Sail Trim

[Catawampus]

I'm going to give away a semi-secret source of possible Sun Cat speed advantage prior to the future (destined to be historic) meeting of Catawampus and Frisky on Lake Murray. I am speaking of a book that I received as a birthday present last year. "The Competitive Cat" (Racing Small Gaff-Rigged Catboats) by Bill Welch. Lots of good info in there including a chapter on Sail Trim that includes excellent pictures of good and bad sail shape. Y'all enjoy.

[nreamer]

Can I borrow the book, or are you gonna make me go buy it......

[Catawampus]

You'll probably want your own copy. Under $20 on amazon. It's a good read and a good reference. I go back to it regularly.

[nreamer]

I meant it tongue in cheek....  :-) Ordered a copy immediately.  Will be here Thursday.

[capt_nemo]

Certainly hope someone shoots video or takes photos.

capt_nemo

[nreamer]

Oh dear God.  I am already working on recruiting experienced racing crew, as in people that know all those arcane racing rules......  Thing is, none of them will have sailed a catboat, so I will be the most "experienced".  That is scary.

Catawampus has a customized mainsail, so I am thinking my non virtual jib may have to come into play to "equalize" the playing field!  Spent part of the day researching roller reefing options only to discover that Frisky has been so equipped in the past! 

My thought process is as follows.  If I have wind, Frisky will scoot along quite nicely, as will Catawampus.  But when the wind dies (as it ALWAYS does here), it would be super nice to pop up a drifter, then be able to douse it when the wind picks back up. 

(An Oday 25 could not catch me last Sunday until the wind died.  I will admit the boat looked bit worse for wear, the sails were not well trimmed, etc, but when the wind died and they finally passed me, I could see why the skipper was less than worried about racing me.  Wow, what a baby doll he had aboard!, but it was still cool.  However, I am still smarting over my neighbor sailing circles around me a week ago.)

[capt_nemo]

A Drifter "Down Haul" will serve, especially if race crew is available.

It can be rigged simply and quickly.

capt_nemo

[Catawampus]

Rules? Where we're going, we don't need any rules. Well, maybe just that a starboard tack boat has right of way over a port tack boat when crossing. And no water cannons allowed after October 1 and before April 1. And cocktail hours aboard restricted to between 0700 hours and 0659. And marriages performed aboard by the captain are good only for the duration of the voyage.  *<)

[nreamer]

Thanks Nemo, was thinking of that also.  I will rig that up and see how it works out.  I think I saw one of the jibs piled up on Frisky's foredeck in one of the many photos online and was wondering if you had set something similar up as some point.  

I do have to say it is really odd researching things and finding your own boat as the only example with this or that particular mod on it.  Not that I was researching wheel vs tiller, but I see Frisky had wheel steering at one point!  Hell, half the time I just google "suncat frisky jib", or "suncat frisky lazy jacks" to see how she was configured at one time or another.

Catawampus,
As for rules, well, one never knows......   I like no rules, but I guess what I really meant is someone who understands all that racing strategy stuff.  I like the cocktail hours rule, but I think you meant it the other way around!  :-)

[Catawampus]

I agree that Captain Nemo is the unchallenged master of Sun Cat mods. Frisky must be the most modified of all Sun Cats, and I must admire the manner in which Nemo did almost all of the mods without making any permanent changes to the boat.

Racing strategy stuff? I only know five: (1) Stay in the lead. (2) Stay in the wind. (3) If you're eating dirty air from another boat, tack away. (4) With wind shifts, tack on a header instead of a lift. (5) If you're behind on a run, cover. That's all I have.