beating to windward

[Dan White]

All in all, we love our boat. However, recognizing that all boats are a product of compromises, I am wondering if anyone has some great tips for improving windward performance, primarily pointing. I understand that is the weak spot of our boats, but am thinking I can do better than tacking thru 110 degrees, and then there is leeway on top of that.

I did buy a new Calvert main with full roach, but that didn't seem to do much.
Took off the screecher - that helped a little.
Wouldn't it be cool if we could mount some kind of leeboard with windward curvature to gain some lift?
Maybe a transverse barber hauler on the jib?
Any thoughts?

[Page 83]

While I still have Page 83, for the past year I've enjoyed the use of Siesta, a Chris White Atlantic 42 with big daggerboards. I love them. She tacks thru less than 90 degrees, perhaps 80 in ideal conditions. Unfortunately, my partner has decided to sell her.

I've gotten to know Chris White in the process. He is introducing a 47' Atlantic cat with shoal keels, and is planning trailing edge flaps to somewhat make up for the lower windward performance. His plans are supposed to be fairly simple. I have hauled Page 83 for the usual maintenance, but I'm wondering if a PDQ 36 isn't an ideal candidate for the same treatment. It would involve replacing a section of the PDQ sacrificial keels with a rudder-like trailing edge, a drip-less shaft gland around the rudder post, and an electric actuator with position sensor (a lot like an autopilot actuator) in the keel wells.

Does this interest anyone else? It sounds expensive.

I've started a thread at Design Forum, with a couple of negative responses.

[thinwater]

I've considered keel mods. In the end, I decided that I kiss the mud too often and that anything fragile (flaps) or that would make extraction more difficult (wings) is not worth it.

[36041]

Dan,

When we replaced our head sail, we were able to tack through just over 100 degrees, but by pointing that high, we were going sideways as much as we were forward. Now a days, we go around 105 to 110 depending on conditions. Daggers would have been nice.... at least until we ripped them off in a high speed grounding.

Tom
36041
www.tendervittles.net

PS - Sandy, does this mean you'll be keeping Page 83?

[Page 83]

Yes Tom, I love my PDQ and am looking forward to getting back to the projects. However, She is still listed. Hi Amy!

[thinwater]

The only way to measure tacking angles is with GPS; yes, there can be a tide correction, but generally it is offsetting. By using GPS you see the slip and thus avoid kidding yourself that you are "pointing high."

Target speeds (speed polars) are useful, in that they give a hint as to when you are pinching. I have PDQ 32 polars (cruising data) on my blog and PDQ 36 polars (calculated) can be found on the PDQ 36 site. No, I'm not a sailor and don't sail by them, but it is instructive to look at them and to see certain trends (like the angles and speeds that give good VMG).

I did fool with moving the genoa leads in on my PDQ 32 ; it only increased leeway. However, I believe an old blown out main is part of the problem, so it is certainly worth playing with. I would rig something with line first, before I considered drilling holes.

I will mention again that the PDQ 32 and 36 both suffer from having the keels way too far forward, when compared to proper sail balance and other boats. The higher you point the more the boat will try to point up and go into irons, particularly if the main is in too hard. One more reason she is happier freed off just a bit.