Boat Speed

[rappareems]

I bought a used C34 this past Spring and club raced it.  My performance was so bad that the Lake Ontario PHRF wouldn't even consider it! I won the club champiomship in my Irwin 30 a few years back, so I'm not a rookie sailor. I put new sails on that appear to be shaping well, I have a fixed 3 blade prop, and a fixed back stay which I plan to replace before the start of next season.  Any other suggistions?

[dave davis]

In our Fleet 1 racing on the SF Bay, we give 15 Sec for a Three Bladed Fix prop. I personally believe it is worth about 30 Sec. and that is based on real performance data. Solve that problem by getting a folder. How have you prepared your bottom? Roller,brush or spray/burnish? Very important...and etc... Good luck

[jeff]

Similar experience. Consistently won seasonal club race series in a Cal 25. But, can't seem to make my C34, a standard rig with wing, go fast. Reaches OK, but doesn't point well. Also have fixed 3 blade prop which I suspect even makes pointing worse due to leeway resulting from slower speed. I replaced my stock 150 with a lighter, fuller 155 which has helped in light air. Life is a compromise - I bought the C34 to cruise - needed standard rig to fit under 52' bridges on Tennessee River and Tenn-Tom Bigbee Waterway and wing to sail shallow water, knowing that performance would not be as good as tall rig, fin keel. Have been somewhat disappointed to learn just how much difference there seems to be.
Jeff
#1102 Salty Dog

[rappareems]

Our club racing is hardly the Indy 500, I would just like it to sail close to its rating! My Irwin 30 was no Melges but I could sail it at its 180 rating at least.

[BMHoch]

We race our 1988 tall rig wing keel with folding prop and 150 genoa in New York harbor.  This past year was first season with new North sails and a clean bottom.  Took 3rds and 4ths, but consistently beat a Hunter 38 and a brand new Catalina 34. Best advice is to have a diver clean the bottom at least once a month.  Use the large wind shadow on downwind legs to make up distance for lack of upwind performance. Our PHRF rating is 153, and we have hit 7.0 plus knots overground occaisionally.

[dave davis]

Good work Bruce, come to our International Regatta Sept 20-22 at the Golden Gate YC on the city front in San Francisco. We will get you a crew position on one of our 15-20 boats we plan to have on the start line. Enjoy...

[Brad "Captivated" #1285]

When ever I mention racing or going faster my wife in her usual wisdom says " If you want to go faster, get a power boat."
Sometimes I almost start to understand her point of view and then another sail boat appears on the horizon.... and I begin to tweak the sails and the sheets...nonchalantly of course....am I gaining???? The race is on.......and on......
 and so it goes....and I love it!!!

[Jkar]

I have an '87.  I had the same issue, rating was 180, but the boat never went near that.  I replaced the North(yuck) sails with a new set of UK TapeDrive, 2 years ago and the boat took off like a rocket and has not slowed down.  I kept the fixed 3bld, in moderate to heavy I run ahead of 150's, but in light air I was getting clobbered.  I invested in a new set of sheets(1/4" StaSet-X) on UK's recomendation and now light air I am right in the hunt and let the handicap work for me.  Eventually I will get a feathering prop, but hey it is still a cruising boat.  Good luck.

[dave davis]

How did you get a rating of 180? what is the breakdown for the prop? for the furling? Do you have this information. Where do you sail? What is DYC? That is interesting about your light sheets.

[Jeff]

I've been rated at 156 with std rig, wing, roller furling, fixed 3 blade prop, no spinnaker, et al.

180 appears high in comparison, but seems much more realistic.

[Jkar]

Base for Std. rig in Lake Huron, St. Clair, Erie 156.  All the clubs assume that with your rating that the boat is tricked out for racing, ie: no RF, not fixed props.  Then they assign handicaps based on cruising gear. So a Catalina 34 w/ RF, Fixed 3bld prop and not adjustable back stay = 180.

base 156 +6RF +18Fixed 3bld = 180 another club
base 156 +3RF +18Fixed 3bld +3Nobackstay
yet another is +6RF +15Fixed 3bld +3Nobackstay

then they get into above and below deck RF but all the Catalina's are above deck.  That is how I get a 180, which is barely compensation as alot of the races are in the river and a 6kt current against that big prop does not equal 18sec.

[Ted Pounds]

I thought you all might be interested in what I did to go from  last place (more or less) to first place (so far) in our Wed. night club races.  Many of the things are advice gleaned from this website.  The big things I did were: a new 155 genoa from Doyle, a complete strip and repaint of the bottom with VC-17 and a Flex-O-Fold prop (3-blade, I'm still a cruiser at heart).  Since I did them all at once it's hard to say what the effect of each was.  I do notice that I keep my speed up through the tacks which I believe is due to the VC-17 and the prop. I come out of tacks now with at least a knot more speed.  In light air I feel like I've gained a knot of boat speed.  Some of the little things that I think helped too: new, low stretch halyards, Garhauer adjustable genoa lead cars, complete rebuild of my winches, new sheets, and keeping my aft water tank and holding tank empty.  I'll let you know how the rest of the season turns out, but for now my crew and I are excited not to be wallowing around in the back of the pack.

Ted  :cool:

[Andrew Harvey]

We just had our first sail last weekend, a we were really impressed with sailing speed and ability. 7 knots feels like a rocket ship compared to the last boat.We are cruisers only .. not in a hurry to go any where fast except when I was closing in on our friends in the C&C 30. If any one is interested in selling their old 3 blade fixed prop let me know.
Andrew

[Ted Pounds]

Andrew,

I'd be happy to sell you mine.  Name a price.

Ted

[Andrew Harvey]

Ted, please go to private topics and we can discuss.
Andrew