Getting a Capri 22 to point higher?

[OldFrog75]

Beer can racing and we are the only Capri 22 in our class. Seems like all the other boats can point higher than we can:

Conditions: winds 8-10 kts w/ 2-4' swells

Running rigging:

Jib sheet 1" off the spreaders
Jib car 3/4 forward

Main Halyard all the way up
Outhaul on hard
Vang snug

Traveler down
Mainsheet snug
Boom centered

Heeling @ 10 degrees with crew on the rail

Any suggestions aside from buy new sails?

[Charlie]

Did you try raking the mast back and tightening the back stay. In order topoint better it is good to have a very tight headstay.

[psk125]

Charlie's suggestions are good, but how old are your sails? A single season's use can stretch them enough to affect how high you can point. Racing our Soling, we used to get a new jib almost every season.

[daddle]

This may not help, but you should focus on the shape and position of the sails rather than the positions of the controls. The sails give the power, not the lines. It's an important distinction.

You say a swell height. True swells do not affect sail trim (generally) if these are actually steeper waves that slow the boat then sail trim is different.

For max pointing you need flat sails. To get flat sails one trims all three corners tight, bends the mast, and makes the forestay tight. Flat means nowhere is the depth of the sail more than 10% of the chord. As said above the boom is centered. The top main batten straight aft. Assuming the boat was properly designed the headsail foot is generally at the shroud and the leech at the top spreader tip. For smaller headsails that don't reach the shrouds make the leech match the main: clew at the track and the top of the leech pointing straight aft.

For more power if there are waves ease the sheets a tiny bit (centimeters). Steer for speed and heel. Pointing comes after speed. The tiller should be "up" a few degrees

That said, typical sail condition, especially on cruising boats, invalidates all this. If you cannot get them flat you need new sails. If they are more than 3 years old you need new sails.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by daddle

This may not help, but you should focus on the shape and position of the sails rather than the positions of the controls. The sails give the power, not the lines. It's an important distinction.

For max pointing you need flat sails. To get flat sails one trims all three corners tight, bends the mast, and makes the forestay tight. Flat means nowhere is the depth of the sail more than 10% of the chord. As said above the boom is centered. The top main batten straight aft. Assuming the boat was properly designed the headsail foot is generally at the shroud and the leech at the top spreader tip.

For more power if there are waves ease the sheets a tiny bit (centimeters). Steer for speed and heel. Pointing comes after speed. The tiller should be "up" a few degrees

That said, typical sail condition, especially on cruising boats, invalidates all this. If you cannot get them flat you need new sails. If they are more than 3 years old you need new sails.

Thanks for the comments. I originally posted "jib sheets 1" off the spreader" but this was a typo. S/B "jib sheets (clue) 1" off the shrouds".

We attempted to flatten the sails as much as we could - even tightened the downhaul but let it out after about 10 minutes because it didn't seem to be helping. I posted all the details I could remember in case we were missing something (like maybe the jib cars weren't positioned properly). Also thought maybe we were sheeted/trimmed too tight (or something) given the swells seemed to knock us around quite a bit.

That said, we will try tightening the backstay (as some have suggested) but at the end of the day it seems the problem is most likely blown out sails. It's a club boat and the likelihood of getting new sails is slim to none.

[replusted]

Some boats just point higher than others. Don't let that determine how high your boat should point. Pointing too high or pinching will slow you down and you'll loose height because the keel will stall.

As a rule of thumb, start with your jib sheet lead aligned with an imaginary line which runs from the mid point of the luff to the clew. Set your lead there first. If you need to depower the headsail, move the lead aft a few inches to twist off the head of the sail. To power it up, move the lead forward. This is done in conjunction with adjusting sheet tension.

[hlev00]

Check your jib/genoa leads. When you luff up to where the windward tell tales start to dance, they should all start dancing at the same time. If the top dances first, your car is too far back; if bottom first, then the car is too far forward. Be careful not to pinch. The leeward tell tale should be streaming back and the windward should be between streaming back (speed) and slightly up (pointing).

Use mainsheet tension to try to keep the top batten tell tale between streaming back or just starting to hook behind the main. If the boom isn't centered while you are trying to get the main tell tails right, pull the traveller to windward. Keep the boom centered until you feel like you are over powered then ease the traveler down.

Be ready to change gears.When you get a puff, see if you can trim a little
tighter and point a little higher. If you get a lull or get some powerboat chop,
ease a little and bear off slightly.

[daddle]

If you are stuck with bad sails you cannot point. But you can do well by concentrating on speed thru the water. That and find the best breeze.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by daddle

If you are stuck with bad sails you cannot point. But you can do well by concentrating on speed thru the water. That and find the best breeze.

I think that may be the best we can hope for. Maybe tightening the backstay will help some.