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How Does Your Islander Sail?

13K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  nestorph 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm interested in your thoughts on how well your Islander sails. Talk to me about the sails you have and what kinds of speeds you see in various tacks at a given wind speed. How well can you point into the wind? When do you furl and reef?

Having asked that of you, I'll pass on my own observations. My Islander Bahama 30 (a Bob Finch design) is forgiving but needs to be reefed early. I start furling my 127% jib starting at about 11 kts of wind and need to reef the main at about 15 kts. If I don't it starts developing some significant weather helm and heels excessively (and slows down). In a 10 kt breeze, I manage about 5 kts on a beat and 6.5+ on a reach. At 12kts and higher I'll get to 7 to 7.2 kts on a reach, depending on how flat the water is. The LWL is 24 1/2 feet, giving a hull speed of 6.64 kts. With a SA/D ratio of 17.66 and a D/LWL of 247, I am delighted that my relatively heavy coastal cruiser manages those speeds.

That said, it took me an entire sailing season to find the best way to shape the sails to achieve best speed, and it took a change of head sail to the current 127% genoa (from a 155% genoa) to get the speeds I quoted. The old genoa is great in 5 kts of wind and below but has to be furled so much in decent wind that it spoils the sail shape, and that huge cylinder of material ruins air flow over the leading edge. This model of boat develops the majority of its power from the jib rather than the main anyway (the standard jib is 256 sq ft and the main is 194 sq ft), and the difference is even more pronounced with a genoa. Clearly, having a great head sail is critical to good sailing on the 30-2 and Bahama 30 models.

My boat has the shoal keel, so it is not great at sailing to weather. If I am very careful with sail trim, the wind is steady, and the sails do not require reefing I can get to between 45 and 50 degrees of true wind. When I come about on a beat the course difference is 90 to 95 degrees in optimum wind conditions. This 4' 0" draft shoal keel also produces less lift than the fin keel, so it makes more leeway than I'd like -- but then again I can get into some awfully skinny water. For cruising purposes, that's an OK tradeoff, I guess.

Tom
 
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#2 ·
Tom,

I sail the same boat, an 83 model with the original tired main and 150% genoa in the standard draft configuration. Although I haven't taken the time to record boat speeds at particular wind speeds and all points of sail, I believe your numbers are similar to what I get and perhaps a little higher. I love the way this boat sails to weather with standard keel, but I would trade it in a heartbeart for a shoal draft version for the Galveston Bay area.

I totally agree with your assesment that this boat has to be reefed early. Last season I don't think I ever shook the reef out of my main as we consistently had 15-20 kt days all summer. I have been seriously considering going to a 120 to 130% genoa for my next head sail and based on your results it sounds like the way to go.

I sail mostly on this boat and also on a friends Islander 32 (shoal draft version) and the two boats have a very different feel. I think the Bahama 30 has a very nice feeling helm when the sails are trimmed properly, whereas the 32 has to wrestled no matter how it's trimmed. Not that the 32 isn't a nice sailing boat, it's just different.....Definitely not a tender as the 30. All in all I have to say that I love the way my Islander sails.

On another subject, if you haven't ever pulled, or replaced, your chainplates I strongly suggest doing so. A recent check of mine revealed one having serious corrosion all the way through even though you couldn't tell by examining them from the bulkhead. I had six new ones made and just installed them last weekend. This was a pretty simple project as all of the bolts are very accessible.
 
#3 ·
Spillarc,

Thanks for the reply. My hope with this thread is to help anyone who is considering an Islander gain some insight into what sailing it would be like. The next time you sail on the I32, could you take some notes? I guess it is the engineer in me that likes measuring things that causes me to collect statistics like that.

I'd love to have wind like the Gulf has near Galveston but I'm not sure I want all the heat and humidity that comes with it. I did my higher education in Houston and I remember it well. When I reported to school as a Freshman in the middle of August, I thought I was gonna die with all the walking in it. It was 10 degrees hotter and 10 points more humid than the Midwest. Then, every afternoon the T-storms would roll off the gulf about 4:30 or 5 PM. Houston is flat as a flannel cake, so one of the greatest engineering issues is how to deal with all the water. I remember the streets having standing water for half an hour afterward until it all finally got down the storm drains. But the payback was no Winter to speak of. It stayed nice all the way into December, and in February it started warming up again. Nice!
 
#4 ·
The weather hasn't changed here at all....We'll be in the triple digits by the end of this weekend. We're just getting into night sailing season for me.

On the subject of my boat's sailing performance, I'll do some experimenting this year and record some statistics. Now would be a good time as I just had the bottom cleaned.

I assume if you went to engineering school here in Houston that would be either the Cullen College of Engineering (my Alma mater), or that other school I wasn't smart enough to attend?
 
