Downwind sailing

sailh34

New Member
How has everyone found is the quickest way to sail downwind with the C14.2?

Do you normally sail dead downwind and go wing on wing? If so, do you pole out the jib and do you tie a preventer or anything on the main to keep it to the lee or just have someone hold it?

Do you normally crack off of dead downwind a bit and try to get a little bit better VMG by sailing on a broad reach? If so, how many degrees approximately would you say you sail off of dead downwind?
 
sailing downwind

Do you normally sail dead downwind and go wing on wing?
I'm not a big fan of sailing directly down wind - I find that the boat is in it's most
unstable mode and the slightest shift in weight/wind/current can de-stabalize
the boat.

It's almost like balancing a broom on the end of your finger. The slightest movement of
your finger can have major effect at the top of the broom.

I like to sail on a broad reach - I feel more comfortable - but then I am not a super experienced sailor - not sure if this is the fastest way but it is my prefered way.

gerry
 
I sail in Ventura Harbor, California and if I want to go down one of the main channels I must sail downwind. I bought a small whisker pole and find that while wing and wing I am able to do things like get a drink out of my ice chest and even eat a sandwitch, because thinks calm down a lot while poled out.
 
I am a bit crazy, and sailed a bunch of mountain lakes... squirrly winds... but I like wing and wing.

... Keep in mind, I defer to the racers here, as I day sail only...

Downind, true downwind, wing and wing is fast enough, but quiet. Centerboard should be mostly up, or all the way (I don't ever do all the way up, recipe for turtling, but ALL the way up is prescribed for the fastest possible configuration).

Broad reach is still pretty lazy, and allows for more wind shift, and still have a reasonable chance of no "accidental jibes."

All the lakes I sail, if I go wing and wing, I stay head low, and alert to shifts, whisker pole would be helpful but rarely are the winds that steady for me.

Overall speed is probably faster broad reach, however, if your true course is downwind, it is likely a stalemate between dead downwind and broad reach and jibing your way down.

You have an advantage in the small boat though in a broad reach... you can pitch your weight on the windward side, and counter-heel your boat, to pick up more of a scoop to your sails (it lowers the wetted area, and technically raises your mast higher in the air). Is done a lot in the dingy class, and it does seem to speed things up a bit.
 
down wind

This a question I am also asking. I race but I usually get beat down wind!
If you reach up 15 degrees from dead down wind, you need to increase boat speed by about 3.5% to break even on VMG. Say about 4.15 knots vs 4.00. Or about 30 seconds in 15 minutes. I am not sure yet how this works out in practice.
I think the hull speed on the C14 is about 5 Knots?
Once you can sail at hull speed dead down wind then VMG is maxed out.
Also consider: gybing down wind requires, of course, more gybing of the boom and whisker pole and may also require putting the board down for the gybe.
I think most racers are sailing DDW (unless wind or other conditions vary).
Can any racers confirm?
RRE
 
I guess the best angle to find would be the one where you can most easily get the boat to plane - thus hull speed will not matter anymore. Is there any general feeling for how much wind and at what angle is needed to get the boat to plane as well?
 
The boat will plane but I've never done it ddw, just reaching in about 17 knots on flat water. Your angle of sail down wind varies as to the conditions relative to optimum vmg. In the right conditions, we'll sail a bit by the lee with the weather rail amost in th water so we can carve down. In light conditions we still are wing on wing but reaching a bit more. When racing downwind, we bring the board up a bit, pole out, proper vang trim (not over trimmed), weight FORWARD. Work the puffs down. We sail against other 14.2s so its easy to figure out if you're going better than the others in fleet.
 
Downwind

For me it depends on wind and water conditions. I have raced the Capri this year on GA lakes and done a little sailing in the Choctawhatchee Bay in Florida.

I'm not sure I know the right answer, but here is what works for me. A good steady wind on fairly flat water, I've done wing on wing plenty, put a whisker pole out, and raised the centerboard all the way up or most of the way up(depending on my comfort level).

In shifty winds, I don't bring the centerboard all the way up and probably won't bother with the whisker pole because I'll probably have to take it down in 90 seconds. But, will still attempt wing-on-wing.

In the choppy waters of the bay, I will more often sail a reach(or is that a run?) instead of wing on wing so I can power up to cut through the chop a little easier.

-Robert
1984 Catalina 22
1989 Capri Mod2
 

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