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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

riding sail or drogue

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SCnewbie
Navigator

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166 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/23/2008 : 21:54:06

So I was all set to start working on a riding sail for my 250 to try to minimize its dancing on its mooring and make it sit still like the other boats in the anchorage but today I realized that she isn't facing into the wind and neither are the other boats. We have a strong current in the anchorage. Typically it is about 2 knots. So I wonder, would some sort of drogue behind the boat do more to help calm her at anchor?

S/V Cornbread
1995 C250WB #161
Charleston SC

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2008 : 22:37:09

I haven't read it yet but there's an article in the May edition of Sail that came today about Drogues and Sea anchors, etc.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2008 : 23:10:32

Around here, if a Lifesling or drogue was in the water for very long, it'd be covered with barnacles and moss.

Assuming the boats around you are pulled in roughly the same direction by the current, you could screw that up by adding something that makes the wind pull you in another direction. A riding sail is best when there's no significant current and your boat is trying to sail around the mooring. Net: boats do that.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/23/2008 23:15:55

Second Wind53
1st Mate

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Canada
45 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2008 : 09:52:36

You might also make up a bridle between the two bow cleats. Then you would at least get even pull against the hull.

Because the 250 is so light with a lot of windage, a puff of wind will move it and not the heavier boats.

Good luck.

Peter

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2008 : 10:15:18

Another thing... Do I recall properly that you have a WB? If current is your issue, keeping the centerboard down will help, and will keep you in synch with the keelboats that have no option. If it's just wind, raising the CB will keep the boat from "sailing up" on the mooring, although it will still swing side-to-side a little--it just won't go as far.

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SCnewbie
Navigator

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166 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2008 : 14:22:54

Yes I have the WB version. The board is down but it still tends to wander quite a bit. I figured maybe it was the interaction of the windage and the current. Who knows. I wasn't planning on using a real chute behind it but something like a as you suggested. A bucket or crate or something. Just something behind it to create drag and in turn pull the back end downstream with it.

Great tip regarding sailing on the mooring and raising the board.

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JohnMD
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USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2008 : 17:52:42

I also have a WB and it wanders all over when on the hook. It's not the current 'cause we don't have any. I'm pretty sure it's the bunches of freeboard we have up front. I've tried the bridle so the anchor pulls both sides of the bow evenly (good idea on any boat). I made a large riding sail and I even tried a stern anchor. Nothing helped very much. I rafted up with a Catalina 22 and that helped quite a bit. Let me know if you find the magic cure.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2008 : 13:26:54

[url="http://www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/horsing.asp"]Quit Horsing Around[/url]

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2008 : 14:11:53

Didn't Arlyn make one of those out of a blue tarp? Oh, yeah, and bungee cords!

Edited by - John Russell on 04/25/2008 14:12:31

willy
Captain

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USA
422 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2008 : 16:38:48

Maybe its just a guy thing...but I LOVE building stuff out of tarps and bungee cords!

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2008 : 17:06:26

Here's one I built using the kit from [url="http://www.sailrite.com/anchor-riding-sail-kit?sc=2&category=7847"]Sailrite[/url], (there's a how to build it video at the bottom of the page of this link).

Not hard to make, Cyndi did the sewing with her regular old sewing machine.

It helps alot, but does not stop the riding completely.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 04/25/2008 17:12:56

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2008 : 17:50:53

To deal with wind, I often thought about rigging a tarp across the sternrail--to act like a small parachute--but never tried it. For current, the bucket idea might have merit. (Barnacles might be easier to remove from plastic than from fabric.)

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2008 : 20:08:44

We bought a 70% storm jib last year, and I plan to experiment with it as a riding sail as well. Generally we're more concerned about swells from ferries or commercial ships than wind, or at least so far, so we also got a Magma Rock-n-roll plate to help dampen those down. We haven't had occasion to use it yet, but almost certainly will this year.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 08:03:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tom Potter
 Here's one I built using the kit from [url="http://www.sailrite.com/anchor-riding-sail-kit?sc=2&category=7847"]Sailrite[/url], (there's a how to build it video at the bottom of the page of this link).

Not hard to make, Cyndi did the sewing with her regular old sewing machine.

It helps alot, but does not stop the riding completely.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Tom

I made the exact same riding sail. Great first time kit! I have to say, my C250 was all over the place on the mooring. I needed to do something as I started moving my mooring weight.

One thing I noticed on yours is all that canopy you've got flying! The riding sail doesn't have a chance! Also, it looks like you have it attached in the rear to the topping lift. I have mine all the way aft on the split stay.

Mine works really great. I did a little reading and found out that the forward sheet of the riding sail should not be attached to the mast, but to a stanchion to the left or right of the mast. The angle will stop the oscillations you get because it is off center. My boat is a steady as can be now.

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 09:15:02

Turk,
It must be that the aft stay runs up through the middle of the bimini that is causing an illusion of where the riding sail is attached.

It's attached to the aft stay and runs forward to the port stanchion. I hook the bottom hank of the sail onto one of the aft stay legs just before the split to form a "Tack" and the other hank to the aft stay. I use the jib haylard to hoist it taught. I tie it off to the port stanchion to compensate for the anchor rode running off the starboard side. I've tried several different ways of tying it off, Port, Starboard, Middle, with anchor bridle, without bridle. Works best for me tied to the Port.

Sometime ago I read in a sailing magazine different ways to fly the anchor sail. If recall correctly you could fly if from you topping lift or for boats without back stays you could fly it without hanking it to anything. I feel it needs to be back as far as you can get it, and on the 250 that's the aft stay.

As for all the "canopy flying". I'm not sure how much of an effect it has, as I haven't noticed any difference with the bimini/canopy up or down. The anchor sail helps a great deal, it keeps me from swing wildly from Port to Starboard but does not hold you completely steady. I expect all of that 250 free-board and the boat being light plays a big part.

One thing is for sure, that bimini/canopy is a "must have" in the south during summer.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 05/04/2008 09:22:31

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 20:47:46

Tom

Your right, it is an optical illusion! My mistake.

Us northerners only get a few above 90 degree days per year. Not many bimini's here at all.

I can sit in the cockpit and watch the anchor sail as it works. There has to be some turning before the wind can apply pressure to stop the turn and send it back to center. For those considering adding one, I can attest it works quite well for me.

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