Yesterday you posted a topic about your wife getting seasick, so my answer to today's question would be, the best position for the boom would be where it gives the nicest ride if your wife is on board.

After that it is probably a trade off between speed/heel and comfort.. There probably is a theory optimum, but optimum to what I wouldn't know..

Toph said..
Yesterday you posted a topic about your wife getting seasick, so my answer to today's question would be, the best position for the boom would be where it gives the nicest ride if your wife is on board.

After that it is probably a trade off between speed/heel and comfort.. There probably is a theory optimum, but optimum, but what I wouldn't know..

haha.. true

HG02 said..
Would you like a lend of a spinnaker
Bubble ?

I have the spinnaker but if your offering stuff your welcome and climb the mast and add a new spiniker down haul line after I droped the last insidethe mast when trying to replace it..

and my other question is. how much pressure is to much pressure for the jib sheets? I was trimming them on so tight yesterday I was worried about pulling the car off the track.

I already snapped one block at the joint that the sheet feeds through on the jib track last year. although I think that it was more due to corrosion than pressure.

It might be that even when you let the boom out its not far enough and the sail is still over sheeted; or it could be that there is so much twist in the sail that boom position is not a good indicator of the sail angle

Try this next time Bubble
1. Don't worry about where the boom is
2. Just watch the luff and the tell tails on the leech of the main
3. Make sure your genoa is not over sheeted
4. use the vang and the traveller to get the tell tails flying free
5. trim the main to the point just before it luffs.

if that is not the fastest angle for the main then I need to go back to sailing school.

andy59 said..
It might be that even when you let the boom out its not far enough and the sail is still over sheeted; or it could be that there is so much twist in the sail that boom position is not a good indicator of the sail angle

Try this next time Bubble
1. Don't worry about where the boom is
2. Just watch the luff and the tell tails on the leech of the main
3. Make sure your genoa is not over sheeted
4. use the vang and the traveller to get the tell tails flying free
5. trim the main to the point just before it luffs.

+1.
IMO when to adjust the vang and traveller in unison is a bit of a mystery to a lot of yachties. I have looked at a few boats over the last couple of months albiet under 27 feet and I'll swear the vang looked unused for years on a couple .

Im with you Mc Naughtical , when the boat is powering forward, the sails are full and not flapping, and it all feels right, then i reckon its right. Ben

This is a video I made awhile back to show how lazy jacks look. It shows where to install wind tuffs on the main. I happen to be close hauled in the video but when reaching the main is eased so those tuffs still stream. Have to bear in mind the tuffs will only stream correctly with the correct luff tension.

Ramona said..
Install a wool tell tail right in the middle of the main sail about 1.5 metres above the boom. Use that to adjust the boom, steer the course and get both sides to stream. Use the leech telltales to set the tension on the boom vang.

I only pay attention to the boom vang when going downwind. I just leave it pretty slack for any upwind sailing.

McNaughtical said..
I still don't understand all this terminology.. I just move stuff till the sails look right and the wind is pushing us along..lol..

pass another beer please Mc nautical

Ben405 said..
Im with you Mc Naughtical , when the boat is powering forward, the sails are full and not flapping, and it all feels right, then i reckon its right. Ben

Thanks Ben

HG02 said..

McNaughtical said..
I still don't understand all this terminology.. I just move stuff till the sails look right and the wind is pushing us along..lol..

pass another beer please Mc nautical

Will do HG

cisco said..

The beam reach position should be the one that achieves the most speed with the least amount of heel.

There is a tendency for people to sheet in on a beam reach. Ease the sheets to the point where the sail leeches do not flutter and enjoy the ride.

yup exactly what I'm doing. sheeting in hard. but what I guess I'm wondering is why is it giving me more speed to sheet it in hard ( pull the boom towards the centre)on a beam reach. Or to put it another way why is the "text book" sailing theory telling me to set a sail on a slower point. ( although I guess previous posts answer some of this question)

this is what I think might be happening
1. boom in correct position, all other sail trims terrible ( eg halyard, boom vang, traveller non trimmed headsail) = slow speed

2. boom sheeted in on centreline, all other sail trims terrible ( eg halyard, boom vang traveller, non trimmed headsail) = moderate speed

3. boom in correct position, all other sail trims awsome ( eg halyard, boom vang, traveller, trimmed headsail) = great speed

I'm achieving both 1 and 2 but never getting 3.

of course if boom is sheeted in, all other sail trim optimal for the main in its position, and I start hitting new world record speeds then i'll be really lost to understand what is going on.

The vang is to adjust the shape of your sail. Ease it to make it fuller in lighter airs and get more power. Haul it in to get a flatter sail in stronger airs.

The main sheet and traveller are primarily to adjust the angle of attack of the sail to the wind.

So in a moderate breeze, say 15 to 20 knots, on a beam reach, you should have your vang as hard as you can get it, your traveller right down to leeward and trim for leech flutter with your main sheet. If the leech flutters, sheet in till it stops.

If the boat is heeling too much and it is uncomfortable, you may need to reef. With your ketch rig, get your main and mizzen right then trim your head sail. If you are getting overpowered, drop the main and hoot on the header and mizzen.

All Herrechoffs love that.

Hope this helps.

What size headsail are you using, eg. 100% of foretrianlge, 130%, 150%?

I would suggest your increase in speed is because it is improving the flow between the main and headsail when beam reaching.
try dropping the headsail (or furling) and see if you get the same results?

It's the same as in fast assy kite boats. you have the main nearly on the centreline even though the leech telltales assy it should be half way out because on the centreline improves the flow between the assy and main.

If you have them rigged try clipping your kite sheets onto the headsail (using the barberhauler/tweaker to pull the angle down) and easing your headsail sheet so the kite sheet is controlling the headsail. This open up the back of the headsail and allows clean flow between the main and headsail.