[Rhodes22-list] Raven 155.pdf

[Bill Effros]

Peter,

I agree with you with regard to Wally's comments.  I don't know anymore 
if I ever responded directly to him. 

My suggestion was a bit different.  Because the boat is sold mainly to 
cruisers, and most of those who do race it, do so poorly, I suspect 
everyone gets a high PHRF number to start with.  Furthermore, I suspect 
that the race committees don't handicap the 175 properly, but since the 
cruisers don't know how to use it anyhow, they fail to ever win with 
what should certainly be a faster sail in some conditions.

The racers don't want to give up the extra 9 seconds, so they buy and 
campaign 155s.  But what if they had both sails, and used one in some 
conditions and the other in other conditions?  Could they win more races 
total than they would if they raced the 155 all of the time?

But, no racer has a 175 designed for racing rather than cruising.  What 
if we built a 175 racing sail?  What would it look like?  When should it 
be used?  What would it cost?  Could it overcome the 9 second penalty?

If you drive down your PHRF (which I'm sure you will do) you might not 
be willing to try this, but if you design and build a 175 racing sail, 
and campaign it before you drive down your PHRF, that's like not having 
a 9 second penalty on the lower PHRF you will soon have to race 
against.  You should still be able win, because the 175 shouldn't drive 
down your pre-penalty PHRF.  And if you don't win with the 175, you will 
still have a high PHRF when you start to campaign your 155.

But if you do win with the 175, will the committee increase your 175 
penalty or decrease the basis PHRF?  Either way, you've got the sail to 
answer the decision they make.

I understand your visibility problems with the 175, but not the line 
snagging problems.  There doesn't have to be very much wind at all to 
keep the lines taut at all times.  I fully release the Genoa sheet very 
late--always well after the boom has crossed the cockpit.  Prior to that 
I remain in a fast hove-to attitude until all lines and sails are under 
control.  I can heave-to at 3-4 kts before releasing the Genny, which at 
that point has it's clew at 100%, just past the now windward forward 
stay.  No line can snag on the windward side, and there is a lot of 
pressure on the Genny on the leeward side, so nothing snags there, 
either, when I release the sheet.  With one sheet in each hand, release 
the one, pull in the other, wrap around the winch--when the timing is 
right, no need to use a winch.  Fast and Clean.

To quote Stan: "Let the Wind Do The Work".

Bill Effros



Peter Thorn wrote:
> Bill, Wally and all~
>
> Attached is a sketch of Raven's new 155 headsail provided by Dan Calore of
> (Cruising Direct Sails).  The sail hasn't arrived yet, but so far I am quite
> pleased with the price and service at CD Sails.  The sail was designed by a
> North Sails designer in San Diego, who carefully attended to my concerns.
>
> To respond to Bill about 175 vs. 155, I really don't have anything to add to
> Wally's comments and think he nailed his response pretty well.  I purchased
> the sail to race at NYRA in New Bern, NC and I think it will be just dandy
> for that purpose.  I do not want to give up 9 seconds/mile rating for an old
> 175 sail that probably won't point or tack as well as this one in medium
> air.
>
> The opening photo on General Boats website shows a R22 sailing with a
> standard main and a high clew headsail.  That sail is much more like this
> one than the decksweeping 175 that came with Raven.  A few advantages:  1)
> you can see to leeward and see under the sail (I often sit to leeward to
> observe headsail telltales and like to see to leeward under the 175), 2)
> the high clew will hold the sheets up higher during a tack -- hopefully they
> won't snag as much on rigging etc. during tacking, and 3) more area of the
> sail is up higher where it overlaps the main.  This sail was cut to maximum
> luff for maximum unpenalized legal area.
>
> Commenting on Dan Snyder's red 175 headsail in the picture someone recently
> reposted:  that sail looks great!  The furler goes all the way up the
> forestay, as also does the luff of the sail.   I've seen too many furlers
> and headsails that leave significant amounts of luff sail area unused.  PHRF
> raters measure only LP, and just assume every sailor would use maximum luff
> area, but that's usually not the case.
>
> The North design sketch (pdf attached) shows the mold patterns the designer
> uses.  The sketch makes it look like a crosscut, but it's really a
> tri-radial.  These are not the cloth cut patterns, but "molds" used in the
> abstract design process to form the sail.  The actual sail is cut as a
> tri-radial.
>
> It will be a while before Raven's mast is stepped again and the sail is
> fitted.  I'll let you know how this turns out.
>
> PT
>
>
>   
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> Name: Raven 155.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 56450 bytes Desc: not available
> Url: http://www.rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attch/200702/22/Raven155.pdf
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