RTIR: best non-extreme design for fast cruising in frustrating light airs?

prv said:
The traditional cruisers' answer to the question is that you need sail area, sail area, and more sail area. I guess this focus on the rig is because long-term cruisers don't have much option in terms of hull shape, they need something with the displacement to carry all their stuff.

I used to read the Boat Design forums, and there was a guy there who always used to make the point (with old photos to back it up) that if you look at old working boats they generally set much more sail in light airs than a modern yacht. With no engines, and a load of bricks or potatoes that needed delivering, they needed to move despite light winds and significant displacement, and the only way to achieve that is with more canvas. He had designed and built his own boat with 1000 square feet of mainsail on a 35' hull, plus jib, staysail, and a fair-sized lug mizzen.

The Pardeys were also keen on having lots of sail area for light winds; they also carried a special suit of "drifting sails" made of spinnaker fabric so that they wouldn't slat and bang around like normal sailcloth does in a calm.

Pete
Click to expand...

..................That sounds like a cracking idea!

Westerly Centaur new rig.jpg
 
Great effort Mr.Ming,wondered if you would pop up when I began reading this thread!
mrming said:
My Benny 235 had good speed in the RTIR this year. It's light, has a lot of sail and we threw everyone forward to get the boat's fat bum out of the water. We were right in the hunt in IRC 3 until we made a cock up by not standing out to sea at St Cats.
Click to expand...
 
Just a thought, were there any Super Seal 26 (John Baker Kenton Forge)'s or perhaps Parker 26/27/31 in the fleet and how did they fare out?
 
Well I reckon the Aphrodite 101 is indeed a beauty, a real sailors' boat; fancied one ever since going aboard at Earls Court when she was a contender for the OOD - I'd be surprised if she was absolute dynamite in light airs though.

Conversely the J racers do nothing for me at all, characterless efficient but sterile things whizzed up on CAD...

My own boat is great in medium conditions and exceptional in the heavy stuff but doesn't like light airs at all.
 
Looking at results by elapsed time, in the ISC classes, AWBs do well.

In theoretical terms, it's about sail area to wetted surface area.
 
dancrane said:
The Aphrodite 101 seems like one of those boats which it's very hard to criticise...fine on all points, and a thing of amazing beauty even standing still.

View attachment 43551
Click to expand...
flaming said:
Another great example of personal preference being key....

That is not a pretty boat in my book.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I love a steeply raked stem and narrow beam. What is it that you don't like about it?
 
prv said:
I like plumb bows on gaffers, but not the modern yacht version.

Not sure why you want a yacht to look mean? :)

Pete
Click to expand...

Nor am I! But I can't explain why I fancy one girl and not another either. Fact is I do though.
 
Reverting to the hopefully less-subjective question of performance, I've read accounts of ocean-going cats having their pace stymied by too many on-board spares & stores...

...is there any recognised scale of declining performance with overloading? Can we suppose that the minimally-equipped new boats which most new owners decry for their tight-fisted specification, are in fact sold that way because they're meant to be sailed that way?

Are certain designs less hobbled than others, by sitting a few inches deeper than is ideal?
 
dancrane said:
Reverting to the hopefully less-subjective question of performance, I've read accounts of ocean-going cats having their pace stymied by too many on-board spares & stores...

...is there any recognised scale of declining performance with overloading? Can we suppose that the minimally-equipped new boats which most new owners decry for their tight-fisted specification, are in fact sold that way because they're meant to be sailed that way?

Are certain designs less hobbled than others, by sitting a few inches deeper than is ideal?
Click to expand...

In my experience all boats suffer from this in lighter conditions. You must have the minimum stuff on board when racing imo. We have bags with the cruising stuff in which come off when we leave the boat. The only things that stay on board for racing are safety / nav equipment and a small amount of tools and spares. Crew leave their bags ashore and only take the gear they need for that day's weather. You can't go racing and compete with a boat full of crockery, tins of corned beef, bottles of vino in the bilge etc. :)
 
prv said:
I like plumb bows on gaffers, but not the modern yacht version.
Click to expand...

I like the look of overhanging, spoon bows, with Charles Nicholson having a particularly good eye for a shapely bow.

2005poole1.jpg


But there's something about the bow wave of a plumb bow that looks so purposeful. The way the water curves upwards. Very slice-y.

JRENEDO_2014-05-02_41842_800.jpg
 
Dan I would like to point you at a little 24 foot 1980's design that came 25th Overall and was winner of their class, with only two actually completing the course.

"Fooster" was a sister ship to our old boat.

Cracking little machine in light airs, Can carry plenty of sail, low wetted surface when heeled or weight forward, very low profile keel with bulb. I would not describe her as an extreme design! We have cruised extensively in one for the last four years.

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3633.

Not a bad result for a 30 year old boat!
 
Last edited:
Just sold mine for not far off the asking price of 7,500 with a trailer. The owner of Fooster may be doing the same soon!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top