[C38] DEATH ROLE

[Les]

Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_roll
and: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broach_%28sailing%29

The Catalina 38 is a racing design, and has a "fine entry", which is a
way of saying that the bow is long and narrow.  The boat is designed
with a natural weather helm (handled well it takes about 5 degrees of
leward steering to hold a weather course).  This serves several
purposes.  It lifts the boat to weather meaning you sail a better course
to the weather mark (fast and close to the rhumbline), and gives you
some indication of firm feedback, like a fine racing car has in turns.
However, should a foresail (jib, genoa, drifter or spinnaker) get back
winded through a shift, the boat will turn had to weather, and commence
a strong leward heal.  If it is not stopped by the helmsman correcting
course, or the crew easing the sheets, the boat will experience a
further shift to windward of the desired course, bringing the beam to
the wind, and the main will add to the forces on the boat pushing it
hard over.  At this time if the helmsman over reacts, the sails will
spill wind, the boar will swing back to leward and roll hard in that
direction, only to again have the sails backwind and push the bow down
harder, but this time overcoming the rudder, which can stall out and
then you are "shrimping" and the fore sail hits the water, drags the
boat further around and the main pushes it hard over, and can result in
a capsize.  Be aware that this requires considerable wind on a boat with
an 8000 pound keel.  Casual sailors would typically only experience this
in high winds, and on a run (sailing by the lee).  In our boats, sailing
by the lee is not a good practice, because these boats have a large
center of floatation directly at the center of lateral resistance, which
adds to the issues of fine entry, creating great initial lateral
resistance until things get out of hand.

Great for racing with an experience crew and lots of movable ballast,
but a bit tricky for shorthanding.  None the less, Nancy and I have
sailed a lot, and we just generally reef the headsail above 15 knots, or
roll it up at 25+.  We can sail at about 7knots on main alone in
18knots, and reefed in 25 or so.  These boats are quick, responsive and
fun to sail.

Regards,
Les H
On Sat, 2008-06-07 at 17:01 -0700, bobster94 wrote:
> I am new to the Cat 38 world. I am in love with this boat. She has
> such classic lines, beautiful! However, I have heard tell she can be a
> real handful downwind. Can someone educate me about the term, "Death
> Role".
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