Visit our Popular Forums

Sandero · 13-10-2015, 10:28

The main deal with heel and too much is underbody design. More heel will lead to more leeway usually and even if you think you are sailing faster you may not be to a windward mark.

Some electronics with wind speed units can show you your VMG... velocity made good... that is what is your effective speed to a windward mark. This is a perfect way to discover your optimum heel angle for various wind speeds.

Down wind you probably want to have less heel because too much can lead to a broach.

Sandero · 13-10-2015, 10:29

BTW... my wife can tell you... she tells me... can you make this boat stop tipping so much... Who needs instruments when you have an Elsie on board!

OldFrog75 · 13-10-2015, 10:33

OT but I would like to post a photo and I don't know how. Not very computer literate. How do I do it? I thought I could just copy and paste from My Documents but that doesn't work.

Stu Jackson · 13-10-2015, 10:40

Very goo responses here.

And thanks for spelling heeling correctly.

Sail trim is a hard-to-learn art.

Here's the very best sail trim guide I've ever read, and I've read most all of them:

Sail Trim Users Guide

For example: instead of easing your mainsheet, use the traveler.

I removed our inclinometer years ago.

OldFrog75 · 13-10-2015, 11:03

I think I accidentally figured out how to post a photo. Don't know if I could replicate it though. Anyway...

This looks to be about 30 degrees of heel. Fun for some; others not so much.

DefinitelyMe · 13-10-2015, 11:05

The maximum angle of heel can be pretty well estimated by how the helm feels. If when heeled the helm feels fine with minimal weather helm then the boat is sailing well. When a big gust comes along it will try to pull the boat up to windward and you will feel more weather helm. It will get to a point where the rudder is acting more as a break than to turn the boat. This is just beyond your max angle of heel and the rudder is now slowing you down, so dump some air out of the main to depower the boat a bit and bring it more upright. (In extreme case, such as when reaching in heavy air with a spinnaker up, this rounding up can become a full broach with the helm effectively useless and the boat right over on it's beam ends)

A good main trimmer on a racing boat is looking at two things in particular (assuming he's got his sail shape sorted) - the angle of heel and how hard the helmsman is having to work to keep the boat going in the right direction. Communication between the helm and the main trimmer is of great importance on a race boat because the two are so dependent on one another.

Petrel · 13-10-2015, 11:09

Depends on the boat design in my WWP 19 20 degrees is absolute max
In my old Barnagett G sloop 35 degrees was enough for me

thomm225 · 13-10-2015, 11:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

For example: instead of easing your mainsheet, use the traveler.

I removed our inclinometer years ago.

And if your boat doesn't have a traveler like mine, just deal with the heel are decrease sail.

We traveled out a lot during high winds when racing beach cats because there are no reef points on the sails and we raced to about 20 knots on 300-400 lb boats with lots of sail.

The traveler track was maybe 6' plus though so you could travel out pretty far.

**Don C L** · 13-10-2015, 11:21

Well this is a good question. But there is no standard "normal" heel angle. I own a boat that was designed to heel fairly quickly to 15 to 20 degrees because the designer wanted to get it on its side where the water line would be longer and thus the boat will go faster (water line length is the main determiner of speed.) That is for a displacement hull, not a planing hull. So how much is right for your boat depends on how the designer wanted that particular hull design and shape to be heeled. But once you are past 20 or so degrees you are probably losing more drive off the sail than you are gaining speed from the waterline increase so there is little advantage in speed and more leeway as was mentioned and you are "overpowered" as some say. However on the fun scale, I think 25 to 30 degrees is about right.

thomm225 · 13-10-2015, 11:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

The maximum angle of heel can be pretty well estimated by how the helm feels. If when heeled the helm feels fine with minimal weather helm then the boat is sailing well.

On a catamaran with high aspect ratio rudders you should be able to adjust the rudders for a very light feel regardless of heel angle.

Raking the rudders forward reduces " tiller tug "

**Hamish_ct** · 13-10-2015, 14:24

15 degrees is fine. Your rail isn't in the water and your speed increased.. You need to watch your telltale and work the traveler to keep the boat heeled correctyl. The point of heel is longer boat length and less wetted surface on a reach is how you get speed. Don't worry about working the boat hard. You'll get the hang of it.

If you get in trouble let the main out. Bam your flat again. But going nowhere.

Good luck and keep sailing.

patprice · 13-10-2015, 14:29

Agree. Oversheeting is a crime.
When in doubt, let it out !!!

four winds · 13-10-2015, 15:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by patprice

Agree. Oversheeting is a crime.
When in doubt, let it out !!!

Agree2, committed that crime late one day, long day, on a delivery. Notice headsail was way oversheeted and knew the autopilot was having trouble with a quartering sea.

The owner and good friend was at the wheel later at night but couldn't hear the night frequency alarm as the AP could not cope. The boat started to round up and headsail power up as it heeled and took off. Got everybody on deck.

thomm225 · 13-10-2015, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by patprice

Agree. Oversheeting is a crime.
When in doubt, let it out !!!

Or just head up a bit................it's easier and faster. Then you can readjust your sheeting

Or do it simultaneously so as not to lose speed if you are racing