[C38] sailing by the lee

[Joseph Launie]

Donald,
    I have raced Macavity for 15 years with both Aysmmetric and 
Symmetric chutes. Under both, the boat handles well even when the wind 
comes up as long as you keep the wind angle at 150 degrees or less. I 
currently use the Asym exclusively, partly because it keeps you in that 
wind range. When reaching with either chute up the boat can start to 
come up on you. The chute trimmer needs to be aware of this and to let 
the sheet out instantly at a word or shout from  the helmsman. Because 
of the IOR shape, if she rolls up on her belly, the rudder comes out of 
the water and nothing good follows. My chute trimmer used to trim  by 
the expression on my face at the helm. When he saw terror commencing he 
would ease the sheet.  If the boat rounds up, then the boom approaches 
the water (being short it doesn't get there.) This is relatively tame 
and easing the sheets, and vang will bring her back up. The term death 
roll refers to a situation where the boat starts to round up and then 
after the helmsman loses control, rounds down instead putting the 
spinnaker pole in the water. Many boats have been dismasted by the 
pressure on the mast from the pole. Get an Asy chute, eliminate the pole 
and keep the rudder in the water. Joe Launie, Macavity, Commodore

D. R. Strong wrote:
> We/ almost/ got caught in a death roll running down Big Sur a few 
> years ago. 25 knts of north wind 10 and a huge following sea.  It was 
> very exciting sailing on an  enchantingly beautiful day. Main and jib, 
> no spinnaker.  The boat was accelerating to 12 knts down the faces of 
> the big rollers, then stalling in the the trough before the next wave 
> caught up. A strange cross wave slid us over to port, and we were 
> saved by the quick move of our helmsman, the preventer, and the fact 
> that we had warned each other of the risk of getting caught sailing by 
> the lee. It was a petrifying few seconds.
> Don
> -- 
> Donald R. Strong
> Catalina 38
> Discreet Charm
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