of weather helm unless you are vastly overpowered. I really have come to love the gaff rig as well. If the wind pipes up quickly, easing the peak halyard will de-power the sail almost like a small reef. A big surprise for me was how quickly an HC will turn and how well she "carries"even when tacking at low speeds in lighter winds. Fair winds and following seas!

[rbh1515]

Craig,
I agree with you.  I am very pleasantly surprised by how the HDC sails.  Today was the second sail of the season.  NE winds on Lake Michigan, 10-12 knots, with 1-2 foot waves. I brought my GPS with me.  We left the inner harbor gap going east, beating into the wind.  We were going a steady 4 to 4.5 knots.  The boat was completely dry...no spray at all.  We went out about 3-4 miles, and turned back to the gap on a beam reach going 4.5 to 5.3 knots.  The boat really shines on a reach.  See the GPS pic below.  Also, the big guys were out today racing.
Rob

[Craig]

Cats rule! Glad you had a great day!