[C320-list] Dead down wind sailing?

[Joe Barrett]

We go  DDW a lot on short Olympic Triangle courses. Prior to arriving at the
Weather Mark the pole is already attached to the Genoa sheets. As soon as we
round the Genoa is eased the pole extended and we are off flying downwind.
Well before other boats are even on the foredeck trying to set a pole. Easy
way to pick up 4 boat lengths and cleaner Air.
We have found it is much faster to have crew weight forward of the mast DDW
and have passed boats that owe us a bunch of time doing so. I would prefer
that the wind allow for a Broad Reach as it is a faster point of sail, on
that run we put crew weight Leeward by the Shrouds unless it is really
windy. Even in a breeze the extra lift from the Leeward crew weight seems to
help. DDW we ease the Halyards, take tension off the Backstay adjuster,
loosen the Outhaul and move crew weight forward to get the fat stern out of
the water.
Joe Barrett


------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Rod Boer
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 5:20 PM
To: C320-List
Subject: [C320-list] Dead down wind sailing?

The finish leg of last Friday night's race was dead down wind and that's the
way we sailed it with a whisker pole.  Some folks on this list had
previously recommended that even with a whisker pole the fastest way to get
to a point dead downwind was to sail off at 120.  Maybe I misunderstood what
they said but I was trying to build an argument to my mates regarding the
120 course using the C320 polar diagram and I couldn't really make a good
case.  Sailing 120 doubles the distance and according to the polar diagram I
will not be going anywhere near twice as fast.  There is a weak case for a
150 course in that we would have saved 45 sec on a 1.7 mile finish leg.

 

I must be missing something.  Hopefully someone can shed some light on this.


 

Rod Boer

Odyssey, #688