#5 ·
I have a 1974 I 30 MK II. It has 5 feet of draft and I am a bit surprised that you need to reef or change jibs as soon as you do. I have carried a 170 jib to 18 knots before reefing. Yes, the boat is designed for larger jibs, and that is where the power is. I almost always reef before changing jibs. However, I need to amend my reefing statement a bit. That is if there are 4 of us on boar racing, with three on the rail I can use the 170 to 18 knots. With myself and my wife the 150 needs to be reefed at about 18 knots, of wind. We can sail at very close to 30 degrees of aparent wind on either tack. Also with either sail.

As a general rule, I figure the boat speed should be at least half the apparent wind, i.e. closed hauled at 6 knots appaent, I aim for, and usually get 3 knots of boat speed, 10 wind, 5 boat speed. On a reach the speed sholud be even closer to the apparent wind. Of course when hull speed it reached, that's it. Hope this helps.

John on Aquila
New Bern, NC
 
#6 ·
That is interesting. I'm still pretty green and my 1975 30-2 isn't set up very conveniently for reefing, so I don't very often and experience pretty significant weather helm after about 12 knots, but frequently take it up to 18 with a 150 genoa and no reef in the main. With that, I don't see much consistently over about 6 knots except in uncommonly flat water and if I'm on a port tack, my knotmeter isn't in the water.

I'd love to see a photograph of a 30-2 or Bahama goose neck to see what the stock reefing hooks looked like. Mine doesn't have any.
 
#7 ·
I don't use a reefing hook. I have a line tied to a block near the back of the boom, it then goes up through the reef cringel on the back of the main, and back through the block, along the boom to a turning block on the mast, up to the cringel (eye) on the front of the main, back down to a block on the deck, and back to the cockpit. I think you can find a diagram if you look up slab oer jiffy reefing. If not let me know.

As far as I'm conerned, it is much easier to reef than to change jibs. Also, don't hesitate to lower the traveler, to the leeward, downwind side, but keep the main sheeted in. It is amazing how much it takes the heel out, and keeps you pointing well.

Best,

John Y. Jackson on Aquila
 
#8 ·
I have a 1971 Islander 30 MKII, and am also puzzled by your need to reef early and also by your decision to scuttle the 155% headsail. I find that my boat is GREAT in heavy air. I always reef my main before changing headsails because that is where most of this boats power comes from. Typically I find myself starting to consider a reef at about 15 kts steady. at 22 kts my 155% comes down and my 130% goes up. At 30kts I go with my 115%. I also can generally maintain half of apparent wind speed untill the boat hits about 7 kts going to windward. I havent made an notes on speed at wind speed but I'll try to pay more attention to it. Although our boats are very similar I believe the Bahama had a slightly taller rig, also I have a fin keel those factors may be the reason that your boat is a little more tender than mine.
Happy Sails!
 
#10 ·
I would echo all these for our 1983 bahama 30. quoted text; "...starting at about 11 kts of wind and need to reef the main at about 15 kts. If I don't it starts developing some significant weather helm and heels excessively (and slows down). In a 10 kt breeze, I manage about 5 kts on a beat and 6.5+ on a reach. At 12kts and higher I'll get to 7 to 7.2 kts on a reach, depending on how flat the water is. The LWL is 24 1/2 feet, giving a hull speed of 6.64 kts. With a SA/D ratio of 17.66 and a D/LWL of 247, I am delighted that my relatively heavy coastal cruiser manages those speeds." end quoted text.

however, we do a lot of sailing without best trim.

I have a new set of party dresses made for lady. Got a 135 foam luff furling jib which we frequently furl to 100%. We have a full batten slightly high road main, just taps backstay at top batten as we tack. it has two reef points for cockpit rigged reefing lines. we keep one set run and rarely reef main.

we have sailed home on weekends in 30plus knows multiple times with just a storm sail corner of jib out. once with two reefs in main and we ended up shaking out to just one reef as boat just was not balanced. performed very comfortably in Puget sound (ie about 3 foot waves).

she handles comfortable in up to 18-20 knots without main reefed and jib furled to 100%, but kills pointing. probably my skills (lacking). But I had to get used to the full batten. We are now comfortable with main top twisted very far out. it looks strange to me but is a full knot faster than heeling. and the sailflow tell tails on the main all fly, the top one wont fly till sail is very twisted off.

we had one fun 45 mile long slightly aft reach in august. hit 7.9 multiple sustained times on impeller speed. at 40 miles the gsp said average speed 7.2. pretty satisfying.

We have raced he some in 20 mile long races and down pretty well. We are going to do a five race jack and jill series next summer and hope to be in top five as we beat several boats this year who were in top five this year in whole series. we ahve a rating of 201 with the 135 jib, so that helps. But it is a small jib. in one single hand race this year I was in a 10 mile shootout with a ranger rated 199. I had to reach back and forth on a the run, where he wing and winged it (flying sails not allowed on this single hand race) with his 150+ jib. stayed just ahead till downwind mark. They we had a five mile tacking dual which saw the lead change hands five times. Mostly do to single hand blown tacks. At the drag to the finish it was a contest to see if he could sail high enough to escape before I rolled him. Ended up winning by 11 seconds corrected. I really really wish we had some local B30 boats here to go head to head.

in another race we sailed with jib furled to 100% and full main doing 6.5 upwind in 15+. we though we had missed the time limit (very light wind first half of 30 mile race) so didnt push it to finish. But got scored very competitive and passed a couple similar 30 foot boats who were heeled over further.

