Book for those interested in sailing cat boats well

[rbgarr]

http://www.competitivecat.com/

[Hwyl]

This is a must have for every catboat racing sailor.Wow, he'll sell at least 5

[rbgarr]

That's a much milder comment than I thought we'd hear from you.

I was expecting something like:

"... sailing cat boats well. Do I read that right? That's a contradiction in terms, if not an oxymoron. But then people who sail cat boats are morons anyway so it figures."

Hwyl

:D:D;)

[Hwyl]

David Tew: I hereby challenge you to a Beetle Cat race at the Mystic show.

[rbgarr]

Ahh, I see your trick there.

You're trying to get me to agree publicly, then you'll back out and say, "See I told you he was a moron. I'd NEVER sail a stupid cat boat! HA!!"

:D

[Chris Coose]

I grew up when Marblehead race week was massive. You could get paid as a kid to work the foredeck on some performance wood boats. I did it once.
It was a thrill to be on the boat but the skippers were the most obnoxious class of people in the world. Terrorist they were.

I'd see the group of cats down near Back Beach and somehow got attracted.
I got Victoria in 1974.
One time I headed her for a day of racing in the New Meadows river.
While two cat racer (surely an oxymoron) guys were crazy jocking for positon at the start (and completly oblivious to me) I was over in the windward corner and hit the start with a huge lead. By the first turn I was overtaken by a fiberglass performance (another oxymoron) cat.

They were all worked up for the afternoon race and I took Victoria up into the Basin for the night. I poked around in the shallow waters and anchord her down near the island away from the keel boats. Fished some.

I think I had her rigged well that day. She sailed nicely.

[Jon Agne]

I remember that race! It was blowing like stink out of the South, and it was the first season I ever sailed a catboat. I was sailing the venerable PATCHY FOG, and you were definitely the faster boat! Lot's of bottom paint showing that day.

[Jon Agne]

They were all worked up for the afternoon race and I took Victoria up into the Basin for the night. I poked around in the shallow waters and anchord her down near the island away from the keel boats. Fished some.

I think I had her rigged well that day. She sailed nicely.

You brought up the Basin.....what a great overnight anchorage! I've been there many afternoons and nights, and it is one of my favorite spots. Good swimming, fishing, and calm even in a gale.

UNFORTUNATELY, it has become the latest thing for a bunch of boats to place moorings where all of my favorite spots are. Large 25-30' fly-bridge plastic types who probably don't even own an anchor over 20# or a rode longer than 50'. There ought to be rules.

[Chris Coose]

The more acute changes I saw when gas was 4.50 at the marinas were dramatic especially down past Seguin. In the longer term, as people must dispose of anything that was purchased on disposable or credited income we are going to see more quiet for quite a while.

I'll bet those of us who have long qualified for Welfare Fleet membership will remain copastetic.

Great that you have a memory of that race. It was quite a while ago and you got to witness the only sailboat race that I have or will skipper.

Gareth is to catboats as Stan V. was to politics. Cute and a little disturbed.

[Ian McColgin]

For my review of this lovely book and an appreciation of our very own Elf’s pix there in, please go to:

http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76083&highlight=Welch

G’luck

[Yeadon]

http://www.competitivecat.com/images/sanderling.jpg

There's just something absurd about racing catboats. Nice, but absurd. I could get into that.

[Ian McColgin]

Check it out. Sloopey folk really have no fun with issues of overlap the way catboat sailors can have, what with those long overhanging booms making for rather sudden changes in right-of-way on a down wind leg.

Cats rule, sloops drool.

[rbgarr]

For my review of this lovely book and an appreciation of our very own Elf’s pix there in, please go to:

http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76083&highlight=Welch

G’luck

Nice review, Ian. I suspected that the book had been mentioned here before but didn't bother to do a search.

[Ian McColgin]

Many things I noted in the review are pertinent to any traditional craft that does not have a 5:1 blade main, especially the issues of sail thrust leverage and rudder control. I've noticed that people who started in Beetles grow up to be more sensitive to sail trim and rudder pressure even if they've moved to J-24's and such than people whose sailing has been limited to "modern" designs.

So the book is worth a read for all sailors.

[rbgarr]

I used to sail with a guy in his Wianno Senior and he'd pay particular attention to the tension along the gaff, peak and throat depending on the conditions. I had a hard time putting together the lessons of what he was doing and why, but it made a huge difference in how well he could sail the boat (pointing), how fast (straight line speed) and how well the boat could punch through waves (power). Sometimes an adjustment of just a half inch in the throat or peak would make a substantial difference. The head tension was something he'd have to predict depending on how he thought the conditions would change over the afternoon since the races were so long and there'd be no opportunity to lower the main to adjust. Sometimes he'd take many minutes at the mooring to consider before deciding on the final adjustment.

[Jim Ledger]

Half an inch can make that much difference!:eek:

Half a foot either way in Sea Rovers peak halyard won't make any difference at all. Some days she sails well, and some days she won't go at all. With a hundred feet of sheet to fool around with, I hope I don't have to find the sweet half inch. Centerboard, likewise, winch it up, winch it down, makes little difference most of the time.

[Ian McColgin]

CB use depends on the boat. With most CB boats, you want to raise the board when off the wind, often including a beam reach, but sometimes you want the board down to dampen sail induced oscillation.

Boats with some sort of keel and balance can raise the board as they gain speed and the lift and leeway resistance of the board is less needed. Goblin, my Alden 43' schooner was like that. Depending on wind and seas, Wianno Sr's can also.

Many smaller boats won't sail to weather without the board, period. Our family's Cape Cod Knockabout and Narrasketuck are examples.

Most catboats need the board not just to go to weather, but to tack. Just won't come around without some board showing. This is a handy feature as you can raise the board and then heave-to quite close to the wind, allowing easy tying-in of all the reef points right aft to the clew.

[Bill Perkins]

I just ordered the book . I still think there may be a catboat in my future . I almost bought a Menger 19 about 12 years ago .