let me preface that i have a SC17 with a SC19 sail uni rig. this is the first cat i have owned. but not the first i sailed
the winds in my area tend to stay around 5-10 knots which are not bad but i don't lift hulls in this condition.
but occasionally we get days around 15 knots and gust are up to 25. which i love! as this thing loves this wind i can really cut upwind and still lift.
however we do capsize every once and a while in this condition.
i have not been out in anything over 26 knots. tomorrow the winds are predicted to be gust to +30 knots.
at what point should i start worrying about damage to the boat.
is there a way to reef the main if conditions get over whelming? there are no reefing points on the sail. not sure if your familiar with the SC but the boom is a small rod in the main sail like a batten
Hi,
15 - 25 knots. Sheer bliss! Try this:- Rake the mast back a hole or two on the stays. Reverse the top two battens. Bang on the downhaul.
This will have the effect of lifting the bows, allowing the top of the sail to fall off and de-power in the gusts and flattening the sail de-powering it.
30+ knots!! make sure the standing rigging is up to it...it will find the weakest link, especialy in rough seas...the oversized main with no apparent reefing points could be "exciting"...it pays to be heavy on these days...stay close to shore, another boat around is good...i'm thinking about all the things i thought of after the last time i went out in small craft warnings(25-30kts.,5-7'seas). it was the greatest thrill of my life even after the mast came down just 100 yards shy of horn island. with the wind blowing us back into the 5' chop, we stepped the mast and tied it off with the jib halyard(forestay pigtail snapped). the sail back with the main only was as exciting as the sail out there, flying hulls through and over 7' seas is a hoot!!
coastrat
right on thanks guys I hope everything holds. the previous owner claims all rigging is new. guess ill find out
30+ is pushing the limits of the design.
every 7mph increase doubles the stress on your rigging
SC are known for the transoms ripping out. be sure not to hit under water objects at speed (sand bars, etc).
we have a sc19 that somehow reefs his main. not sure how he does it.
MN3
could you find out about that sc19 reefing?
BugTussel wrote: could you find out about that sc19 reefing?
here was his responce:
I have reefed my main and Sue did hike out on the wire. The main was 1/2 way up and if I remember right the jib was 1/2 rolled up at the time. I think Ray blew by. I have the main down haul rigged up to do this. No boom, no reef points.
MN3
and more:
He needs to rig the down haul to make it work and may need an extra line to wrap the luff on the main to connect the main sheet to. The main will not be too flat but in high winds sail shape is not important. Survivability is all that counts.
MN3
i would love to get a pic of how he rigged it. i would like to be prepared.
yesterdays wind prediction was complete opposite of the actual. when we got the boat rigged and in the water we had a quick run out and the wind died... completely! had to paddle in. and so we sat and watched the jet skis show off. worst part today is better wind and I'm working!
Simple strategy, if the wind picks up. Let the main traveller out a few inches to depower the main, without dropping speed!! And obviously, keep weight back when running / reaching in heavy weather!
CatKat
Kuwait Sailing Club
Early Supercat 19's the pre XL's. had the same main and jib as the 17's. the XL added a taller mast and a subsequent taller main sail. So your main is not oversized.
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its def over-sized as there is 6 inches of sail hanging out of the track after it is fully raised. i still have to rig it so the boom does not push past the mast.
Have any pictures of the setup? I seem to recall hearing the SC17 and SC19 didn't have a boom, I have never sailed one myself. Maybe you have a SC19XL main sail?
How do you connect a downhauler on the main if it is hanging out of the track?
Scott
Hobie 18M in Chicago