Need tips - Sailing a Venture 2-22 Downwind

[Danny]

1973 Venture 2-22.
Mainsail, Jib, and Genoa.
I'm a novice sailor. I have owned 14ft and 18ft Hobie cats and have acquired fundimental sailing skills from my experience sailing the catamarans and from videos and books.

We've had this boat for a couple years and the boat sails very well on a close reach but I just can't seem to find a groove on a long reach in light wind.

My questions are;

- What's the best way to sail this boat downwind with the stock rigging and existing sails?
- Have any of you rigged a 2-22 with a spinnaker?
- What can I do to improve both the boat and my techniques for sailing downwind?

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

[JoeVacs]

I found that with my Venture 17 , wing on wing works well. A spinaker would work better, but I lake sail, and the wind is always shifting, so a spinaker, single handed would be more trouble than it's worth.
One thing to note, sailing down wind, you're only gonna go as fast as the wind is going, and it's gonna feel SLOW and hot because there won't be any wind passing you to cool you off or make you feel like your moving very well.

[Danny]

I found that with my Venture 17 , wing on wing works well. A spinaker would work better, but I lake sail, and the wind is always shifting, so a spinaker, single handed would be more trouble than it's worth.
One thing to note, sailing down wind, you're only gonna go as fast as the wind is going, and it's gonna feel SLOW and hot because there won't be any wind passing you to cool you off or make you feel like your moving very well.

'preciate the reply. I was aware of the perception of speed going downwind. I try to sail wing on wing but I'm having trouble keeping the bottom of the genoa from collapsing, and the jib just doesn't seem like enough surface area. I was thinking maybe a whisker pole between the mast and genoa would help. The shrouds also seem to be a bit far aft for sailing wing on wing - but my main problem is with the headsail. If I jibe and there's a good breeze it seems to work OK. It's just really difficult for me to sail this boat downwind unless there's decent wind. It's probably just my lack of experience. Thanks.

[Scott]

Another thing to consider is if you don't have a spinnaker is to sail about 45 deg off of DDW. You will dramatically increase your speed. If you look at your polars its the fastest point downwind. You will have a much easier time keeping the sails full. Also you trade off more distance over ground but increase your total distance against time.

[JoeVacs]

Danny, like Scott said change your angle to the wind. The reason the saill flops is because you are probably going as fast as you can with the wind behind you. If you are running truly down wind, when you reach the speed of the wind there is nothing else left to fill the sail. As soon as it flops, you slow down, and it fills again. If you change coarse so that the wind can allow your sails to become airfoils then you can go faster than the wind, and you won't stall your sails.

[Hamin' X]

Another trick to sailing wing-on-wing in light air, is to sheet in the main slightly. This will allow the wind sliding off the back of the main to help keep the foresail inflated.

~Rich

[Danny]

Thank you all for the helpful replys.
Everything each of you have said makes perfect sense.
Generally I can sail 45deg off ddw and jibe. My return to the marina however takes me through a fairly narrow passage between the mainland and a small island. The wind is often very light there and is often coming from directly astern.
I'll try sheeting in the main a bit next time I go wing-on-wing.

Any thoughts about using a whisker pole with the genoa?

[Scott]

Any thoughts about using a whisker pole with the genoa?

We as well as many here do it all the time. Its a great way to keep it out and not have to be perfect on your course to keep it on the right side of the boat.

This is in super light winds




However: if you are coming through a narrows, I would not have it poled out. You are far too likely to encounter a wind shift/ shore effect or wind eddy. A sudden shift could easily back wind your jib and cause you some embarrassment or worse a collapsed pole or even worse contact with a jetty or the shore or another boat.

[Danny]

Thank you very much Scott.
'preciate the photos. How is it rigged to the mast?

[c130king]

Scott,

Do you have any photos of how the whisker pole is attached to your mast? Did you buy this or make this?

Thanks,
Jim

[Hamin' X]

Just an extra caution: If you sheet in the main when running DDW, be prepared for an accidental jibe. Use a preventer, if you have one.

~Rich

[Scott]

[c130king]

Thanks. Went on-line and it seems like whisker poles must be made out of gold and platinum or some exotic deep space metal. Unbelievably expensive.

Jim

[johnnyonspot]

Thanks. Went on-line and it seems like whisker poles must be made out of gold and platinum or some exotic deep space metal. Unbelievably expensive.

Jim

Try your local chandlery. They may have a used one that will do the job. Or try making your own. There are instructions on the web here. Google it and see what comes up. Some have made them out of telescoping man-helpers, like the ones used for rolling out paint in high spots.

[Scott]

When we had the mac we used or telescoping boat hook as a jib pole