Measurable improvements.
- Scott
- Admiral
- Posts: 1654
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2004 12:46 pm
- Sailboat: Venture 25
- Location: 1978 Catalina 22 with all the Racing Goodies!! 4 horse fire breathing monster on the transom
Measurable improvements.
I am curious as to which improvement sactually have resulted in performance improvements. Measurable or perceived, I dont care.
As for the Jenny the #1 performance enhancing improvement was a complete and accurate rig tune. Since we spent all the time this year doing it right and also moving the mast forward 2 degrees to 2 deg aft rake, all sail adjustments seem to work better and result in a crisper "feel" amd a much less tender boat.
I ask this because we all seem to be a bunch of crazies that will bolt anything to our boats that is less than 8 ft wide and 26 ft long.
I would like to know what actually works for you!!
As for the Jenny the #1 performance enhancing improvement was a complete and accurate rig tune. Since we spent all the time this year doing it right and also moving the mast forward 2 degrees to 2 deg aft rake, all sail adjustments seem to work better and result in a crisper "feel" amd a much less tender boat.
I ask this because we all seem to be a bunch of crazies that will bolt anything to our boats that is less than 8 ft wide and 26 ft long.
I would like to know what actually works for you!!
- delevi
- Admiral
- Posts: 2184
- Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 1:03 am
- Location: San Francisco Catalina 380, former 26M owner
- Contact:
Ok, I'll take a stab:
1. Rig tuning, taking up the forestay to reduce mast rake & tightening the upper shrouds, (letting up on the lowers) to induce mast bend. The former reduces weather helm & roundups. The later helps flatten the main sail a bit, but not sure if I really noticed a change.
2. BWY steering to easily disconnect the engine while sailing. LOVE IT!
3. Main Halyard aft, including installation of slugs. A must have mod.
4. Intermediate Reef Point
5. Ballasted Dagger board (can't forget that.) Reduces heel angle on average 5-7 degrees (SWAG)
6. Running Back Stays (helps point about 5 degrees closer, taking the bow out of the RF forestay.)
7. Jiffy reefs for both reef points (not single line reefing.) I still go up on deck to drop slugs and put the new tack on the hook. The jiffy reef sets the new clew w/o having to undo the outhaul and put it through the new clew.
8. Roller Furling (a must have IMHO) Got that with the boat, however
9. Large 5.5 Gal Sanipoti. Also a must have for anyone doing any overnight trips.
10. Larger steering wheel 18" (no performance increase but feels & looks better.)
11. Steering wheel break. I got this as a dealer perk, but I hear not everyone has one. This is fantastic for single-handing for those of us w/o autopilot.
Leon
1. Rig tuning, taking up the forestay to reduce mast rake & tightening the upper shrouds, (letting up on the lowers) to induce mast bend. The former reduces weather helm & roundups. The later helps flatten the main sail a bit, but not sure if I really noticed a change.
2. BWY steering to easily disconnect the engine while sailing. LOVE IT!
3. Main Halyard aft, including installation of slugs. A must have mod.
4. Intermediate Reef Point
5. Ballasted Dagger board (can't forget that.) Reduces heel angle on average 5-7 degrees (SWAG)
6. Running Back Stays (helps point about 5 degrees closer, taking the bow out of the RF forestay.)
7. Jiffy reefs for both reef points (not single line reefing.) I still go up on deck to drop slugs and put the new tack on the hook. The jiffy reef sets the new clew w/o having to undo the outhaul and put it through the new clew.
8. Roller Furling (a must have IMHO) Got that with the boat, however
9. Large 5.5 Gal Sanipoti. Also a must have for anyone doing any overnight trips.
10. Larger steering wheel 18" (no performance increase but feels & looks better.)
11. Steering wheel break. I got this as a dealer perk, but I hear not everyone has one. This is fantastic for single-handing for those of us w/o autopilot.
