[Rhodes22-list] Soliciting Practical Advice

[Steve]

Well wrote,Roger.
Steve

--- Roger Pihlaja <cen09402@centurytel.net> wrote:
> Guys,
> 
> Like most sailboat hull shapes, the Rhodes 22 tends
> to develop weather helm
> as it heels.  Thus, in gusty, overpowered
> conditions, it is desirable to
> keep as much sail area up forward as possible in
> order to counteract this
> tendency to build weather helm.  Masthead rigged
> boats also derive most of
> their thrust from the genoa, which is another reason
> to leave as much of the
> genoa flying as possible.  On Dynamic Equilibrium,
> we will put 2 reefs in
> the mainsail before rolling up the 150% genoa at
> all.  By reefing the
> mainsail 1st & keeping as much genoa up as possible,
> the Rhodes 22 will not
> round up until the boat heels the rudder blade clear
> of the water.  By this
> point, you had better have all the opening ports
> dogged down tight & you may
> very well be taking water over the gunnel into the
> cockpit!  However, the
> Rhodes 22 sails fastest when it is sailed as level
> as possible.  It is very
> much like a big sailing dingy in that respect.  Most
> of the time, heeling is
> controlled by playing with the mainsail's traveller.
>  It's the most
> frequently used sail shaping control on the boat. 
> However, if the traveller
> must be dumped to leeward more often than about once
> per minute in order to
> prevent a knockdown or a broach, then it's time to
> put another reef in the
> mainsail.  By the time the boat is heeling enough to
> put the leeward rail
> goes into the water, you could be going much faster
> if you did something to
> reduce heel like dump the traveller, put more weight
> on the windward rail,
> or reduce sail area.  With its big, transom hung
> rudder and relatively light
> weight, the Rhodes 22 is very responsive, especially
> with the latest
> generation sails made with composite sailcloth and
> full batten mainsails.
> The boat rewards an aggressive active style of
> sailing.
> 
> The Rhodes 22 is also very sensitive to fore/aft
> trim.  On flat water, a
> slightly bow down trim is faster.  A slightly bow
> down trim allows the boat
> to climb its own bow wave without burying the wide
> flat stern section of the
> hull.  Burying the stern section causes a great deal
> of drag and turbulence,
> rather like the lowering the flaps on an airplane
> wing.  If the boat is on
> the verge of planning, a sensitive crew can actually
> initiate planning by
> carefully shifting their weight forward to slightly
> sink the bow & reduce
> the drag on the stern section.  Note, that this
> requires a very good crew
> because they must also keep track of sail trim, helm
> control, wind shifts,
> their proper course, and the other boats around
> them.  It works best with a
> spinnaker on a broad reach.  In waves, a different
> strategy must be used
> which involves steering a slalom course among the
> waves, surfing down the
> faces of the waves and bearing off to climb the
> backsides.  In waves, the
> best fore/aft trim is level with the design
> waterline.  Trimming down by the
> stern is always slow & should be avoided under any
> conditions.
> 
> The neat thing about the Rhodes 22 is that you can
> also reduce sail area &
> sail in passive mode under the same conditions if
> the crew does not feel
> like or does not know how to sail actively that day.
>  It's really a
> remarkable little boat.
> 
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve" <rhodes2282@yahoo.com>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 9:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Soliciting Practical
> Advice
> 
> 
> > Richard
> > Your right about heeling slowing down the boat and
> > that furling the headsail to much does hender
> > performance.  We're just pointing out that a 175%
> > Genoa is a tough old sail and that the Rhodes is a
> > tough old boat.
> >
> > When we race (me & the guys) we throw the 1st reef
> in
> > the main when it starts backwinding so much that
> its
> > no longer pullin.  On an inland lake we can get
> away
> > with not having to try for the 2nd reef (40k about
> top
> > wind we have seen during a race).  We keep main
> flat
> > in heavy wind; Halyard tight, cunningham/downhaul,
> &
> > outhaul.  We try to keep it pulling and not
> > backwinding.  There is a point in there where you
> will
> > just have to let it backwind but the headsail will
> > keep pulling as long as it tight.  Mainsail must
> be
> > played at all times.  Bill normally works the
> traveler
> > continuely; full time job.  We try to keep the top
> > batten parrel with the boom as much as possible
> but we
> > maintain the 20 degree heel you refer to.
> >
> > Backstays are tight with consideralbe mast bend.
> > Healsail halyard tight and genoa sheet leads
> adjusted
> > to allow a little spill at the top.  We use Maylar
> > headsails, 155% is maximun the rule allow without
> > taking a handicapp lost.  In order to keep the
> 155% in
> > use, we normally will take the lost with
> backwinding
> > the mainsail.  If your leads are adjusted properly
> > with the right amount of spill at the top; you can
> > maintain speed with the mainsail being icying on
> the
> > cake when it is not backwinding but I'm talking
> 40k
> > here.  We do keep out mainsail in play when
> possible.
> >
> > This will work on any boat, from the Rhodes to
> many
> > others I have raced on.
> >
> > Now what some folks call tender, I call
> responcive.
> > The Rhodes will respond quickly to the wind to the
> > point that the flare hit the water. Never dump
> your
> > headsail when this happens.  Traveler or mainsheet
> > will be enough to keep the boat in the groove.  In
> > heavy wind, I keep the headsail tight and pulling
> at
> > all time with adjustments for heel being made thru
> the
> > mainsail.
> >
> > Anyway, I was't meaning to be an ass here at
> > Christmas.  Not that I not an ass but that I just
> > didn't mean to be one here at Christmas:-)
> > Later & I always enjoy the exchanges of
> > Cannonballs:-)!!!!
> > Steve
> >
> >
> >
> > --- "R. Smith" <sailnut@asan.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > The whole point of sailing in the first place
> is
> > > to have fun.>
> > >
> > > GOD BLESS YOU!  Exactly correct!
> > >
> > > Merry X-mass
> > >
> > > Richard Smith
> > >
> _________________________________________________
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> >
> >
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> 
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