We were under a small asymmetrical we purchased off a 28 ft boat one day just coming home from a cruise. Just about as tight a reach as we could sail the chute and got knocked down as crew was going forward to douse sail in a quickly rising 15 knots. We got knocked down had and had a brave soul on the leeward side knee deep in the water say the whole lifeline went under. at the main shrouds. But boat popped back up quite nicely. We doused main too as it looked to keep rising and sailed on jib in 20 knots last 4 miles in a rolling (waves from stern coming from both stern quarters) but comfortable sail.

due to a dispute with an unmarked dolphin (read log!) in a harbor entrance we are having a new rudder built with a little more elliptical design to replace the large square original. design should make steering easier yet.

thanks
 
#11 ·
I have an 1974 Islander 30 MK II. This weekend we had a steady 13-15 knts with some sustained gusts up to 21. I had a 130 and main up and never reefed. Boat sailed great the whole time. When the gusts hit while going to windward I would get a noticable weather helm but could ease the headsail a bit and reduce the heal without loosing too much speed. Beam and broad reach was great with 5-6 knots hull speed and very little heal. I sail on a lake and most of the time the wind is light. I concluded this Islander is not a light air boat but is ideal between 10 and 20. 20 being the point where I either reef the main or go to a smaller headsail.
 
#12 ·
I have an 81 Bahama 30. I'm very pleased with the way it sails. It is very fast in light winds. I can usually get 6 kts in less than 10 true to windward and easily get 6.5 off the wind. I have an older 110 and a new 140 genoa. With the 140, I can point to 45 degrees. 48 to 50 with the 110. With either genoa reefed, pointing is much worse - a little over 50. In 20 to 25 kts, off the wind, I have had the boat at 8.5 kts numerous times with average speeds over 7.5 over several miles. I often pass boats much larger than mine but I'm always minding trim etc.
On the other hand, I feel the boat IS tender. My main is old but I find I might as well reef it in anything over 10 kts sustained. It only has one reef point. I've thought about having a second one added since in anything over 20, it is mostly luffing with the reef.
I do have some reservations about the boat but the way it sails is not one of them.
harbin2, Northern Chesapeake Bay
 
#13 ·
update:

New Elliptical rudder is functional. better performance. There is significantly less weather helm in good wind. interesting, under power there is less tendency to for boat to veer to starboard from prop wash. almost none at all. But i miss that in maneuvering. We used to use the prop wash as a tool for docking a maneuvering. We could turn her in our own boat length. But now there is significantly less prop wash.

We had a new furler put on and replaced back and fore-stays. Looking forward to trying it out in two weeks on Race To the Straits.

Then this week was servicing Winches and found out one of Lewmar 40 primary winch broke. required new Spindle. and you cannot get a new Spindle. We searched for used 40ST 2 speed to no avail. Then Found a couple lewmar Evo at Minney's Yacht Surplus in Costa Mesa. Having them shipped to Seattle. One always hopes the hole pattern will match from 1983 to today, but it never seems to somehow. So we get to check core condition.

Lots of new gear for Race To Straits. Hoping for good show (meaning not last). racing against 100 other boats from moore 20 to 70 foot sleds for 60 miles. Should be a good test.
 
#14 ·
I had an Islander 32 (the Bob Perry design). She was a good sailing boat. Really stiff, even in a lot of breeze, right up to the point the rudder couldn't steer her.

The best I ever did with her was 8.6 knots (GPS) in about 25 knots of wind, a little forward of abeam. The funny thing was that about that time I needed to fall off about ten degrees and found that I had no rudder control at all.

Some days, I still wish I had her instead of the Catalina 42 I replaced her with. It sure was a lot easier to take her out by myself or with non-sailing crew. :D
 
#15 ·
After my Islander 28 was lost in Hurricane Sandy, I picked up an Islander 30 Bahama (1983) in Rhode Island. I spent a few months driving the 200 miles on alternate weekends to get her prepped. Finally, two weekends ago, my three-to-four man crew sailed down from Rhode Island, across Long Island Sound, down the East River past Hell Gate and across Raritan Bay to her home port in Keyport, NJ. She sailed beyond my expectations! Our first leg was a gorgeous day with 20 knot winds. She was so well balanced that we were able to lock the wheel and not touch it for hours! That day we were averaging 6 knots and hit 7.2 on occasion. We had a lot of fun motoring down the East River. We caught the high tide at City Island and headed south. At one point, my knot meter was registering 6.5 knots while my GPS was reporting that our SOG was almost 11 knots. We zipped down in no time, swung around the tip of Manhattan, picked up additional passengers the new Liberty Landing Marina and headed home. A great three-day trip!
 
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