Posted by kfffreemail (kfffreemail@…>)
Hello all-
Wonder if anyone has either considered or done any offshore
racing in an F30, something along the lines of Newport-Bermuda or
Marblehead to Halifax. Am I reaching a bit by thinking about
this?..perhaps just stick to the local coastal stuff? If so, why?
thanks
Kurt
Posted by Fargo Rousseau (fargo_r@…>)
Hi Kurt:Covered about 5,000 miles in our F30 in our 1 1/2 laps from New England to Florida. Some of it offshore in higher winds. As F30 sailors know, the boat does not need much power…and does not like being overpowered. I would never go offshore without the ability to reduce power and keep the boat balanced. We felt very secure with our added third reef (next batten up from second reef) and the full camber spar jib in beating to reaching conditions up to 25 knots puffing 30. This set-up also keeps the boat calm and feeling like a displacement boat broadreaching and running. If you want to be prepared for higher winds than this, then you will need less main and a smaller jib. I never worked out how to accomplish either of these. The boat will bare-pole in winds over 25 knots very well, broad reaching and running making about 3 knots. It will nearly beam reach with the jib alone and make 4 knots plus and be very
controllable. Seas push the F30 around easily because she is very light for her hull volume. Nice thing about the F30 as with all Freedoms…they are very very well built. The seas are not likely to break up the hull, deck, mast unit. But…they have large spars with lots of windage and the F30 in particular is a bit tender. But put the right amount of power to her and she will sail on and on. Keep the power on mid throttle…and sail the boat. Keep yourself and crew tied in, get some music in your ears and sail like crazy. Have fun…Hope this helps.Hope this helpsFargoex F30 #12kfffreemail <kfffreemail@…> wrote: Hello all- Wonder if anyone has either considered or done any offshore racing in an F30, something along the lines of Newport-Bermuda or Marblehead to Halifax. Am I reaching a bit by thinking about this?..perhaps just stick to the local coastal stuff? If so, why? thanks Kurt
Posted by seychellois_lib (mcunningham@…>)
I recently returned from a short coastal cruise on my 30. I had winds
at 30 gusting to 35 and a sharp swell. Unfortunately for me I had to
get to weather in order to get home (that’ll teach me to cruise to a
schedule). Bottom line, I would not do it again unless I had no
choice. No question our boats are well built but there is always the
weak link.
I had the third reef in and was still feeling overpowered, I would
have been happy with the situation in calmer water but my boat speed
of 5 to 6 Kts was just bashing me into the seaway and stressing the
hell out of me and the boat.
My strategy was to turn and run without reducing sail because I was
fairly close to shelter. While I experienced a few mild broaches on
the way down, it was easily controllable. If I’d had a longer distance
to sail I would have dropped the main and made my way on jib alone.
In thinking about it after the fact, I believe Fargo’s advice would
have worked fine however, as a single hander in coastal water, I just
didn’t feel comfortable waiting at sea for two days for conditions to
calm down. I felt I either had to get to weather or withdraw.
Another interesting issue is the ability to accomplish sail handling
in these conditions as a single hander. Although I have a good
jackline/tether/harness system I did not relish the thought of going
forward to deal with dowsing and securing the main/jib. Shame on me
for allowing myself to get into the situation.
Fargo mentioned what to do with sail plan beyond the third reef. In
the past I have dowsed the jib and made way on triple reefed main
alone, this reduces power a little. Then, as Fargo notes, dowse the
main and sail on the jib. After that the only thing left is bare
poles. What I have considered is having a forth reefing point
installed when I buy new sails. This would be located about at the
sail number/emblem location and, I believe, would result in about as
much sail area as a storm trisail. Any thoughts on this?