Dear sailors, I have a Mc26x. Sailing in the Pudget Sound a week ago , winds +/- 15kt, heading upwing at a +/-5.5 kt speed, aprox 40o to the port side, the boat turned to the down wind (scared the sss of me and my crew) I though I had it rigged properly but, hear comes the question Has anyone have that happen to you? if so how did you correct it?
Thanks
Alfred
What happened?
What Happened
If I understand you right, you were going upwind at around a 40 deg. angle, and then the wind took you over and pushed your boat around to a downwind position. Sometimes that starts to happen to me, and I find that I need to put the centerboard down more so that that can keep my bow turning more to the windward side. Maybe you had your centerboard up, or almost up. Also, could be that maybe your sails were a bit to loose and was catching to much air and being overpowered. I would of tried to tighten up the jib halyard a little and maybe move the jib cars some to try to keep the bagginess out of the sail. But by dropping the centerboard seems to really help control the bow from being pushed around. Hopefully this helps a little.
40 what to port?
Are you saying you had the wind about 40 degrees to port, or were you heeled over 40 degrees?
If you are sailing at 40 degrees of heel, then I'd say you are either not trimming the sails correctly, or not reefing early enough. The optimum angle of heel for the 26M in heavy winds is about 25 degrees.
As to the boat suddenly turning downwind, mine will do the same if I have the wind coming from starboard (boat heeling to port) sometimes if I let go of the wheel - the weight of the engine (engine is fully raised) is enough to pull the wheel over VERY quickly. I need to get inside the pedestal and tension up the steering a little bit I guess, but for now I just use a lightweight bungee cord to keep the wheel from spinning freely while I sail upwind. Eventually, I'll have a SportPilot to prevent this from happening. It does not happen when the wind is on the port side, because of the way the steering linkage is set up. I'm not sure if the 26X is the same, but I think they are similar.
- AndyS
If you are sailing at 40 degrees of heel, then I'd say you are either not trimming the sails correctly, or not reefing early enough. The optimum angle of heel for the 26M in heavy winds is about 25 degrees.
As to the boat suddenly turning downwind, mine will do the same if I have the wind coming from starboard (boat heeling to port) sometimes if I let go of the wheel - the weight of the engine (engine is fully raised) is enough to pull the wheel over VERY quickly. I need to get inside the pedestal and tension up the steering a little bit I guess, but for now I just use a lightweight bungee cord to keep the wheel from spinning freely while I sail upwind. Eventually, I'll have a SportPilot to prevent this from happening. It does not happen when the wind is on the port side, because of the way the steering linkage is set up. I'm not sure if the 26X is the same, but I think they are similar.
- AndyS
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Richard Lisch
- Chief Steward
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 8:50 am
- Location: Puerto Rico
On my M the difference in speed between sailing with the engine (Honda 50) up or down is more or less 0.2mph measured by GPS.
The handling of the M, however, with the engine connected and down is greatly improved compared to the up position.
I am sailing 95% of the time when I am out as we have steady 15 to 20knt winds. Usually with only a light touch to the wheel.
The handling of the M, however, with the engine connected and down is greatly improved compared to the up position.
I am sailing 95% of the time when I am out as we have steady 15 to 20knt winds. Usually with only a light touch to the wheel.
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mgg4
- First Officer
- Posts: 205
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Oakley, CA 2002 26X / Suzuki DF-50
- Contact:
I've been doing the same on my 26X. If the wind is light, I'll raise the motor to reduce the drag. If the wind is moderate or higher, I leave the engine down to provide a more balanced feel on the helm. It also makes it easier to power up if there are problems requiring a judicious application of horsepower.
--Mark
--Mark
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craiglaforce
- Captain
- Posts: 831
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:30 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Houston, Tx
Dear sailors, I have a 26x. Sailing in the Pudget Sound a week ago , winds +/- 15kt, heading upwind at 5.5 kts, the boat turned down wind regardless of efforts to hold course with the rudder.
Alfred,
Just thought I would repeat the question as I understand it.
