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Old 09-08-2011, 16:56   #31
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Re: How to Get the Most Speed Out of a Sweptback Spreader Rigged Cat in Light Airs ?

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Originally Posted by Wayward Wind View Post
Has anyone considered using a parachute? See video on

SAILCHUTES HOME

Don't know about speed, but it looks like a more comfortable sail.

Cheers

JohnC
Yes, I considered Outleader a bit but didn't go for it.

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Old 09-08-2011, 16:59   #32
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Re: How to Get the Most Speed Out of a Sweptback Spreader Rigged Cat in Light Airs ?

Hi Joli,

If the polar is from FP, it must be at 20 kts true wind. All of their polars that I've seen were that way.. And again, if it is from FP, they are theoritical ones and developed by computers on ideal flat sea conditions and with partly loaded boat. (not the one fully loaded for blue water cruising)

I've sailed almost all of the FP range in various conditions as well as many monohulls; I haven't seen yet any boat w/out spinneaker that can reasonably sail on the AWA >130 max 140, particularly at low winds. (less than 10-12 kts of true)

If you are planning long passage an expect to be mostly in 12-14 kts of true, twin geanoa is the way to go. I did with Orana 8+ kts to DDW, with 17-18 kts of true and you are likely to do even better with yr Lavezzi, as they are lighter.
If you go for a screacher, a warning: standard ones that FP is suggesting are furling, quite strong, but works beetween 60 to 130-140 degrees max. (AWA)
Some companies are making furlers (very expensive) that can furl a lighter screachers and cut with much larger roach, hence, they are good even at 160-170 degrees. (runners)
Nevertheless, they are very difficult to handle and either the furler doesn't work when they need the most and or the screacher comes in 3-4 pieces ..

For easy sailing, I would recommend the first option and to gybe couple of times more, avoiding to go DDW in light airs. If the wind is above 15-16 kts, you can move pretty well anyway with yr standard rig to almost any direction.

Cheers

Yeloya


Joli[/QUOTE]
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Old 12-08-2011, 04:52   #33
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Thanks Yeloya,

Very interesting, today we ran our only spinnaker, a small Norths runner with the genoa and no main,
Seemed to work quite well at about 150 deg with 8 to 14 knots apparent giving 5 to 6 knots boat speed.
Fairly easy to douse as well using the genoa to cover it for the drop.
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Old 16-08-2011, 05:13   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tsmwebb

Yes, I considered Outleader a bit but didn't go for it.

Tom.
We are very interested in getting a parachute sail for our 44' cat. Seems they are easier to manage than a spinnaker and will handle more wind, which suggests they are a bit smaller in sail area. We love our MPS but only use it to 15 knots. Has anyone got any more info on these sails?
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Old 21-08-2011, 08:52   #35
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Re: How to Get the Most Speed Out of a Sweptback Spreader Rigged Cat in Light Airs

It seems to me the first real question is: "Are you cruising or racing?"

If you are racing, then all the above discussion about sailing higher (eg 120 deg) with main plus genoa or some kind of spinnaker, and then tacking down wind is spot on. The problem is that the apparent wind moves around a lot at that point of sailing, which means that you have to pay attention to your sail trim. But then you are racing, so of course you have to pay attention to sail trim.

On the other hand, if you are cruising, then maybe you don't want to pay so much attention, and would rather have an easy, no hassle, but reasonably quick sail.

In that case, I would suggest you take down the main, and put up either a double headsail (ie two genoas polled out wing on wing to opposite sides), or an asymetric spinnaker and just point to your destination.

We have tried both the racing option and the cruising option on Life Part 2 and have decided to go with the latter. With, say 7 - 9kts of apparent wind our speed with main and spinnaker up at 120 deg is about 1 kt more than with spinnaker alone dead down wind. BUT, once you take into account the deviation from rhumb line, that maybe translates into only half a knot or so in benefit.

So, is half a knot worth the constant attention that the sails require? We don't think so. We sailed for about 4 days from USVI to Turks and Caicos with the spinnaker up day and night for much of that. It just looks after itself.



Just depends on how you want to sail, I guess!

Noel
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Old 26-08-2011, 02:58   #36
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Re: How to Get the Most Speed Out of a Sweptback Spreader Rigged Cat in Light Airs

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Originally Posted by LifePart2 View Post
It seems to me the first real question is: "Are you cruising or racing?"

If you are racing, then all the above discussion about sailing higher (eg 120 deg) with main plus genoa or some kind of spinnaker, and then tacking down wind is spot on. The problem is that the apparent wind moves around a lot at that point of sailing, which means that you have to pay attention to your sail trim. But then you are racing, so of course you have to pay attention to sail trim.

On the other hand, if you are cruising, then maybe you don't want to pay so much attention, and would rather have an easy, no hassle, but reasonably quick sail.

In that case, I would suggest you take down the main, and put up either a double headsail (ie two genoas polled out wing on wing to opposite sides), or an asymetric spinnaker and just point to your destination.

We have tried both the racing option and the cruising option on Life Part 2 and have decided to go with the latter. With, say 7 - 9kts of apparent wind our speed with main and spinnaker up at 120 deg is about 1 kt more than with spinnaker alone dead down wind. BUT, once you take into account the deviation from rhumb line, that maybe translates into only half a knot or so in benefit.

So, is half a knot worth the constant attention that the sails require? We don't think so. We sailed for about 4 days from USVI to Turks and Caicos with the spinnaker up day and night for much of that. It just looks after itself.



Just depends on how you want to sail, I guess!

Noel


Noel is spot on! "Cruising or racing - that is the question" - William 'Shakespeare' Bligh


The other important factor is saving your main from chafe!! If you ease the main against spreaders combined with the downward rolling motion that waves on the quarter produce, you are gonna do serious damage to the main over time (and we all know how expensive mainsails are).

Dropping the main means you can relax a little more, have better forward vision, accidental gybes aren't as dangerous and did I say, relax! Gybing downwind on a higher point of sail is faster and probably more fun but if you're cruising, what's the hurry......
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Old 29-08-2011, 22:25   #37
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Yes I think you guy's are spot on with the no main philosophy.
The other thing I discovered, if you do use the main was to keep the main sheet relatively tight and use the traveller to let the main out.
You can even sail by the lee a bit and gybes are less dramatic.
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