Re: Fast sailing

From: Eric Johnson (etj@nwlink.com)
Date: Mon Mar 13 2000 - 17:38:09 PST


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>Hi Everybody,
>
>I sailed SeaHorse (P-15) on sunday in some gusty winds
>that turned out to be stronger than anything I've sailed her
>in yet! Once my sailing companion convinced me to hang
>on through the gusts and not loose the main (my panic button
>after all those wretched 'turtling' stories), well, the boat just
>picked up and soared! I would SWEAR that we were planing
>like a hoby-cat! The 'weather-helm' (?) was so heavy and hard
>to hold that I got a charlie-horse in my triceps trying to keep the
>tiller centered. Sheeeesh! The sound of the hull splashing
>across the surface of the water was so different than what I've
>heard before...
>
>my question is... CAN the potter plane? I would like to know
>if it's possible, what with our flat hull shaped just like a planing
>motor-boat. I could have been wrong, so I want to know if planing
>is possible in our dear little P-15's.

I'm sure given enough wind it can, especially in yesterdays' winds in puget
sound. Tell me - do you have tell-tales on your main? the reason I ask is that
if weather helm was that bad there's a good chance your main was sheeted in
too tight, which could be verified by telltales at the leech of the main wrapping
around the leeward side of the sail. With the mainsheet, when in doubt, let
it out! you'll sail flatter, be able to handle higher winds, and go faster.
In winds like that you'll want to run the outhaul pretty tight to keep the sail
flat.

wish I could have been out there - sounds like it was a lot of fun!
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