Looking for tips...pointing to wind

[Joe Nelson CS#35]

I am wondering what you all have found is the best sail set for pointing? I assume you want to pull the sails tight with the sheets...what about the snotter and downhaul?

How should the leech and foot lines be adjusted?

[Brent]

Joe,

The CS cat ketch rig points best with the sprits well away from the centerline of the boat. On the racing sloop we pull the boom in very close and very tight when pointing in a breeze, this is the WRONG thing for the CS cat ketch sprit rig. The boat points best with the main sprit running well away from the centerline...on my boat this is 18-28" from the centerline. The mizzen will probably be at its best running closer to the centerline than the main. Experiment with the sails set at different distances from centerline, and see what works best. My boat seems to point up as the boat speed increases, so I focus on keeping the sails drawing powerfully to get the best distance made good to windward.

The sprit controls the luff shape. Play with the snotter to get a sail shape that breaks evenly the entire length of the luff. You will feel the boat surge when the setting is made right. I set luff shape first using the snotter , then control sail draft with the downhaul.

[Joe Nelson CS#35]

Sounds like shortening my droppers off of the tips of the sprits won't be necessary. I was thinking that they were keeping me from getting the sails close into the centerline of the boat.

Boats always point better as the speed increases. In low wind I was much more than 90 degree tacks...maybe more like 120? Didnt take any readings, just from visual.

I think that there was not enough wind to feel like I could ease up to wind and keep a reasonable speed. The boat started feeling right when on a beam reach. I just like to go fast. :shock:

Wind was only 3-5 with gusts to 8 MPH.

[mustangermatt]

My experience with the coresound has been that when wind speeds are that low my centerboard produces a lot less lift, and I just can't point as high as when I have 10-15 knots.

It's really easy to tell when my board has stalled. The little swirls start coming from under the chine abeam instead of the transom :-)

[Joe Nelson CS#35]

Speed is relative...In all my comments about wishing to go faster/higher, I was doing laps around the other small boats on the lake. Only the PHRF boats were going faster. With their 150% jibs they were able to ghost along better during periods of very low wind. But when the wind picked up, I could hold my own with them too. Low wind sucks!

I rigged for my stays'l yesterday. Will use it next time I encounter similar low winds.

I also re-rigged some of my original rigging for quicker and more safe hoisting and doucing of the sails (sleeve luff means more difficult and time consuming issues to de-power the boat). I put snaps for instance on the blocks on the droppers. Now I leave the block on the main sheet and just clip it to the dropper. After verifying that the sprit attachment to the mast locations was good, I put pad eye's on the mast (with screws) and snaps for that connection too.