Catalina - Capri - 25s International Assocaition Logo(2006)  
Assn Members Area · Join
h.jpg Home.
a.jpg Association Forum
s.jpg Ships Store
c.jpg Cruising
r.jpg Racing
t.jpg Technical Tips
g.jpg Photo Gallery - New
o.jpg Boat Search - Updated
m.jpg Manuals & Brochures
3rdrpt.jpg Swap Meet
l.jpg Links
f.jpg Officer Flag Line & Staff
b.jpg Bylaws & Constitution
 
1.jpg Members Area
1.jpg Join the Association
 
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.
 
Association Forum
Association Forum
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Forum Users | Search | FAQ
Username:
 Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
 General Sailing Forum
 Can a Drifter be too Big?		  New Topic  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

Aldo
Deckhand

Member Avatar

USA
15 Posts
Initially Posted - 04/15/2005 :  12:52:51  Show Profile
I actually have a Catalina 22, but I am not getting any answers to the following question on that forum, and I know that I will get some responses on this forum. I think that many of you had C-22s before you got your C-25s. I missed a C-25 that I had a bid on in the fall, because I was too cheap, and I know that I'll be kicking myself all this summer.

Anyhow, I blew-out our drifter last fall, and it is time to replace it. I have attached a photo of the old one below. We had it for many years. It was made from only 1/2 ounce nylon, and to be honest, I never thought that it would last more than a few sails, but it pulled our boat around for years.

Now it's time to get a new drifter, and my question is can a sail be too big? We sail on the Chesapeake Bay in the summer, and the wind is frequently light, and a drifter can keep the boat moving when otherwise the boat would have to be motored. Our drifter is hanked on, so it was easy to put up and take down, but it could have been bigger, as you can see by looking at the photo. (The clew is too high, which makes it nice for cruising, because we can see where we are going, but if it had more area, we could go faster and sheet the sail in better). I was thinking of having the new drifter be about 180%. But I think that it might be challenging to tack. The biggest genoas I have seen advertised were 165%. If the jib overlaps the main too much would the lee helm become excessive, and make the boat difficult to steer?

Here's a link to the photo: http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/fpix.tpl?xfno=25&uid=73233832501&sku=2005101193544.76

Thanks, Aldo

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts
Response Posted - 04/15/2005 :  14:29:42  Show Profile  Visit Frank Hopper's Homepage
IMHO
I think 170 is the max for sailing upwind well. Anything over 170 should be an Asym Spinnaker. If a person is using .5-.75 oz cloth then you could consider waring rather than tacking, let the sheet out to get the clew past the mast when dead down and pull the clew over as you head back up. In light air you may even gain some speed that way.
Edited by - on
Go to Top of Page

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2980 Posts
Response Posted - 04/15/2005 :  14:41:34  Show Profile  Visit Arlyn Stewart's Homepage
The placement of the clew depends on where the sail can be sheeted. On boats that don't have continuous rail block abilities, a drifter may need cut with a high clew so that the sheet will lead to an aft stanchion base.

Edited by - on
Go to Top of Page

TRogers
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
90 Posts
Response Posted - 04/15/2005 :  17:55:21  Show Profile
Can someone educate me as to what a "drifter" is? I've heard the term before but haven't got it straight in my mind as to what it really is.

Looks a bit like a genoa possibly made out of lighter fabric? Or a type of asymetrical spinaker?
Edited by - on
Go to Top of Page

John V.
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
559 Posts
Response Posted - 04/15/2005 :  19:24:43  Show Profile  Visit John V.'s Homepage
A drifter is a sail with a lot of draft. if you were to hang the sail horozontally and strike an imaginary line from the luff to the leech, the distance from that line to the deepest point of the sail would be it's draft. in action the high camber and draft produce a lot of lift as when an airplane extends flaps and slats for lift at lower speeds. so a drifter is a light sail that produces a lot of lift in light winds. as opposed to a storm sail that is very flat with less camber and less draft. both sails can power a boat at 6+ kts, but the difference is in what speed the wind is blowing. some gennys have a leech line that allows you to change the lift produced by the sail making it more effective at low wind speeds, and also alows you to get rid of lift as the wind increases. It takes you back to your old Physics class and the Bernouli effect. (when a stream of air is divided and caused to travel a greater distance on one side than the other, the air pressure on the long distance side will be lower causing lift.)
Edited by - John V. on 04/15/2005 22:15:31
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Association Forum © since 1999 Catalina Capri 25s International Association Go To Top Of Page
Powered By: Snitz Forums 2000 Version 3.4.06
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.