what a day!!!

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tanton37
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:25 pm

what a day!!!

Post by tanton37 »

Holy *%$#......Just had the best sail of the season as the sailing season comes to a close up here in the frozen wastelands of Ottawa, Canada. Set a new speed record for Kairos, an F28CK hull #2 (centreboard version). Winds blowing steady 21 knots with frequent gusts to 28 knots. Sailing solo, only boat on the water, under full main only....this is the first time I've sailed under main only in five years of owning the boat .....went great....no weather helm at all.........anyway close hauled was chugging along in the fives.....lots of spray from the white caps flying up into the sail and back into the cockpit.........rail in the water...what a blast!!! After a couple of hours ..turn around to head home......ease the main out.......and look out...now I am flying.......6.5....7.0.....7.5......holy,holy....8.0......yikes 8.2 a new record for me and my lady. My face is sore from the perma grin. Boy, I love this big little boat!!

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Michel
Posts: 546
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:48 am
Location: Zaanstad, the Netherlands, EU

Re: what a day!!!

Post by Michel »

Hi Tanton37,

I don't want to ruin your fun, but I need to inform you that the cat ketch rig was designed to use both sails under all or most circumstances. Using just one sail without reefs places high loads on the mast, while using both sails reefed places only a little load on both masts, while having enough sail area available. Also, you might find that - e.g. in case of emergency - it will be extremely difficult to beat away off a lee shore or away from a passing ship with just the forward sail up. A third point: if you have to gybe with only the main up, you can't blanket it with the (reefed) mizzen to ease the gybe. Owners manuals of most Freedom catketches contain a chapter explaining Garry Hoyt's view on always using both sails.
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

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numbknots
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:38 pm
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: what a day!!!

Post by numbknots »

Yeah , I agree with Michel, split the load. Congrats on a great sail lthough. Numbknots. F28 ck cb also
... currently experiencing performance anxiety..,

tanton37
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:25 pm

Re: what a day!!!

Post by tanton37 »

Hey Michel & Numbknots;
Sincerelely.....Thanks for the sage advice.....and truth be known..I do know better having read Gary Hoyts "Ready About" as well as every other resource on cat ketch rigs that I can get my hands on. So that days sail was just an experiment and not something I would do on a regular basis......but it was still fun. I normally would sail reefed down in conditions like this.....but a combination of curiousity and laziness prevailed.....
Hey Michel.....just got an email from Alan K....thanks for sending me the DVD....I presume Alan gave you my snail mail address. I have a very poor quality promotional sales DVD of Richard Blacks Sparhawk catketch sailing info if you'd like......interesting but as I said...very poor quality.... Numbknots......what kind of speeds have you managed to coax out of your F28CK......I just ran across an internet post where a guy claims to have hit 11 knots with his surfing down a large following sea.....wheeeeeeeeeee!!!! Anyway...thanks guys...

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numbknots
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:38 pm
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: what a day!!!

Post by numbknots »

Tanton 37,

Yeah we hit 11.3 knts on a very broad reach during a race. Sq top and single ply full batten sails now on boat helped. But better than that is putting up the staysail! I hit 7.5 knts in 12 knts of breeze constantly with ease. Girl on board kept saying "I wanna get 8, I wanna get 8" I told her, " Well honey youre on the right boat" . Hope you have better luck.

Numbknots
... currently experiencing performance anxiety..,

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Michel
Posts: 546
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:48 am
Location: Zaanstad, the Netherlands, EU

Re: what a day!!!

Post by Michel »

Tanton37,

The DVD of Yves Gelinas world trip is going in the mail Monday. Alan indeed gave me your address. Enjoy!

Best,
Michel
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

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