Leon
- delevi
- Admiral
- Posts: 2184
- Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 1:03 am
- Location: San Francisco Catalina 380, former 26M owner
- Contact:
The porta poti improves efficiency and performance. May reduce speed due to the additional weight of the contents.
Steering linkage improves speed & boat handling *when engine disconnected*
Reefs, Ballasted keel, & running backstays all improve speed/performance. Properly tuned rig-absolutely. Ok, I threw in a few (just nice-to-have) items.
Leon
Steering linkage improves speed & boat handling *when engine disconnected*
Reefs, Ballasted keel, & running backstays all improve speed/performance. Properly tuned rig-absolutely. Ok, I threw in a few (just nice-to-have) items.
Leon
Careful how ya spell that, pardner! groan!!ALX357 wrote: ... acutally only amounts to shifting ballast
(this is surely destined for the Pub, or lower, eh? )
Seriously, Scott -
I think the single most effective upgrade to my boat was the Garhauer rigid vang for $200. Absent a traveler, it still permits effective flattening of the mainsial for heavy air. Next after that, I'd choose the sail slugs and intermediate reef in the mainsail. I have roller furler and high-tech Genoa, but I think just the standard hank-on jib would have been ample. (saving ~ $1,600 !)
If starting over I'd next choose a heavier boom ($300), then an autopilot ($1.000), maybe followed by my already installed split adjustable backstay, and adjustable outhaul. These last two are so quick and easy, it's just silly to be without them.
However, I still feel the boat needs more rudder surface for heavy conditions and probably more CB surface as well (a la MaddMike ... $1,000?). These are prospective, so it's not really a performance assessment, rather an assessment of continuing deficiencies ... IMO.
Recapping then, for heavy air sailing:
Rigid vang, intermediate reef, beefier boom, autopilot for single-handing, rudders, CB.
The other thousands of bucks & hundreds of hrs - mainly convenience, not performance.
- They Theirs
- Captain
- Posts: 790
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:42 pm
-
- Admiral
- Posts: 1723
- Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:52 am
- Location: Madison, WI Former MacGregor 26X Owner
Olfactometry is a method used to measure odor concentration. OdorousDLT wrote:Ok, so how does one 'measure' the effectiveness of the porta-pottie?
air captured from porta-potties is collected in odorless tedlar or PVC bags and brought to the lab for analysis.
Once in the lab the air is processed through the olfactometer and sniff
panel immediately to determine its detection threshold. The threshold is
the dilution level at which it can just be detected by a panel of individuals.
The panelists do not judge whether the odor is weak or strong, or good
or bad. Each panelist only has to determine whether he or she can detect it.
This precedure can be completed at home without the use of an expensive olfactometer. Simply eliminate it in the steps above.
- March
- Captain
- Posts: 939
- Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:54 am
- Location: Iowa, MacGregor 26X, Evinrude E-TEC 50 HP
I agree with Mark. I constantly struggle with this dilemma: keep the portapotty sparkling clean so I won't have to fight the odors, and deal with the unseemly after-effects when emptying it as often as possible, on the dock (no volunteers for this action, so the general must go where the troops are reluctant to)? train the crew to use the great outdoors? But then why have the portapotty, to begin with?
Or install a closed-circuit system?
Or install a closed-circuit system?
- Catigale
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10421
- Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:59 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Admiral .............Catigale 2002X.......Lots of Harpoon Hobie 16 Skiffs....Island 17
- Contact:
IN trailer mode, my life was made a lot easier when I discovered the sanitary sewer connection outside the house ...now I just lift it and dump without having to take the PP into the house....probably violates a bunch of codes ...oh well.....
Im installing a macerator for use offshore this year..Ideally I would love to be able to pump out the tank into the same basin without having to haul the PP out at all...something like an internally threaded through hull that an 'RV' type waste pipe can connect too...
Im installing a macerator for use offshore this year..Ideally I would love to be able to pump out the tank into the same basin without having to haul the PP out at all...something like an internally threaded through hull that an 'RV' type waste pipe can connect too...