I suppose one central question here is: how many boats are pushing an
SA/D of
50 or 60 (non-overlapping area) with the screecher in use?
I love to get out on the water and go fast, but I rarely race
unofficially, and never race officially. I also don't follow the race
circuits in detail, so it's possible that I'm making assumptions that
aren't fully-supported.
So, let's look at the well-known Corsair F-31 Cheekee Monkee, which
places quite well in a lot of mulihull races:
http://www.boatersl
Mast height: 45', mainsail: 426 sf, code zero headsail: 736.
Assuming 1/3 of that code zero sail is overlap (could be more),
that's a total non-overlapping sail area of 916 sf. Assuming the mast
step is 6' off the water, that's a mast height of 51' off the water.
Also assume that the 3950 pound racing weight published includes crew,
motor, water, batteries, and fuel. It might not, but we'll be
conservative. Please feel free to correct these assumptions.
That gives an SA/D of 59 and a BN of 1,92.
Now take the Harry I'd like to build: 2600 pounds (1900 plus 700 for
crew and goodies), mast height off the water of 55 feet.
The Harry has an SA/D of 64 and a Bruce Number of 2.0.
Does the Harry now need a screecher? Isn't it already insane?
More important, the Harry will be infinitely easier to sail. I
wouldn't dream of singlehanding Cheekee Monkee with a code zero out.
Even if you could somehow figure out how to get that headsail across
the mast by yourself, and not get any sheets or clews caught on
rigging, I'm not sure you could do that while executing a graceful tack
and not getting caught in irons, or alternately, coming on too hard in
bigger winds. Even with a skipper and one or two crew this would
require some skill. Winches and sail handling on every tack. If the
wind picks up to the point where the headsail is dangerous, that huge
code zero might be asking for two people to stow it safely (and without
undue flogging).
On the Harry, you might have to put down your cold drink if you're
shunting, but you might not even need a winch. If you can tack, you
might not have to do anything but steer (because the wind is so light
you're not worried about a lower righting moment on the opposite
tack). Of, if the wind is too low to tack, you just smile and shunt.
Or, if the wind gets to high, you dump your one sheet, smile, and
reef.
No getting caught in irons when it's too light, and with a
weathercocking rig, no worries about the boat steering back into a
power heading if you drop the tiller while tending all those strings.
Then there are the other two-dozen harryproa benefits that I've
blathered on about recently, and won't repeat because the dead horse
has already been beaten.
In the end, I'm not sure a Harryproa needs a screecher or code zero
to compete with an out-and-out racer like Cheekee Monkee.
As for that 986 sf spinnaker, though, I'm silent. Dead downwind,
while racing, CM would probably have the advantage.
- Mike
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe