This Forum is supported by C&C 27 owners like you whose membership in the C&C 27 Association makes possible this Forum and the accompanying site. Thank you, members, for your continuing commitment.
You are not logged in.
Last night, I was first across the start line and last across the finish line (again). Are there tips or tricks to point higher with a Mark V. I tack through about 100 degrees. I have new sails and a clean botton; but just can's get the boat moving as well as others. Any advice?
Thanks,
Charlie Rouse, Gemini, 27 Mark V
Charlie:
I'll try and help you, but first I need you to answer a few questions.
1. Are you sailing with a furler or is your Genoa in a tuff luff or hanked on?
2. How many crew do you sail with?
3. Where do you trim your Genoa to, cockpit combing or deck track?
4. Do you race in a mixed fleet and if so what types of boats are you up against?
If you can answer these questions I'll try and give you some suggestions.
Steve Reid
Still Knot Working Mk V #75
Offline
Thanks, Steve for your offer.
I have rolling furling with adjustable backstay tension, of course. With the sail totally unfurled, would this make a difference - other than the cut of the sail?
I bring the sheets back to the cockpit combing, with the blocks a little more than 1/2 toward the stern
I generally sail with a crew of 3 (myself=4) 1 main trimmer and two genoa trimmers. I do not sail in spinnaker class - white sail only.
It is a very mixed fleet. I am the only C&C, much less the only Mark V. I race against: Allied change 30-30 phrf 168 (usually wins all races); Morgan 34 phrf 186; 2 Tartan 27s phrf 240; Pearson Ariel phfr 258; Catalina 30 phrf 192; and 1-2 other boats.
I usually steer from the side unless the wind is really blowing 15+ knts, and I usually have 6-12" of rake, pending upon wind (more wind = more rake). In light air <6, I keep things somewhat loose and tighten up as wind increases. I light air, I try to keep the boat keeled 10 degrees or so; in heavy air, I have the guys sit on the rail.
Thank you for your help.
Charlie
Charlie:
Thanks for responding and answering the questions, sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things or at least you are trying to go in the right direction.
1. Roller furling is not the best solution if pointing is a priority for you. First of all it's difficult to get enough luff tension to get the optimum sail shape for all wind conditions. It's also difficult to get enough tension on the head stay to minimize head stay sag. You reall have to load up the backstay on the Mark V to get the headstay as streight as possible. The other problem with roller furling is that the sail has to be cut higher off the deck and lower from the top to allow it to roll up, that reduces the total sail area you have to work with.
2. Sounds like you are trimming the sail to the correct inboard angle. The next thing you need to check (and it will varey every time you go out sailing) is if the lead needs to go forward or back a hole or 2. This changes depending on wind shear between the level at the water and that at the top of the mast. Some days there is a lot and others not much if any. We usually set up in a mid position and then sail upwind and look at the ticklers on the luff of the Genoa. If, as you slowly luff up to windward, they break even top to bottom your good to go. Tack and check the other side. If you find that one set of ticklers are breaking sooner than the others you have to adjust the lead forward or back. If the top breaks early move forward, if the bottom set break early move back. As you tension the haylard that will also effect your lead position, more tension , lead back, less lead forward.
3. 4 is a good number to sail with for white sail, you could use one more in heavier wind. The important thing is to keep the boat as flat as possible (as little heal as you can). Remember "Flat is Fast" the more the boat heals the less effecient the keel is and the more weather helm you induce, which translates into drag. Don't be afraid to let the traveller down and the main rag a bit if it helps the boat speed and reduced heal. We watch the speed gauge like a hawk in heavier wind and usually find that by dropping the traveler down an inch or so it brings the speed up, as much a 1/4 knot at times, the main might look ugley, but if you are going faster who cares.
4. The Allied and the Morgan are gonna be tiugh to beat, but it's doable. The others you should be able to save your time on them. If you are racing time on time, remember that for every boat that owes you time, if you are ahead of them at the start your are cutting into that time that they owe you and the longer you stay ahead of them the less time they have to make up what they owe you. Good position on the line, clear wind and at the favoured end is always the most important thing.
5. Don't know how you have things set up to easily adjust your rake. Or are you confusing rake with mast bend? Rake is set by yhe length of the forestay and is a measurement of the differance in position of the mast head to the base of the mast. In otherwords rake is the amount of distance that your mast head is aft of the base of the mast. It's usually measured at the mast base or at the black band by hanging a weight on a line running from the top of the mast. On my boat we are set up for about 18" of mast rake measured at the black band. Mast bend is the amount of bend, fore and aft, of the mast under tension. We are set up for about 6" of prebend (no tension on the back stay) and around 14" at full back stay tension. Mast bend is used to put a curveture in the mast, therefore the luff of the mainsail which helps to flatten the sail while sailing upwind. Mast bend results from back stay tension which in turn creats headstay tension which in turns provides a streighter luff and flater entry for your genoa.
6. Weight on the rail is good. The Mark V likes it more towards the back of the boat than forward, in heavy air 10+ kts. With 4 guys I'd say Helmsman just aft of the primaries, Maintrimmer just forward of the Primaries and 2 crew on the rail in the area outboard of the big cabin window. In light air don't overdo the heal, you want just enough to induce shape into the sails and as the breeze picks up start moving crew to minimize heal. In light wind move the crew more forward. Helmsman to leeward in the forward corner of the cockpit. Miantrimmer in the companionway, Genoa trimmers to leeward up around the shrouds, one forward one aft. As you start moving those crew move the one aft of the shrouds first, then the one forward.
Hope this helps, let me know how you make out. Next thing will be bottom wotk and keel shape, that'll be your winter assignment.
Steve
Still Knot Working
C&C 27 Mk V #75
Offline