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Bladeswell
Captain

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USA
490 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/09/2017 : 15:21:09

Hello again Everyone,

Well, I finally took her out for her first sail. That is, her first sail sense I have owned her. The first year was spent on the hard where I tried to get everything done that needed to be done out of the water. She went into her permanent slip about eight months ago where I continued with her refit. She still has a long way to go but at least now we can sail her.
All went very well though I could have wished for more wind. I sold all of my bigger head sails and kept only the 105% thinking it would be a good sail for teaching a new sailor who is heal shy. Is it normal that in light air our boats go well to windward but come nearly to a stop when trying to reach or run...? Or is this just to be expected with such a small head sail..?
I feel good about my first sail and ended up going about half way to Catalina Island before coming about and heading for home. Evan more so as this was my first experience at single handing anything bigger than a Snipe. I even made up a tiller tamer/auto pilot while I was out and it worked really well. The best part of that was the cost...3 bungy cords. So thats my report for now. good sailing and fair winds to all.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2017 : 15:42:46

quote:
Originally posted by Bladeswell

Is it normal that in light air our boats go well to windward but come nearly to a stop when trying to reach or run...? Or is this just to be expected with such a small head sail..?

That's perfectly normal, but it's accentuated somewhat by the small headsail. When you're sailing to windward, the apparent windspeed is higher than the actual wind. If the actual windspeed is 6kts, and the boat is moving through the water at 4 kts, then the apparent windspeed will be approximately 10 kts. But, when you sail downwind, The boatspeed is subtracted from the actual windspeed, so that the apparent windspeed will be even less. The amount of power that your sails are capable of generating is determined by the apparent windspeed, not by the actual windspeed.

Also, when sailing to windward, the sails can generate more power more efficiently, because the air is flowing over both the concave and convex surfaces of the sails, and generating power. When you sail downwind, the wind is only pushing on the concave surface of the sail. The convex surface is not generating any power at all.

I have taken out many first-time sailors, and they thought the wind suddenly died when we turned downwind. I explained that the wind was still blowing, but they couldn't believe it until I turned the boat back to windward, and she suddenly accelerated and began heeling again.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Edited by - Steve Milby on 05/09/2017 16:03:26

Bladeswell
Captain

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USA
490 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2017 : 15:58:38

Thanks Steve,

I was wondering if I might have been doing something wrong. And by the way, I learned right away the value of being able to move the mainsheet car on the traveler. looking at it, I thought being so short it wouldn't have much effect. But I couldn't have been more wrong. one or two inches can make a lot of difference. I ended up installing the new style car controls from CD that mount directly onto the legs of the traveler bar. I am very pleased with them and they were really easy to install. Thanks again. Already looking forward to my next sail.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

cudamank
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2017 : 21:58:09

Congrats on your first sail
Enjoy reading up on all the work you have done. Hope to get sailing this weekend#8203;.

1982 Catalina 25 SR FK
"Jenny"

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2017 : 22:33:31

quote:
Originally posted by Bladeswell

And by the way, I learned right away the value of being able to move the mainsheet car on the traveler.
Bladeswell

Good job. That took me six years to figure out.

Seth
"Outlier" 1987 Catalina 25 SR/SK/Traditional Interior #5541
"Zoo" 1977 Morgan Out Island 30
"Nomad" 1980 Prindle 16
"Lost" 1988 Catalina Capri 14.2 (sold - yay!)
"Marine Tex 1" Unknown Origin POS 8' Fiberglass Dinghy
https://whichsailboat.com/2014/07/27/catalina-25-review/

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2017 : 05:52:15

'Bout time!

Here's another approach to a shake-down sail...

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/10/2017 05:55:02

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.