Leaving From Paynesville
Leaving From Paynesville
We are heading out from Paynesville on my boat "Anne Marree" and friends 16 Ultimate on 19-10-2012 for a night sail proberly around 11pm, sailing to 'Sperm Whale Head', then through to Metung next day for counter meal then back to grange in the after noon, if anyone interested.
Re: Leaving From Paynesville
Had an awsome time, no wind friday night, so we motored, then sailed to 'Metung' the next morning with 10-15 on the starboard beam, had our counter meal and a couple of beers then head to the 'Grange' and stayed on 'Bunger Arm' for the night. woke up with bleak weather for the day so packed up and headed back out 'Bunger' with gust to 30knots (good test for my 5hp parsun), we pointed as high as possible to make the 'Paynesville' channel, with gust now reaching 35knots, the 'Anne Marree' was loving it. it took about 2 hours to make the channel but was the best rush, we all had smiles from ear to ear and wet as a shag, with one arm like popeye 
Re: Leaving From Paynesville
Can you fill us in on your sail settings in the big blow, please?
Peter
Pip #127
Pip #127
Re: Leaving From Paynesville
Hi Peter, I wouldn’t call it a big blow! My sail inventory is very lacking so I go with what I have. double reef on the main, gave me enough drive to punch through the waves and point high enough to make the channel at Paynesville, although it still had the gunwale under when the squall came though, it would have been nice to triple reef to the 40% and have storm head sail, would have given much more drive, always a compromise, but lots of fun
Re: Leaving From Paynesville
That is correct, i dont have a small enough headsail, i have tried before to run the smallest headsail i have which is off a sixteen footer in 35knots+ and double reef in main but had water over the top of the cabin windows and flooded the rear lockers that was heading up to locksport with wind on the nose last season. I had planned to just motor back but could only pull 1knot with 2/3 throttle on my 5hp. so had to grim and bare, with one sore arm after 4 hours at tiller to reach hollands landing for shelter i choose to under canvas the boat now!
Re: Leaving From Paynesville
You make a case for larger motors. Mine is an 8hp Yamaha 2 stroke with high thrust. However, even big motors aren't always enough. A friend has a 10hp 4 stroke Honda 4-blade prop on his Timpenny 770, and one time we found ourselves halfway from Metung to Paynesville in about 35 knots. We decided to drop sail and motor home but it was all we could do to keep the bow to windward. Like you our forward progress was very slow. In the end we decided to motor-sail and raised a deeply reefed main.
Motor-sailing isn't a bad option and one I suggest people practice. There can be a real synergy between motor and sail[s]. On Pip I have motorsailed with the first and second reefs and on full main. Sometimes I have used the headsail with the main and it has worked really well every time. I do have a third reef position but I have never used it yet. Pip has the standard headsail and I have motor-sailed using only this and this worked better than expected. I can get my headsail quite flat so pointing was very good.
Depending on the tack a bit of port or starboard in the motor position can help with weather helm, and I do have a really deep setting for my outboard to ensure the prop is fully immersed on the starboard tack, while on port I have raised the motor to ensure it isn't drowned. I have a lightweight block and tackle to help me do this.
Shipping green isn't much fun and making sure the bow is light is worthwhile. My 'big' CQR anchor is kept inside the boat while a lightweight Danforth with very light gauge chain is kept in the anchor well. At the same time you need to make sure your luggage is off the V berth. It really does help the boat climb over the waves. Although with that massive keel in a very short waterline I doubt Investigators are going to 'bob' up and down as well as some other trailer sailers.
I had my Code Zero made for off the wind and it really does help, but anything higher than a close reach is beyond it and I start looking at the iron sail.
If you are going to be underpowered in the sail department you may find yourself motor-sailing often. When this happens I still tend to sail the boat and beat to windward and tack and everything, its just I have the assistance of the motor.
Motor-sailing isn't a bad option and one I suggest people practice. There can be a real synergy between motor and sail[s]. On Pip I have motorsailed with the first and second reefs and on full main. Sometimes I have used the headsail with the main and it has worked really well every time. I do have a third reef position but I have never used it yet. Pip has the standard headsail and I have motor-sailed using only this and this worked better than expected. I can get my headsail quite flat so pointing was very good.
Depending on the tack a bit of port or starboard in the motor position can help with weather helm, and I do have a really deep setting for my outboard to ensure the prop is fully immersed on the starboard tack, while on port I have raised the motor to ensure it isn't drowned. I have a lightweight block and tackle to help me do this.
Shipping green isn't much fun and making sure the bow is light is worthwhile. My 'big' CQR anchor is kept inside the boat while a lightweight Danforth with very light gauge chain is kept in the anchor well. At the same time you need to make sure your luggage is off the V berth. It really does help the boat climb over the waves. Although with that massive keel in a very short waterline I doubt Investigators are going to 'bob' up and down as well as some other trailer sailers.
I had my Code Zero made for off the wind and it really does help, but anything higher than a close reach is beyond it and I start looking at the iron sail.
If you are going to be underpowered in the sail department you may find yourself motor-sailing often. When this happens I still tend to sail the boat and beat to windward and tack and everything, its just I have the assistance of the motor.
Peter
Pip #127
Pip #127
Re: Leaving From Paynesville
I tend to look at the motor as auxiliary propulsion, what I found with my trip to 'Loch Sport' was ‘when have wind, sail!’ I do use motor sailing but that is when there is little wind and time constrains dictate more forward motion. So far the AM has coped with everything that has been thrown at her, but excessive healing although very predictable is due to correct sail configuration.
My original motor was a 3.5hp 2stroke which was great and I think this was factory recommended size? It had no problem moving boat forward, but the investigator is a sail boat, not a mac26, and the only limiting factor is the sail inventory! I replaced the 3.5 with a second hand Hindeo 5hp 4stroke because it was dirt cheap and proved to be incredibly frugal. But unfortunately the 4strokes carry a weight penalty!
How did you sail your investigator in 35knots with standard headsail?
Which I am going to start a new thread about this, to find other peoples methods in heavy weather 35+
My original motor was a 3.5hp 2stroke which was great and I think this was factory recommended size? It had no problem moving boat forward, but the investigator is a sail boat, not a mac26, and the only limiting factor is the sail inventory! I replaced the 3.5 with a second hand Hindeo 5hp 4stroke because it was dirt cheap and proved to be incredibly frugal. But unfortunately the 4strokes carry a weight penalty!
How did you sail your investigator in 35knots with standard headsail?
Which I am going to start a new thread about this, to find other peoples methods in heavy weather 35+