[Rhodes22-list] too windy--Now Centeboard Effect

[Leland]

Chris,

So far this season has been too wet & windy for many good sailing days, but
it doesn't sound like that's stopped you too much.  I should have knocked on
wood when I said there are a lot of days with little wind around here in the
summer.  Yesterday evening the wind prediction dropped from 16 mph winds to
9 to 11, which is just perfect for me.  When I started out the actual wind
was only 4 knots and immediately dropped to about 2 knots for over an hour. 
It eventually picked up to 6 knots about the time I had to go in.

Per Stan's sailing tutorial, you need the centerboard down in light wind
more than heavy, if you want to make any progress into the wind.  I never
actually measured the effect of the centerboard but it seemed like it helped
about 10 degrees and at worst caused a half knot decrease in speed due to
drag.

With little current and no chop at 1.2 knots I raised the centerboard and
the boat came off the wind exactly 20 degrees and sped up to 2.2 knots.  I
was surprised.  Later I had the board down at 2.4 knots and again I lost 20
degrees and sped up 1 knot when I raised the board.  I still assume that
performance would be less affected at higher speeds, but I wasn't expecting
the signficant difference caused by the board.  Really makes you think about
the drag caused by keels.  Even if you're racing an experienced J-22
skipper, in light winds you might have a noticeable advantage against her
fixed keel.

Lee



cowie wrote:
> 
> Lee:
> 
> I did go down to the boat on Saturday for a couple of hours but did not
> venture out into the bay.  I finaly figured out how to remove the clevis
> pin form the furling headsail in order to tighten up the forward stay.  I
> also noticed the turnbuckle didn't have any pins so I added to a piece of
> wire to prevent it from opening up.  I also added pins to all the other
> stays to keep them in place.
> 
> So far I have been just day sailing pretty much like you, heading in
> whatever direction provides the best day sail.  With as much wind as we
> have had so far this season I have had fun trying all different sail
> combinations.  With the wind blowing above 15 kts I typicaly head up wind
> as much as possible, lower the boom and bring the jib sheets inside the
> spreaders, then turn around and come back.  I am hoping to take an
> overnight trip soon perhaps to St. Michaels.
> 
> 
> Leland wrote:
>> 
>> Chris,
>> 
>> Saturday was too wet and Sunday was consumed with Father's Day stuff. 
>> Sunday was too windy for my enjoyment but I wanted to go out just for the
>> high-wind experience.  I think the forecast was around 20 mph, but the
>> chop and gusts probably made it more work than fun.
>> 
>> As a daysailor, my only destination is the marina at the end of the
>> sailing day.  If the winds are less than 5 knots, my tacks are usually on
>> close reaches out and back just to keep moving.  Sometimes I'll motor
>> downwind at the end of the day just to get back quickly.  For winds
>> between 5-10 knots I usually go wherever I like since it's easy to get
>> back home.  Beyond 10 knots I typically go into the wind as much as
>> possible.  Boom and board down with sheets run inside the shrouds.  It's
>> a much smoother sail heading into the chop and it's an easy return home
>> on a run or broad reach when you have a strong wind.
>> 
>> Did you go out over the weekend or decide it wasn't worth it?  Saturday
>> evening we thought we saw a Rhodes between the Severn and bay bridge on
>> the western shore side.
>> 
>> Lee
>> 1986 Rhodes22  At Ease
>> Kent Island, MD
>> 
>> 
>> cowie wrote:
>>> 
>>> Did anyone sail on the chesapeake bay this weekend?  Too many storms and
>>> wind for me.
>>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 

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