[Alberg30] terms

[Brian and Elaine Timmins]

Dan,
   I whole heartedly agree with George's comments re: the condition of the
main. I have just gone through very similar experiences. When I bought my
boat, she came with two mains. The P.O. told me to use "this" one since the
other one was very old. "This" one turned out to be an old Tartan 27 main
and the old one was the original A30 main. "This" one was in bad shape also
so I discarded it and had the A30 main reconditioned by Sail Care in Pa. who
uses a process that reresins the fabric. I didn't want to buy a new one
right away because there was LOTS of other things that needed re&re and my
money. I also had to buy a new 135% genny since the P.O. only had a 170% set
up to work on the furler and I moved the boat to a place with wind and
needed something smaller.
   I sailed for several years with that combination of sails. It was common
to bury the rail when on the wind and both my wife and I were getting
annoyed at having to reef so much earlier than everyone else in the area. We
started to race with our club and were always way back in the fleet except
for one day. That day was real light wind and we were doing so well that we
were accused of using our Engine!! That was the straw that broke the camel"s
back. I ordered a new "crusing" CM2+2 main from UK in Annapolis (ordered at
THE show).
    Last season we sailed with the new main. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!! I was
truly amazed. The boat stood up to the wind better, pointed higher and
balanced better. Now, the rail only goes in the water when I MAKE it go in
the water. When it comes to speed and racing, one of the speedy boats'
skippers suggested that my wife and I should crew with a friend on his
Hunter 28 "since then we'd at least have a chance of doing well". That was
before the first race. Every race we entered last year, we were one of the
first three to finish. We're counting from the front of the fleet now
instead of from the back. In one race, that Hunter 28 skipper crewed with us
and that time we came in ahead of that speedy boat that made that comment.
(By the way, the Hunter 28 is NOT a fast boat).
    The benefits of a new sail vs. an older (blown out or streched) sail are
truly amazing and will change the sailing characteristics of the boat.
   As a side light, before I got a computer, I snail mailed to George asking
about the sailing characteristics of the A30, especially in regards to "the
best angle of heel". His gracious return mail included the comment "keep the
cockpit coming out of the water". Now, I fully understand that comment.
Thanks again George.
Regards,   Brian    A30 #497  Free Spirit
----- Original Message -----
From: "George Dinwiddie" <gdinwiddie at min.net>
To: <public-list at alberg30.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 6:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Alberg30] terms


> Dan,
>
> Stiffening means that an Alberg 30 will have more resistance to
> further heeling, but given enough force you can roll any boat.
> I've personally been on an A30 with the spreaders just off the
> water--I was almost knee-deep standing on the rail and the coamings
> were under water--but this was a result from flying a spinnaker
> in 18-20 knots and being hit with a gust that was probably over
> 25.  I was amazed at how gently and gracefully she lay down in
> the water.
>
> It's my experience that it's not hard to put the rail to the
> water in the A30, but it's not hard to keep it out, either.
> I like to sail with about 8 inches of topside showing on the
> lee side.  Maintaining this requires balance.
>
> Consider that the A30 has a fairly large main relative to the
> foretriangle.  That's why they have genoas that are such a
> large percentage of the fortriangle, 170% is typical.  This
> is part of the reason that I'll tend to reef the main before
> reducing the genoa.  When sailing double-handed, I'll often
> sail with the #2, anyway, just because I know who'll be handling
> the sheets and I get tired.  But, when the wind pipes up, reef,
> especially if you're not racing.  You should be able to achieve
> a good balance--minimal weather helm--and this will help the
> boat behave.
>
> Also consider the shape of your main.  When we bought Calypso,
> she came with the original main which was in pretty good condition,
> but had been stretched and had a fuller shape.  In light air,
> this sail was a dream, but in heavy air it was impossible to
> depower the main by flattening it.  You just couldn't pull the
> shape out of the sail.  The excess power generated by the main
> was putting the rail in the water all the time, causing my wife
> to buy a clinometer for the boat.
>
> I learned to compensate somewhat by carrying a large "bubble"
> in the luff of the main.  The A30 will still sail quite well
> with the first third of the main luffing.  This helps reduce
> the power and the heeling.  It's not an ideal situation, but
> it helps.
>
> When we got a new main, however, I was *amazed* at how much
> better the boat behaved and how much easier it was to sail.
> Quite simply, that 20-year-old main was blown out.  The new
> sail has a "shelf foot" that allows you to get that same
> full shape by relaxing the outhaul, but you can also flatten
> the main by pulling the outhaul tight.  This is often
> considered a racing feature, but I find it to be the best
> mainsail control after the sheet.  When the wind picks up,
> I flatten the sail.  This not only reduces the power and
> consequent heeling, but it seems to widen the "groove" where
> the boat feels happy.
>
>  - George
>
> > Daniel Walker said:
> >
> > gerorge, mike, gord and others who have discussed this in the past.
> > now that i have finally had some "sea trials" with rascal, i have a
couple
> > of questions. in prior posts there was a discussion about the sailing
> > characteristics of the a 30's. if memory serves, they are tender at
first
> > and then stiffen up. i assume tender at fisrst means she will heel to a
> > certain point, and stiffen means she will not go any further. is that
> > correct?
> >
> >
> > on our first excursion racal went rail to the water very quickly, in
much
> > lighter air than i expected(to now my sailing has been on island
packets.
> > endeavours, and one race with russ pfeiffer on his a30)
> > is this the norm, or am i doing something wrong. the wind was ever
changing
> > direction, and i was only using the main at first.
> > comments welcome
> > thanks
> > dan
>
> --
>  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>   George Dinwiddie                             gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
>   The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in
>   sailing.                                    http://www.Alberg30.org/
>  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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