Torpointer
New member
Any other Nicholson 38 owner out there who could advise me? I want to know how close winded my Nic 38 should be. Do I need new sails and some serious tuning or is a tacking angle of about 110 degrees normal?
Nicholson 38
- Thread starter Torpointer
- Start date
Could be down to the strange heritage of the hull which started off as a US East Coast centreboard design and was then remodelled by Nicholson into the s-shape long keel hull you have.
heerenleed
New member
Tacking between 100 degrees is totally possible, even a little less if there is enough wind. . But.. how long have you owned your Nic 38? It takes quite a while to learn how to sail this type of boat. She is quite a capable sailor, but remember a ketch rig never is very efficient if you try and point too high, as the mizzen will always be in the main's turbulence. Therefore, loosen up the sheets a little and you will see she will speed on happily pointing between 45 and 50 degrees to the true wind. Depending on how much wind there is, and therefore how much speed she has, drift can be limited to under 5 degrees. But do try and make the helm as neutral as possible. If you tighten your mizzen sheet too much it will act like a break. Although she will point high enough, her speed will drop and the drift will increase considerably. Try and "listen" to your boat...
And yes, of course the quality of your sails will play an all-important role. Off the wind, any sail will drive any boat properly, but upwind is a different story.
I own a Nicholson 48, which is quite shoal-draft at 1,68 m considering het length, and we manage tacking her between 95 and 100 degrees. But it took us a couple of seasons before we managed this.
cheers
And yes, of course the quality of your sails will play an all-important role. Off the wind, any sail will drive any boat properly, but upwind is a different story.
I own a Nicholson 48, which is quite shoal-draft at 1,68 m considering het length, and we manage tacking her between 95 and 100 degrees. But it took us a couple of seasons before we managed this.
cheers
Torpointer
New member
Thanks for your comments. I am in my 4th season with the Nic 38 and really enjoy sailing her (I also use her as a sailing school boat). I too have found she needs her sheets a little free to keep her going to windward and she will balance nicely and steer herself. So I guess the problem is probably that I need some new sails (the genoa is 1999 and the main and mizen 1989) but before making the (considerable) investment I wanted to hear other's advice
jamesjermain
Active member
Is your 38 the very beautiful blue one I see up at Cargreen occasionally? Indeed, did I speak to you when I was on boatwatch duty the other day?
