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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Help me learn to sail my boat again...

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luckystar
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USA
236 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/13/2002 : 14:16:13

Okay, here it is: I've owned my C25 SK/SR for four years and have had a great time sailing her. Until this year, the boat has had original sails (half-batten main, 155% Genoa on CDI furl) and original Lewmar 7 winches, halyard at the mast. I tended to have a bit of weather helm and I'm pretty sure the old sails had something to do with the performance in many areas but generally fast good sailing. I sail on a long (10miles) skinny lake (1mile) and our winds average around 5 mph with great sailing days around 10-15 mph and more/less depending on the season. The bottom on my boat has not been done in (God only knows) years. Two years ago a buddy and I scuba dove to scrub and change keel cable. The keel had a little rusting nodules covering the surface then. The rigging was as the guy who hauled the boat had set and in my fellow sailors opinions, really loose.

OKAY NOW: I've lead lines to aft, new Harken 16STs, New OEM sails (half batten main/155% genny on cdi furl). I used Bill Holcomb's guide to rigging tension on our website here and cinched down the rig with the mast plumb, the lowers less tight than the uppers but even and the uppers nice and taut so that when "thumbed" they make a nice note. I adjust the mast rake with back stay adjuster. It all looks good and by the book, no signs of it being too tight and some think it's still too loose, but they are not on C25's.

THE PROBLEM: I'm just not getting the same results out of the boat. Am I expecting too much, What could I be doing wrong? Now the bottom is still fairly decent except the keel has larger rust nodules and I can't pull out until first of spring. I'm sailing pretty much the same way I did before under the same basic conditions. Is there something wrong with the sails? Could they be cut wrong? The company claimed that they are the same OEM measurments and they look great on the boat (pretty much what the old ones looked like except crisp, white and new!), Using the same lead cars, same sheets, etc.

My big question is: is this the badly nodded up keel and lack of bottom paint that is causing my apprehension about my boat's performance or is it in my mind because of the expectations of the upgrade ($$) or is it the rigging?

What can I do next time I'm out (in two weeks) to tweak this rig and get some results? Or do I need to schedule a haul out now and just scrape the keel until I can get her out for a couple of months to do the major work?

Sorry for the long one, but I guess I'm due! Thanks for any help. I wish I had more C25 owners around me sailing and I could learn more about the idiosyncracies about our boats (especially swingers) I've been spoiled by crewing on a Newport 33 while our club races and it really kicks a$$! (could this be part of the problem?)

Patrick Burnett, Little Rock, AR
S/V Lucky Star #2707 1982 SK/SR

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Response Posted - 10/13/2002 : 20:22:11

Pat

I assume you are on a warm water lake. If so I think the problem is the amount of growth built up on the bottom since two years ago. I am on a warm water lake and at the end of the year when I pull the boat I am amazed I could even sail with all the algae, ect growing on the bottom. Try going down again and cleaning it off and see if that does not correct the problem.

Robert B. Arrowood

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2002 : 21:22:30

Patrick - I agree with Bob that a dirty bottom will slow you down more than anything! Also - you have made a major change in the rig tension - C25's sail fastest when they have a loose rig! Check out Fleet 2's speed tips, it's at the end of the Class Rules on the Racing Forum on the Home Page.
Personally, on "This Side Up" on a small Loos guage my shrouds register (aft to fore) 18, 30 and 25. I carry a good 8" of sag in the forestay and a very loose backstay when the adjuster is released. It is fast in any wind up to about 12k (in 1 - 10k winds yesterday we beat a Soling 27 to the finish line 3 races in a row and won the Fall Series - and he owes us 71 secs a mile!)
I have the greatest respect for Bill Holcomb and his extensive Catalina experience, but I really feel that his tuning program is not for a racer.
Derek C25 TRFK #2262

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luckystar
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USA
236 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2002 : 22:13:21

Thanks, so far, guys! I'll try doing that before the lake water turns too cold! Also, it was my feeling that the rig needed to be tightened a little but I believe I have taken it too far. My fore and aft stay sound like yours, Derek, but the uppers and lowers are much tighter. But I used the small loos gauge <b>( I borrowed this model from a fellow boater and wondered here back at home which model it was, Westmarine lists three models, with 3/16 uppers and 5/32 lowers, which gauge is the right one to use??)</b> and gave the fore lowers around 20, the aft lowers around 16 and the uppers at 26. So maybe it's just the bottom needing attention and i'll see the old girl get up and go like she used to! I'm still interested in other ideas on this subject, as well. So keep em coming!

Patrick Burnett, Little Rock, AR
S/V Lucky Star #2707 1982 SK/SR

Edited by - luckystar on 10/13/2002 22:20:00

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.