Tender E 32 MK III

[Christian Williams]

I furled a 90-percent jib to about 20 percent of its area, just enough to provide steerageway. Beam reach for maybe 12 hours in 35-40 (wind moderated to 25-30 thereafter). We slogged along at 3 or 4 knots with the Sailomat steering. The seas were no more than 10 or 12 feet, but occasionally one would break across the boat. That carried away the leeward weather cloths and tested the hatches and portlights (all passed the test).

I wanted to keep north, would've been easier to to bear off a little.

For what it's worth, my 2-year-old UK Tape Drive crusing genoa would've been fine as well. The new headsails furl much flatter than older designs, and in my opinion are more versatile.

 

[bigtyme805]

Christian knows that 32-3 better than anybody with the miles he has put on and varied conditions on the open ocean. I liked the idea of just being under the reefed jib in those nasty wind conditions. The gentleman that started with this thread should try that technique and see how his boat handles. Every sailor has different techniques for wind conditions, experience is the key. If you do not have it then listen to the most experienced sailors and this forum has them.
Some say you should keep a balanced rig and some say otherwise. So many different options, that's what makes it fun or terrifying.

 

[Schrewsburyduo]

One thing that might have been an issue - when you reef both main and genoa (furled) you have to make sure it is sheeted quite tight - that is to say the genoa is horizontal - i.e. sheeted further aft, so it lays flat. And most importantly, the main has to be out hauled really tight - this way the sail is de-powered and the boat sails well to wind, in a lot of wind, with little heeling. If those two things don't happen, then you have the predicament of having adequate amount of sail, but the sails are sailing with full throttle, meaning the boat will still act out of control, and heel a lot under otherwise controllable winds. When I watched Christian's video I noticed that every time he had a reef on, the mainsail laid very flat. If the OP does not do that, it could be a reason why a 32-3 might heel over too excessively. I may be full of crap, but I had this thought when I watched the video - so please take this comment with a grain of salt in case it turns out I don't know what I'm talking about. This technique works for us when we reef (although admittedly I only have a 32-2).

 

[Latchdaddy]

Polars for E32 200/300

I doubt the area of the rudder is the issue. The faster you go the less rudder you need.

The rudder isn't there to keep you on course, it is there to change the course.

Fast sailing is technique as well as sail plan. I was once handed the helm of the 12-meter Courageous off Newport going to windward on a breezy day. The boat immediately flopped over on its side and the guys all started yelling at me.

I had let the sails fill too much. Twelve Meter boats are always sailed feathered into the wind, and the correct heel is never allowed to change.

So, first find the sail plan that matches the polar--the theoretical best hull speed for angle and wind.

Then steer it like a racing dinghy that will capsize if you screw up.

Do that, and you'll beat another 32-3 every time.

Christian - do you have the polar diagram for your boat?

 

[Christian Williams]

Nobody ever made one for the 32-3. It's a racing thing, quite expensive to produce.

What we can do is write down the "settings" for sails, wind, course and so on when things seem to be going well.

That's one argument for a paddlewheel knotmeter, which measures changes in speed through the water (I don't need/want/have one, myself).

Two boats of the same model are great for comparing settings, but kinda hard to do in the real world.

A club racing series tunes our boats best. How we doing now, against that Ranger 33/Cat 32/ Hunter 35?

 

[p.gazibara]

Judging by your comment, I am assuming you were beating?

There is quite a bit of de-powering that can be done to the rig on Cinderella (35-2). Its pretty common to get 20-25 kts here in the PNW especially in the straights. I have a 100% jib and a main with two reef points. I can depower my rig quite a bit with my cunningham and back stay tensioner, and just tightening the s$%t out of my jib sheet. I imagine that at 20 kts I would probably carry full sail, and just use my cunningham and backstay tensioner.

Unfortunately, my windvane does not work, otherwise I could give you exactly what I do. I usually like to keep Cinderella at 15-20 degrees, mostly for my comfort. Once I start burying the railing I start to think about depowering, I usually start with my cunningham, if she is still leaning quite a bit, I'll start reefing the main. But I can usually spill quite a bit of wind off the main without luffing if my cunningham is drawn tight enough.

I'm not sure if this is a best practice, but my sails are hank-ons, so I tend to do what I can with my main before I start to think about changing to my storm jib up front.

 

[Christian Williams]

Whatever works, right? And yours is a bigger boat than the 32-3.

Personally, I tend to pick a sail plan based on the helm. Weather helm is a brake, and heeling makes weather helm.

To go fast, a thousand pounds of crew on the windward rail changes everything.