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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

First Race (for real this time)

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Tray
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Namibia
224 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/15/2003 : 06:03:24

Weeny Bean finally got to compete in the local race. My wife and I had a great time. In fact, I think she enjoyed it more than I did. We nailed the start, but took a bad line for the first turn putting the buoy too far upwind (my fault). We had to tack before the turn and lost considerable time, but we still finished 7 out of 9, and with our PHRF of 225, 6th overall.

A few things I learned:
1. Don't follow a boat that points better than I do. I'll pick a better line from the start next time.
2. I need a whisker pole downwind. With 7-10 knots wind we couldn't keep the jib filled, or go wing to wing effectively.
3. Keep the wife on the helm. I had to relieve her for a head break, and immediately rounded up in a puff. I thought I would be made to walk the plank for that one.

We're already looking forward to the next race, which is going to be offshore. We spent all day Sunday offshore practicing. We've found that our boat is considerably slower on the port tack. I know others have complained of the same thing. I wonder if it's due to the extra weight of the Honda 4 stroke on the starboard side.

Here is my crazy helm at work:
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3da24b3127cce95a7bb609df90000001610" border=0>

BTW...a while back I posted a message about a older boat that passed me like I was standing still. It turns out the boat belongs to our club's commodore, a 79 Hunter 29 footer. I immediately recognized his headsail when he passed me again.

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2003 : 09:27:08

Tray, Y'all did good and sounds like fun was had.

Yes...you need a whisker pole.

As to the slower on one tack than the other... its possible that the center board may not be perfectly aligned. C25's complain about this a lot... many of them have wollard out keel holes which likely allows the keel to be canted.

Compeditive racing requires that every system on the boat be in tune. Each offering its little bit to max performance. Collectively...its the little things that offer the last bit of speed. One of those is center board alignment. The optimal lift to drag angle is only about three degrees. If the center board were three degrees out of alignement, on one tack it would have no angle of attack and therefore no lift and on the other tack would have too much lift to drag ratio.

The best method I can think of to check it would be to make what is called and incidence guage. Its an airplane (airfoil item). It consist of two V shaped blocks attached to a long shaft with the blocks offset and sliding so they can fit to the leading and trailing edge of the foil with the two V shapes locking onto the foil. Something like this <---------> . Then the long shaft is measured relative to the airplane center line.

I would think the boat would have to be on a hoist to perform such a check. If it were determined to be off...some amount of correction is possible by loosening the mounting bolts and using some shims to reposition the blocks slightly. Very much adjustment would likely require some mill work to one or possibly both of the blocks.

If you have plans to pull the boat any time...here is a sketch of an easily crafted incidence guage. This is probably something only a serious racer would want to mess with however.

<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/incidence.jpg" border=0>

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/rr.jpg" border=0>
N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - arlyn stewart on 04/15/2003 09:47:27

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2003 : 11:17:53

Tray - congratulations on your first outing! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle> I can't remember how many times I was DFL when I started racing...
May I suggest that you check your mast and make sure it doesn't hook to one side or the other (sight up the mast track and make sure it's perfectly straight all the way to the top). This is the most common cause of a speed difference on opposite tacks.
Also, it helps to keep the mainsheet untwisted between the boom and the cleat - you can trim it or ease it much faster.
Derek

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc30b3127cce942c608d6f1e0000001010" border=0>
TRFK#2262"This Side Up"

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2003 : 13:29:51

As long as the wife also smiles like that on the port tack I wouldn't worry about it.....

Oscar
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/LKforumshot.jpg" border=0>
Lady Kay 250 WB #618
In the driveway in Behtlehem, PA ready to go anytime.

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Tray
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Namibia
224 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2003 : 18:30:13

During my last haul out to repair my cable, I noticed the centerboard has some play in it, but it is equal on both sides. It seems to me that with this play the alignment would be the same on each tack. I could be wrong. I'm due for a bottom cleaning soon. I'll check it again. Arlyn, didn't you mention in another post that you shimmed your board with some washers. What kind/size did you use?

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2003 : 18:50:21

Tray, I made mine out of thin plastic using some hole saws. They are available from Catalina. The alignment I refer to is not equal side to side clearance which probably is not very critical but rather the foil angle.

The shims all but eliminate the clunking center board.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/rr.jpg" border=0>
N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

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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.