Gybe monkeys and cats

[jimi]

Presumably its best (or only possible) to gybe a cat than tack it?

 

[Stingo]

Unless you start the engines

 

[Bajansailor]

A properly designed cat should tack quite happily - most of the ones I have sailed on (OK, not many) have been able to.

 

[Helina]

My cat, Outremer, tacks without problems. Takes a bit longer than AWB but close hauled speed pays it back.

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Talbot]

Perfectly possible to tack a modern cat.

older designs have a few peculiarities, for example I need to slack the mainsheets as I tack otherwise she can hang.

A big cat will also have the momentum to get through the wind much better tahn a small one., but backing a genoa should always enable a tack except perhaps in very light breeze, but heavier sea.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Only cats that are dogs won't tack.

Proas though, are a kettle of fish of a different colour.

 

[claymore]

We have two cats - Henry and Tubbs (who did well). They are not good with tacks.

 

[tcm]

nah. But you can't crash tack so easily with biggish cat -i found you have to steer up at last moment towards the wind and then tack, can't so easily spin around two hulls etc

 

[savageseadog]

Well gybe then, when they are asleep in the foot of the main

 

[jamesjermain]

Where does this come from Jimi? I know of no modern-ish production cat (post 1975, say) that won't tack. Some take a bit longer than others, some need to back the headsail, some need to have the main eased, but they all tack; gybing would take longer and be more risky, as it is in a half-boat.

Belladonna will go through the wind as fast as any cruising mono and will be going twice as fast in half the time on the next tack.

 

[jimi]

I've only really sailed a Hobie and could'nt really tack it cos I woz useless, just wondered if bigger fings were similar

 

[claymore]

James - wee Jim wiz never the wan tae let a fact get in the way of a controversial post.