[Rhodes22-list] Pointing Problem

[David Culp]

Paul:

I have the same issues you do on my narrow lake.  However, I have solved a
lot of it by sheeting inside the upper shrouds.  Last year, I did some
calculations on jib area and I found that if I tighten the jibup and extend
it fully to the eye and cleat that I have close to 150% jib area, which is a
nice foresail. Some Rhodies only have hank on jibs that are 160 %.

Yesterday with about 7 - 8 knots of wind max, I needed to point as close as
possible to get home.  I built a bunch of belly into the loose-footed IMF
main with the topping lift, tightened up the leech lines on both sails, put
the traveler to windward, CB down and even in slack winds made good speed
while pointing about 45 degrees maybe a bit closer.   Big improvement over
what I use to do which was carry the jib sheets outside the uppers and then
just unfurl the most jib I could get away with depending on the wind
strength and then just accepting whatever terrible sail shape I got.  I do a
lot fewer tacks now getting home and it saves a lot of time.  Of course
there is no free lunch. You have to be very careful when tacking with all
that jib rolled out and the sheets between the shrouds.  It still gets me
occasionally that I don't get the jib tighten down quickly enough before the
wind fills it and it gets pinched on the upper shroud.  Then you have to
come up on the wind to un-hang it killing your forward speed.  But with some
practice, I have learned to do it right most of the time and it is quite
safisfying and efficient when you time everything just right.  Of course, as
the wind strengthens, then I start reducing the jib area and getting it
pinched is not as a much a problem.

Sincerely,
David Culp




Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:11:59 -0400
From: "Alan Robertson" <bigal_61 at msn.com>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Pointing Problem
To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Message-ID: <BLU130-DAV1042854CDD4487B28716B4FC4B0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="iso-8859-1"

I realize that you sail a lot single handed; we don't. The only time we can
point up closer is to run the jib sheets inside of the outmost shrouds, sit
any "friendly" guests over 150 lbs. on the windward side with life
preservers buckled and get THOR IV over on a nice 12-15 degree heel.
Anything more or any weight on the leeward side means a mop-up job if the
non-sailors have just had lunch!
Bigal_61 at msn.com

----- Original Message -----
 From: Paul Krawitz<mailto:krawitzmail-rhodes22 at yahoo.com>
 To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
 Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 8:13 AM
 Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Pointing Problem


 I love the way my Rhodes 22 handles in all points of sail except when it is
 close hauled.
 In my narrow harbor, being able to point close to the wind is the
difference
 between returning home in 30 minutes versus 3 hours.

 Now I'm not asking to be able to be 30 degrees off the wind like those two
 guys racing around in a catamaran with no seating and two angled standing
 platforms, and like members of the Joffrey Ballet, gracefully leaping from
 one side to the other, making smooth and instantaneous tacks and traveling
 at 15 knots (no exaggeration).
 (P.S. What is that thing?)

 But it would be nice to make 90 degree rather than 110 or 120 degree tacks.

 Stan put in two internal lead systems on the new Rhodes, in which the jib
 sheets travel either inside one or two of the shrouds. But the sail area is
 so much smaller with the new system that making headway is difficult.

 Furling the genoa jib 50% with the sheets on their normal path outside the
 shrouds seems to be the best compromise, but I'm still 50-60 degrees off
the
 wind.

 I tried tightening the backstays to stiffen up the jib luff. The jib looks
 cleaner, but I'm still too far off the wind.

 And yes, the centerboard is down.

 What works for you?

 Paul K
 "Clarity"