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Why is my boat faster on starboard tack?

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Jim
 Jim
(@jaimezx)
Posts: 217
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Topic starter
 
[#14170]

I was out sailing just now and intermittantly flying the hull on starboard tack (getting better at that. ) but when I'd come about to port tack then I'd barely have any heel, much less get the hull out of the water.

Am I doing something wrong? Is my boat messed up / rigged wrong? Do I just suck at sailing?

In other news, I have a bit of a sunburn.

Thanks in advance!
P.S. While I was out on the lake a fella motored up to me in his fishing boat and said he'd always wanted to learn to sail and was asking me advice. So I chatted with him a bit and told him I'd take him out on my boat some time.


 
Posted : August 13, 2004 6:11 pm
(@Anonymous 17606)
Posts: 49
 

Maybe you have some water weight in your port hull.


 
Posted : August 15, 2004 10:20 am
Jim
 Jim
(@jaimezx)
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Good thinking, but yesterday after sailing I drained out quite a bit more water from the starboard hull. Of course, that was after I flipped and the starboard hull was the "down" hull for several minutes. Only a little water came out of the port hull. Other ideas?


 
Posted : August 15, 2004 11:25 am
(@Anonymous 17606)
Posts: 49
 

I notice the same thing from time to time. I could think of a couple of other possibilities (some more likely than others). For one, I don't think my hulls are aligned perfectly. It could also be a mental thing. Sometimes when I am sailing into the waves on a particular tack it seems like I am sailing faster. Currents? Gravitational pull from the moon? Left brain/ right brain issues?


 
Posted : August 15, 2004 1:29 pm
scooby_simon
(@simonJlongstaff)
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Both shrouds are the same length ?

This will make a difference


 
Posted : August 15, 2004 3:30 pm
Jim
 Jim
(@jaimezx)
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Ha! Yeah, both are in the 3rd hole from the bottom. (As far back as I can go and still connect the forestay. )

Didn't seem as bad today. Dunno. 8)


 
Posted : August 15, 2004 5:25 pm
scooby_simon
(@simonJlongstaff)
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Quote
Ha! Yeah, both are in the 3rd hole from the bottom

Yes, I expected them to be on the same hole. But have you actually measured them ?


 
Posted : August 16, 2004 7:25 am
Jim
 Jim
(@jaimezx)
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Have I measured them? No. Guess I could do that this weekend when I drop the mast.


 
Posted : August 16, 2004 5:50 pm
(@Anonymous 38114)
Posts: 51
 

Maybe a little obvious but was the mast properly rotated after coming onto port tack?
Or maybe jib sheeted too hard on port tack backwinding the main?
Phil


 
Posted : August 17, 2004 2:33 am
CMerrell
(@cmerrell)
Posts: 206
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Check your rudder alignment or for any bends in the mast.

Also realize that the wind shifts faster than the waves so you see different wave conditions on each tack. If the wind shifts right (veer) you will hit waves more head on on port tack than you will on starboard. If you are hull flying, then you are likely seeing significant waves.


 
Posted : August 17, 2004 7:33 am
Jim
 Jim
(@jaimezx)
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Really good comments guys, thanks!

Phil - at the time I wrote this post originally my mast did not rotate very well at all - my (who knows how old) teflon bearing was a mere sliver. I replaced that with a circle cut from the plastic lid from a peanut butter jar (a temporary solution) and it rotates much better now; again I didn't notice the speed difference as much on Sunday so if mast rotation can affect it that much then it might be that.

Thanks again!


 
Posted : August 17, 2004 9:14 pm
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