[Rhodes22-list] IMF Boom Fixture Question

[Leland]

Shawn,

Good answer on the boom car:

http://rhodes-22.1065344.n5.nabble.com/file/n43508/Chester_River_4-4-10_005.jpg
Chester_River_4-4-10_005.jpg 

The belly of my main is so blown out that I rarely move the car forward.

When you said "there are an infinite number of ways to adjust the rig" you
couldn't have been more accurate.  Let's assume you're on a nice close reach
of about 70 degrees.  No current and a reasonable amount of chop for your
wind strength.  Your fixed ballast (motor, batteries, anchors, fuel, water,
and other junk) is relatively well distributed so your boat sits somewhat
flat in the water at dock, port to starboard and fore to aft.  You are the
only one on board and your 150 pounds is positioned at the helm on the
centerline.  Your boom and poptop are up and your centerboard is down.  Your
traveler is centered and your fairleads are positioned so your sheets are in
line with the green line running from the clew on your Genoa.

1-3 knots:  You can actually sail (move) in a 1-knot wind but it takes about
3 knots to inflate the Genoa when it's at 175% and then you need to be
moving and heeled to get the best angle of attack of the wind on your sail. 
Main is good at 100%.  Sheets good ran outside your outer shroud.

3-5 knots:  All other boats will be jealous.  Many will be motoring.  You
may be moving faster than some boats with longer water lines and that big
inflated 175 will be most impressive.

5-7 knots:  Time to start furling in some of that Genoa or you'll have too
much heel and lose speed.  At a 7-knot wind you'll probably want it furled
to the outer shroud (around 115%).

7-10 knots:  If you're out for a daysail and don't want to motor back
upwind, you may want to think about running your sheets between the inner
and outer shrouds so you can stay upwind until you decide to return home.

10-12 knots:  I like sailing with the poptop up but most smart sailors will
put the boom down when it get's this windy.  Really smart sailors put it
down long before that.  I marked my mainsail furling line with tape at 60%
and 80%.  With the boom up I furl the main down to 80% in a 12-knot wind on
a close reach and often I still have too much heel.  You'll definitely want
your sheets between the inner and outer shrouds but can run them between the
mast and inner shrouds at this point.  The headsail could be reefed down to
about 80%.

12-15 knots:  Probably time to put the boom down and at 15 knots you'll also
want the main reefed some to prevent heel.  Absolutely want the sheets run
inside if you expect to stay upwind at all.

15+ knots:  Stan says you can make headway up to 28 knots but I can't.  With
the wind and chop pushing me downwind it's all I can do to stay upwind in a
20-knot wind.  More important is that heavy chop beats you to death and
takes much of the fun out of sailing in our light boats.  Time to deploy the
Iron Genny and motor back.

If your sails aren't balanced and/or you have too much sail out the power of
the sails will often overcome any drag from the rudder and you can actually
go faster, however it's more fun to sail a balanced boat with no pressure on
the helm and no uncomfortable excessive heeling.  If your interested in
speed on a close reach you'll need about a 10-15 degree heel; much more or
less than that will slow you down.

These are very, very, very general starting points and can change
significantly depending on minor differences in conditions, but it gives you
a general idea.

Good luck!

Lee
1986 Rhodes22  AT EASE
Kent Island, MD



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