I'm guessing you have the large genoa sail and this big front sail can shift the center of sail drive effort forward of the center of lateral resistance and make it want to go down wind. THis can be helped by either partly reefing the genoa or replacing it with the jib, or tightening the mainsail sheet or raking the mast aft a bit to balance the rig with the sails you want to use, or putting the centerboard all the way down, which moves the center of lateral resistance forward a bit to better match the center of sail drive effort.
The Bruce Witmore rigging article is under featured articles I think and may help you get a better idea of what is going on and how to correct it.
Hope this helps,
Alfred,
Just thought I would repeat the question as I understand it.
I'm guessing you have the large genoa sail and this big front sail can shift the center of sail drive effort forward of the center of lateral resistance and make it want to go down wind. THis can be helped by either partly reefing the genoa or replacing it with the jib, or tightening the mainsail sheet or raking the mast aft a bit to balance the rig with the sails you want to use, or putting the centerboard all the way down, which moves the center of lateral resistance forward a bit to better match the center of sail drive effort.
The Bruce Witmore rigging article is under featured articles I think and may help you get a better idea of what is going on and how to correct it.
Hope this helps,
Andy--I believe the steering friction adjustment is on your engine.
Having sailed both the X and the M, I have found that one of the differences is that the X with the 50 HP motor does not affect the steering nearly as much as the 70 HP on my M. I always left the motor connected, sometimes up and sometimes down, on the X and even the admiral had no problems piloting the boat. On the M it can be a handful when the boat is heeled, unless you disconnect the motor from the steering system, which is a snap with the Bluewater quick release.
Lemtep--The X needs to have both sails up and trimmed right in relationship to each other to balance out. (Unlike the M which does fine just on the mainsail). My guess is that the 40 degrees was actually a little more than that--probably 45 to 50. Assuming you have the 150 genny, if you have it trimmed in too tight, with the main depowered (ie. let out and or twisted off using very little vang) you will have the genny push you around. Especially if the centerboard and rudders are not down fully. Key is to trim both sails to produce a lean of not more than 25 deg. or so (I always tried to hit 20 when the admiral was on board.) Furling in the genny, or twisting the top off a bit by moving the cars back, or letting out the sheet a bit or some of all of the above might have helped.
Another possibility not mentioned yet is that it is possible in the Puget Sound to be sailing along and have a tidal current under the surface do strange and wonderful things to the boat. Crossing the current coming from Colvos passage, or the tidal rips off Point Defiance, etc, etc. can be a handful. There are lots of these places in the Sound. If the wind was truly 15, what was happening to the currents and waves?
Having sailed both the X and the M, I have found that one of the differences is that the X with the 50 HP motor does not affect the steering nearly as much as the 70 HP on my M. I always left the motor connected, sometimes up and sometimes down, on the X and even the admiral had no problems piloting the boat. On the M it can be a handful when the boat is heeled, unless you disconnect the motor from the steering system, which is a snap with the Bluewater quick release.
Lemtep--The X needs to have both sails up and trimmed right in relationship to each other to balance out. (Unlike the M which does fine just on the mainsail). My guess is that the 40 degrees was actually a little more than that--probably 45 to 50. Assuming you have the 150 genny, if you have it trimmed in too tight, with the main depowered (ie. let out and or twisted off using very little vang) you will have the genny push you around. Especially if the centerboard and rudders are not down fully. Key is to trim both sails to produce a lean of not more than 25 deg. or so (I always tried to hit 20 when the admiral was on board.) Furling in the genny, or twisting the top off a bit by moving the cars back, or letting out the sheet a bit or some of all of the above might have helped.
Another possibility not mentioned yet is that it is possible in the Puget Sound to be sailing along and have a tidal current under the surface do strange and wonderful things to the boat. Crossing the current coming from Colvos passage, or the tidal rips off Point Defiance, etc, etc. can be a handful. There are lots of these places in the Sound. If the wind was truly 15, what was happening to the currents and waves?