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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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photos of new boat, Ensenada race etc

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2010 : 08:43:39

Her rating will be a little more of a challenge than Indiscipline's, given that very few (if any) C-25s have ever been set up like yours and Derek Crawford's... Flyer owners undoubtedly have been much more serious racers as a group--their "standard" for sails and sailing is probably significantly higher.

That said, we're all very confident that you'll make Sly fly!

...and Happy Anniversary, Jim and Karen!

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 10/30/2010 09:26:04

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2010 : 09:42:18

It usually takes a couple of races to learn how to get the most out of a different boat, and how to trim a new sail, Jim, but you have already developed your overall boat handling skills, and you know how to get your sails up and down and drawing without losing time, and that's where most races are won or lost. The boats that make the fewest mistakes win. I think both you and the new boat are going to become competitive quickly.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2010 : 22:51:40

I had the boat out today in about 10 knots of wind and fairly lumpy seas to about 6 feet (but mostly 2 feet). I had a friend along - that was a good thing. I had the full main up and the 110% genoa. The 110 sheets inside the shrouds. I wanted to see how high the boat would point rigged like this. The dacron sails are in really good condition. The main is quite heavy fabric, crisp, and triple stiched.

Remember, the J (or distance from the forestay to the mast) on the flyer is equal to the C25s. J is 10 feet 6 inches. However the mast is 40 feet high. The fractional forestay ends at 35 feet. The top 5 feet of the mast is unsupported except by the backstay. All shoruds end at the fractional point. The boom is 14 feet long and so the main is HUGE. The jibs are as long but 5 feet higher than the C25. So about the same. The main is like 3x the size of the C25.

Another strange thing about the lines, the boat is 8 feet wide at the waterline but 11 feet wide at the deck. There is ample freeboard. The boat is dry. It felt much lighter and a lot more "bouncy" than the C25. You pop over the big waves and pound more. Very bouyant bow. There is a lot of overhang at the stern. The waterline is the same as the C25 - about 25 feet. But when you get the stern overhang wet that comes up by 5 feet.

The boat performed well upwind, pointing about 30 degrees off the wind. You could point higher but it was slower. I don't have telltales on the main and I needed those. In 10 knots of wind, I was seeing speeds upwind always over 6, usually around 6.5 and sometimes hit 7 in the puffs. The 110 was underpowered. This boat really wants to heel. We went over to about 30 degrees in the bigger puffs. It seems we heel quickly to this point, then get the side decks to the water line, and then stiffen up. Weight on the rails is needed. In fact, the cockpit has seats but those are not really meant for sitting. You sit on the big wide side decks that run all the way to the stern and put your feet on the cockpit seats. The boat is meant to be steered with the hiking stick. The seating is real comfortable and the shape and slope of the side decks is well thought out.

This boat loves to reach. On a beam reach, with the seas, even with the tiny blade jib, we were consistently in the 7 knot range. When a big swell came she really wanted to surf. Just a little more horsepower and we would have been taking off. Saw the boat touch 8 knots several times. Always under control and little to no weather helm. Had backstay at medium all day. Played a little with outhaul (at the mast) cunningham (at the mast) vang (led aft).

I am going to love the new Airex 700 asym, we are having it cut for AWA of 70 to 110 degrees. The symmetrcial will be from 110 to about 160. Can't wait to get the all new North 3DL sails and new asym and spin!

Downwind you can get the boom way out, much farther than the C25s as there are no aft lowers. Of course this blanketed the jib. The jib really made no difference at this point. The boat went straight downwind under main at a steady 4.5 knots.

Tried hooking up the ancient autopilot, it is a TillerMaster. It functioned but would not steer the boat. It would not hold a course within 45 degrees, making huge, slow, rudder movements from one extreme hard over position to the other. Junk. Liek the gain was set to high. You can adjust sensitivity and this had no effect.

When the day was over, getting the jib down and tied to the lifelines was no problem, just like I do it on the C25. No hanks of course, it is in a #4 Hood foil.

Getting the main down was something else. I did not get it properly flaked on the water, and was pretty much content to get it on deck and somewhat tied to the boom. Flaked properly back in the slip. This is not easy single handed, even in the slip.

Boat handles under power very well, simple to dock, back, and stop. At idle the engine vibrates a lot but just above idle it smooths out and the boat speed is 2 knots which is quite nice for approaching the dock.

Flaked the jib on the dock, no problem.

All in all, it was great to take a day off from boat work and see how she sails. I really loved it. I can hoist, tack, and gybe single handed. Getting sails down really needs help or an autopilot. She is fast, fun, and she wants to go.

Little 6 HP BMW diesel engine is WAY underpowered, but starts right up and runs at full throttle all day, driving the boat to about 5 knots and burns 0.3 gallons/hr.

Right now I think I made a good decision. Time will tell, we are doing the first race (with Dacron sails) on 11/13.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2010 : 08:28:34

Sounds like a great start! Does the luff of that main have a bolt rope? My little Daysailer had that, and dousing the main was much more of a pain, particularly single-handed, than on the C-25 with its slugs.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2010 : 09:18:41

Yes, bolt rope main luff. Really an effort to get it down and get it flaked.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2010 : 09:59:43

Now that I think about it, I had slugs installed on the D/S main to make it easier to handle and leave on the boom (since the boat was slipped)... Would that be bad for performance or reliability on your sail?

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2010 : 22:11:20

Putting slugs on the dacron every day / delivery main would be a great idea. The new North 3DL is going to be a bolt rope.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 11/01/2010 : 07:07:44

I will say that for a sail that's going to be removed/changed frequently, the bolt rope is easier. Slugs can be more tedious for bending on the sail, but help keep it under control when you douse it.

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