Below are some personal ideas on how to go fast in the Catalina
27. These are my personal techniques and everyone may have their own
techniques that work for them.
Rich Wallio
Light
Air 1 to 4 knots
Ease
jib halyard until scallops start to appear. Barely to no backstay
tension. Jib car either outboard
or inboard, but the foot of jib must outside the stanchions. Jib should be 18 inches to 3 feet from the
spreader depending upon the velocity.
Heel the boat to leeward with weight near the keel (out of the bow and
stern). Your weight and heel could be
more effective at steerage than your rudder.
Weight forward to come into the wind, weight aft to
fall away from the wind.
Main sail halyard eased a little, let the top batten get through the backstay easier and some wrinkles in the luff. Outhaul out a bit. Sail twisted and off centerline.
Light
air 4 to 6 knots
Pull the jib
halyard until the scallops are barely there.
Just a touch of backstay, keep the jib full. Jib leech about 10 to 18 inches away from the
spreader (depending on the chop or slop).
Keep heel on the boat, weight for and aft near the
position of the keel.
Light
air 6 to 10 knots
Pull the jib
halyard to no scallops. More backstay to pull the draft in the jib forward and
point. Skirt the jib. Cars definitely inboard
position. Keep the boat fairly
flat. Jib about 4 to 10 inches from the
spreader depending on the chop. A lot of
chop would mean the slot should be open and foot to drive the boat through the
waves. Flat conditions – close the slot
a little and point.
Main halyard up. Sail twisted, but more on centerline.
Moderate
air 10 to 14
Halyards tight, no wrinkles. Backstay on, pull the draft forward and point. 2 to 8 inches from the spreader depending on the chop. Keep the boat flat. Drive it hard, keep speed and start carrying the speed closer to the wind when you can and foot off as speed starts to decrease. Concentrate on the tell tails and boat speed. Enjoy the wind.
Main sail - boom
on centerline (technique - boom could be above centerline to 2 inches below
depending on the feel of the boat).
Moderate
to Heavy 14 to 16
About time to switch to the number 2. Backstay on. Pull the draft forward in the jib or get pulled sideways. Jib 4 to 10 inches from the spreader. Keep the boat flat.
Main sail - set the traveler so the boat will usually stay level and set it (except in the gusts).
Heavy
air (above 16)
If you have not switched to the number 2, you might be in trouble. Backstay on. Weight moves aft some to keep the rudder in the water. Sail the boat flat, play the main traveler. Hike out and make sure everyone is off the cabin top and on the rail.
Downwind - move
weight aft if the boat starts rolling, keep the rudder in the water (the boat
is pretty beamy and dramatic heeling will make the rudder
ineffective).
Potvin
says – “Put the boat on a diet.” Well do
it. Take out all the junk, extra stuff
that has been there for years, put in only what you will need for the day or
series.
Read the darn
instructions on the way out. Better yet, the night before. Check for updates on the web. Get the wind and current predictions. Know who is crewing and their positions. Do not over pack. Coordinate with who is
bringing what. I used to end up with a months worth of sodas and water,
chips, cheese, dip, and sandwiches after the race. It does not do much good to have 40 pounds
worth of leftovers all the time.
I read Potvin’s instructions and froze my water and gatoraid the night before and used this to cool the beer
(did not carry any ice). J-24 sailors
allow the crew to bring on only what they wear so there are no backpacks of
clothes, towels, shampoo, foul weather gear and the like.
Go over the race instructions with the crew. Where are we racing, when are we to start. What is our sequence in the start. How much current and when. What color is our flag to look for. What are the expected courses. If we all agree to start left and go left - why the h___ are we on the starboard side of the course?
Get the sails up. Do a couple of tacks. 2 spinnaker drills. Then a couple of tacks to make sure the lines are clear. Make your mistakes NOW, before the race. Get the bugs out, now is the time for the bowline to slip or the pole to go over the jib sheets. Get the mind ready to race and not on the night before.
Get to where the
line is. Determine the wind direction
and take wind shots every 20 minutes. Is
there a shift? Determine what the tide
and current is doing. How is this going
to affect you? Which side is
favored? Where do you want to
start? Talk it over with the crew and
let them in on the “plan.”
Go for clear air
at the favored end. Get out in front and
cover.
If not, then
figure out how you are going to catch boats and get back in the game.
Go to the side
you believed is favored – the wind, current and mark placement all play key
roles. Get clear air. Set yourself up for a good rounding. Do not do too many tacks. I usually tack 5 or 6 times on a leg. Sometimes less if I have
clear air and going in the direction I need to go.
Oh no! you are coming into the mark. Where is the spinnaker bag? How about the pole? Set yourself up to round the mark and be set
to transition to spinnaker before you get there. Do I need to perform a gybe
or a bear away set?
Round
the mark a little wide at the start of the turn so the boat is close abeam
after 90 degrees of turn. Start the spinnaker up as you feel is
best. Pole is set and pull
the sheets as the spinnaker goes up. Set
the main and jib as if the spinnaker will not work. Backstay off and outhaul
out. Lower the jib after the
spinnaker is up and drawing. Throw the
spinnaker bag down below NOW. Get into
position, person holding out boom will call the wind and tactics.
About 100 yards
from the mark start the jib up one third, look for crossed lines, get the jib clew to the side desired for rounding. Crew - Talk through the jib up and spinnaker
down. Skipper - Decide the mark and how
you will round it and tell the crew. 50
yards – jib up – adjust the halyard tension now, outhaul out and backstay
on. About 30 yards out or so drop the
spinnaker and pole.
Round the mark
about a half to a boat length abeam so as you turn you will end up right beside
the mark and no one can squeeze inside.
Get the sails drawing, weight where it needs to be and have a light
person clean up the lines.
Cover your
lead. Get clear air.