Broad reaching instead

[PabloPicasso]

Is broad reaching likely to be better than a dead run under these conditions:

Bermudan sloop rig
Light fin keel hull
Small jib big main
No spinacker/genacker/code 0
No pole

Will extra speed on broad reach make up for the extra distance and jibes needed?

 

[vyv_cox]

Is broad reaching likely to be better than a dead run under these conditions:

Bermudan sloop rig
Light fin keel hull
Small jib big main
No spinacker/genacker/code 0
No pole

Will extra speed on broad reach make up for the extra distance and jibes needed?

I know from years of catamaran dinghy racing that a dead run may result in arrival at the same time as broad reaching. But what a boring way to sail! We always broad reach - less concentration needed and far more enjoyable, plus some skill.

 

[johnalison]

It probably varies between boats. My current boat with a smaller 110% jib is not easy to sail goose-winged without a pole as the sail doesn’t stick out far enough to catch the wind consistently, whereas my old Sadler 29 was quite easy and I would sail by the lee keep the air flowing. With anything of a sea running it will always be more comfortable to reach or use a pole. My VMG meter always seems to give a better reading on a dead run though.

 

[LittleSister]

There is a school of thought that if your course is dead downwind or dead upwind, your passage planning/choice of destination is all wrong.

Doesn't apply to racers, of course, as they're all masochists, and only out there to make life difficult for themselves.

 

[Goldie]

I’ve see a table somewhere, possibly in one of Mike Pocock’s books, which illustrates the boat speed needed for given angles off dead downwind in order to equal dead downwind VMG. I suspect other sources are available and may be worth searching for.

 

[Mark-1]

Is broad reaching likely to be better than a dead run under these conditions:

Bermudan sloop rig
Light fin keel hull
Small jib big main
No spinacker/genacker/code 0
No pole

Will extra speed on broad reach make up for the extra distance and jibes needed?

You need to look at the Polars for your boat and work it out. With luck you'll find something close online.

 

[Egret]

Just experiment and see - keeping skimming over the high bits of the waves, not falling in to the hollows will help -even if it is not quite the most direct route. It's not only the speed, it depends on if you are able to eliminate rolling so be more comfortable. May help to have a big assymetric jib.

 

[MikeBz]

My answer would be “very unlikely”. You’d have to sail quite high to get the headsail to work at all, which require a substantial increase in speed to benefit - you can work it out with simple geometry, much like plotting a course with tides.

 

[johnalison]

My answer would be “very unlikely”. You’d have to sail quite high to get the headsail to work at all, which require a substantial increase in speed to benefit - you can work it out with simple geometry, much like plotting a course with tides.

My jib fills at 145 degrees apparent wind and anything more is a waste of time, and even then I’m not near matching the goosewinged VMG.

 

[dunedin]

As ever, it depends. But with a brisk but heavy-ish boat with a large main, when the wind makes a run the required direction and solo or short handed we often sail downwind under main only to avoid the jib flapping. Generally need to go up 30 degrees or so to fill a white sail (more than with an asymmetric spinnaker).
But we use the plotter and the VMG (velocity made good) data - either VMG downwind or VMG to next waypoint. Like the Laser I used to race, often dead downwind is faster than broad reaching, but it does vary - particularly if there are waves the broad reaching may be more comfortable and get more surfs to aid the speed.
But just experiment and track the VMG

 

[KevinV]

I've never done particularly well dead downwind without a spinnaker - I don't like the lack of pressure in the sails, the lack of wind noise/feel, the odd motion and the light helm that then gets shoved by waves you can't see coming-there's just not enough feedback for my crude skills.

Broad reaching on the other hand is just fabulous, especially with some decent waves to play with. So I choose a broad reach every time I can, regardless of whether it's quicker over the ground or not.

 

[William_H]

As said reaching is much more relaxing and fun than running. However OP asked about speed. ie when racing. (which I love) The average heavy keel boat will not plane so speed is virtually limited by hull length. Yes you can exceed these limitations with lots of drive but not easily or by much. So IMHO usually dead down wind is shortest distance so fastest.
However every year we have an event called Rumble in the Reach dedicated to sports boats. ie lightly balasted keel (sometimes lifting) around the 20 to 27 feet length. (Viper is one UK design that is popular) These all have huge genackers and habitually never run always tacking down wind. Going significant longer distances. I presume all of these skippers know what they are doing to follow the same course. The necessary gybes can be amazing. The courses are short to be a spectacle from the club house. The joy of watching crew climb out on to the keel to right a tumbled boat.
Anyway I still question the wisdom of down wind tacking especially in light winds. Certainly for my little trailer sailer shortest path is best although some slighly off wind sailing maks the jib sit better if not flying spinnaker. OP should check through the water speed when off wind compared to straight down wind. Assuming plenty of wind he might be able to calculate the increased distance and decide which is faster. I think he will find only slight speed improvement due to hull speed limitations. Certainly in light winds no question. ol'will