Slamming

[Hartley18]

We'll be going down to Westernport for the Melbourne Cup long weekend and the weather looks totally crap as usual..

Our Hartley is a chine boat. Last time we were out in the nasty stuff, she would come off the back of one wave and slam pretty hard into the trough and the jarring you get after an hour or so of that makes for a pretty miserable day for both me and the crew (the wife! )

What's the best way to handle the boat to lessen the slamming?? Should I be steering at an angle to the waves? (..but then I don't want a knock-down)

[Tartan34C]

If you can, heel the boat over a bit so there are no flat surfaces to hit the water. It also helps to meet the wave at a small angle.
All the best,
Robert Gainer

[Faster]

If your Hartley is similar to the 16 we used to use as a junior trainer, it's a multichine hull... and as such there is some flat surface presented regardless of heel angle.. single chine hulls can be heeled to present the chine as a sort of "V".

So I'm guessing that the heel angle is not going to be a big factor in reducing the pounding. Reducing speed a bit, steering around the waves to try to avoid "falling off" the odd one may help, but that's a real workout for the helmsman and crew on a long beat. (It is a beat, I take it?)

But reducing speed is going to make an unpleasant long trip longer still....

I'm afraid the only solution that makes any sense is to move up to a larger more comfortable boat.

[GeorgeB]

Bummer. Sometimes, a longer waterline is the only real “cure”. Are you launching or hobby horsing? If the latter, can you move weight aft? It won’t cure the pitching, but it might alleviate the worst of the slamming and keep you from running through the next wave. If you’re launching, well, just make sure you have a good dental plan.

[Giulietta]

Question:

When I'm nailing a nail in my wall, I often hit my thumb with the hammer...what shall I do? I need the nail....

Answer:

Don't use a hammer.

[Hartley18]

Originally Posted by Faster

If your Hartley is similar to the 16 we used to use as a junior trainer, it's a multichine hull... and as such there is some flat surface presented regardless of heel angle.. single chine hulls can be heeled to present the chine as a sort of "V".

So I'm guessing that the heel angle is not going to be a big factor in reducing the pounding. Reducing speed a bit, steering around the waves to try to avoid "falling off" the odd one may help, but that's a real workout for the helmsman and crew on a long beat. (It is a beat, I take it?)

But reducing speed is going to make an unpleasant long trip longer still....

Ron, you're right on the money with the design - and yes, it's beating that's the issue at stake.

Slowing down doesn't seem to work - we ship more water or the bow and actually seem to get pushed backward by the waves!! ..and dodging them is blooming hard on the rudder.

Originally Posted by Faster

I'm afraid the only solution that makes any sense is to move up to a larger more comfortable boat.

Ouch! That's not really what I wanted to hear!

Originally Posted by Giulietta

Question: When I'm nailing a nail in my wall, I often hit my thumb with the hammer...what shall I do? I need the nail....

Answer: Don't use a hammer.

Alex, you really must stay off those happy hormones!! Translation please?

Thanks, guys

[Giulietta]

I'll translate...simply, there is pretty much nothing you can do. Your problem is really size.

You can heel, you can beat, you can downwind, you can both sit on one side, the other side, forward, aft, in the mast in the cabin, one wave won't get you, the other will.

I wrote a metaphore (SP) to imply, the problem is the hammer, ie, the boat and its size...

One hammer strike will not hit you, but in a few of them, you're sure gonna get hit.

Sorry I am direct. can't do anything man, yoiu have an 18 foot boat, what do you expect?

We can all writte theories and this and that to show you how good sailors we are and how smart one can be. I don't, I'm direct like it or not..you're screwed. and so is your poor wet wife..cute little boats are cute wet litle boats.

Get a good foul weather gear.

[Sailormann]

Alex, you really must stay off those happy hormones!! Translation please?

I think he is suggesting that if you don't want the "slamming" and associated discomfort then you need to sail a boat that daoesn't "slam" i.e.: different boat...

[Giulietta]

You took the mouth of my words....litteraly

[max-on]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

You took the mouth of my words....litteraly

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

"You took the words out of my mouth." I guess it's said differently in Portugal.