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I hate my boat

6K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
Hello,

So my wife, three kids and I are out for a short sail. We didn't have a lot of time, so the plan was get on the boat around 11:00AM, sail for two hours, then get home in time to do some chores.

The weather was just about perfect: temperature in the mid 70's, wind a pretty steady 10-13 kts, starting from the NNW and moving W as we sailed. We were enjoying the day, sailing with full main and 150 genoa. When the wind was 13 or so the boat heeled, but not too much. I was just starting to depower the main by using a lot of halyard tension, full outhaul, that sort of thing.

So why do I hate my boat? Well, at one point we were heading north, about 50 degrees off the apparent wind. The boat was moving well, about 5.5 kts and all were happy. Then I saw a boat behind us, about 500 yards and moving in the same direction. I recognized the boat from the marina, it's a very nice, very new Jenneau, about 36', furling main, 130 or so headsail. So he is on the same course as we are, and he's gaining. Hey, I don't want another boat to sail faster than me. So I have my wife and kids get on the weather rail. I trim the headsail until the telltails are streaming. Then I trim the main to match. The boat is moving a little faster, but the Jenneau just keeps getting closer and closer. I was doing everything I could to keep him behind me, but he just sailed faster and passed me. By this time we had to turn around anyway, so a few minutes later we tacked and headed back. Wouldn't you know the other boat tacked and sailed past me again on the way back to the marina!

Now I'm going to push my wife harder so next year we replace the 20 year old original Neil Pryde 150 genoa with a new headsail. And I will paint the bottom of the boat so I don't have so much growth. Maybe a folding prop to replace the fixed 3 blade and and and.....

In all seriousness, I like my boat but it burned me to have another, similar size boat, so completely outsail me.

Barry
 
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#2 ·
O'days are generally considered to have good sailing speed. Don't be too concerned with similarly sized boats as they all have different hull configurations, e.g., flat bottom boats will sail faster in moderate wind but they have lots of undesirable characteristics in other conditions where you'd be much more comfortable in an O'day. Bette to compare your speed with another boat of similar hull design.
Having said that, something as simple as a folding or feathering prop makes a big difference as does a smooth hull, both of which could be the case with the boat you were watching.
 
#3 ·
I love doing that...finding a bigger boat and sailing past them... :)
 
#17 ·
We cracked 7.3 knots yesterday on a 33 footer with a 26 foot waterline, but I knew that was 1 knot of favourable current. But as we were racing, I was more concerned that we pushed a 30 footer up and gave him some dirty air so that we could make the mark without a further tack, not the speed. A pair of near-identical CS 30s were jousting just behind us...that made four 10 foot wide boats in a roughly 45 foot wide slot...close quarters for some...One of the CS 30 made it into our draft and finally broke the deadlock with his rival and sailed close to us for the rest of the race: he was so pleased that we had inadvertantly done him a big favour that he bought the crew a jug of beer!

Felt good to race my old boat, which is now in the care of a new skipper for a few years. I never raced her myself, just cruised her quickly, mainly because I didn't want to pay $10,000 for new sails and a slick, faired bottom to have her reach her full potential. But after yesterday...:D
 
#9 ·
You know, you reach a point in your life where speed is just not so important anymore. When I was younger I used to tweek the sails all the time to get more speed and keep that yahoo from passing me. Now I just sit back and enjoy the sail with only minimal sail adjustments. Don't miss out on the experience by always trying to be faster. Put your money into creature comforts instead and relax out there.
 
#10 ·
HAHAHA I've made some of my friends really mad by passing them in my boat. I've even ran the inboard and watched them get fried about me passing them in light winds with the 170 out (of course they had no idea we were running the inboard just above idle)...

Anyhow, don't sweat that stuff, I've seen a 79 Blackwater 22' cutter pass a 14' laser.... likewise, all hulls are built different - weights, drafts, and beams - all of that junk including keel design makes sailing at different points faster or slower - so don't kill yourself over it.
 
#13 ·
I feel your pain ...

Looks like it's time for ...

A whole new suit of sails, not just a genoa.
Thorough bottom cleaning.
New prop.
Rig tuning.
Performance sailing classes for you, the wife and kids.
Bring some neighborhood kids along to sit on the rail.
And, if all else fails, a huge fan for the foredeck. I've read that works.

I can't believe all these guys are trying to talk you out of spending $$$$$ for another half-knot of VMG. What's happening to this place?

Kurt
 
#14 ·
Looks like it's time for ...

A whole new suit of sails, not just a genoa.
Thorough bottom cleaning.
New prop.
Rig tuning.
Performance sailing classes for you, the wife and kids.
Bring some neighborhood kids along to sit on the rail.
And, if all else fails, a huge fan for the foredeck. I've read that works.

I can't believe all these guys are trying to talk you out of spending $$$$$ for another half-knot of VMG. What's happening to this place?

Kurt
Don't stop there! install w/w sheeting traveller....adjustable sheet leads....V/C offshore paint, after stripping, fairing and epoxy barrier coating the bottom..New vang..adjustable backstay...remove all un needed items such as cushions etc. fare in all thru hulls wet sand paint to 800 grit and burnish with news paper and you should notice a few 10'ths of a knot.:D
 
#16 ·
I wouldn't beat yourself up too much. Newer boats have longer waterlines and more modern, faster designs. There are two Jeaneau 36s. One has a PHRF rating of 93, the other 120, compared to the O'Day 35 at 144 (which is more than respectable). And those few seconds of speed may have cost him a hundred grand more than you spent.
 
#20 ·
WHile your spending lots of $$$$$$$ for speed, don't stop until you've got a carbon fibre mast, Kevlar standing and running rigging, hydraulic backstay tensioner, teflon bottom paint, empty out your water tanks remove all personal gear and leave that heavy beer at home!!!
Me.....I like my beer and if I go fast, I go fast...If I go slow, I go slow......Que Sera, sera...
 
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