Does any one use a riding sail to slow down (or stop) the horsing while at anchor? Any suggestions on size, construction etc. for a 30? There are some commercial designs available - one from Sailrite and another from Banner Bay Marine.
I built a riding sail several winters ago. See pictures here http://www.pbase.com/doug401
It's a partial wedge design and if I remember correctly is is about 28
square foot in area. It is old sail cloth sandwiched between
sunbrella. I attempted to fit it so its pattern would closely match
the angles of the rig. It is hoisted using the halyard and pinned on a
rollar on the topping lift. Overall... I has reduced swing in half,
and frequency in half. Originally I routed the "tack" line forward to
the bow, but have since altered this and brought 2 tack lines back to
mid ship just forward of the mid cleats port and starboard. Trying to
keep all forces at or aft of the keel.
Best'
Doug
Such Is Life
Cap Sante', Anacortes WA
I have attached a picture of your FinDelta #2 at work. You can tell by the break wall being awash, that the wind was really blowing. In winds up to 40 knots, my Nonsuch 33 held anchor. Last year, I broke loose with winds of 30 knots at this exact location, Cobourg Harbour, Lake Ontario, Canada.
Your sail held my bow to the wind and gave me a restful night’s sleep. Thanks for the sail. You have been the talk of many an anchorage.
Due to the Nonsuch rig and hull, I wonder if a very small steadying sail might be the best solution similar to those used on spritsail barges. The small mast 6' to 8' would mount on the stern/stern rail and the boom adjusted by a continuous sheet with blocks at the corners of the stern. When it is not in use it could be rolled up and stowed.
This solution would make the Nonsuch better balanced in a blow while docking in strong beam wind. The mast mounted well ahead of the keel tends to cause the boat to bear away when there is not sufficient speed. All one needs is something similar in size to the wind vanes used for self steering. I am sure the engineers among us could determine the optimum size for the steadying sail.
Mack sails built a riding sail for my previous boat and I found them
great people to work with and very reasonable for a superior product.
They are familiar with the Nonsuch
A note on the effectiveness of a riding sail with our Nonsuch 36.
Last August, we were anchored in a Maine cove awaiting arrival of the hurricane. There was a fair amount of wind, so our boat was actively sailing around the anchor. In the 25-foot deep cove, we had let out 100 feet of chain plus 50 feet of rode.
Without the riding sail, the boat swung in a moderate arc approximately 90 feet from side-to-side. With the riding sail, the boat swung in a similarly shaped arc approximately 30 feet from side-to-side. Also, with the riding sail, the boat was about 35 feet nearer to the anchor, due to less extension of the chain and rode.
Our riding sail’s dimensions are 9 feet and 9-1/2 inches on the foot, 10 feet and 3-1/2 inches on the luff, and 11 feet and 8-1/2 inches on the leach. The tack is tied to the mast and to both of the mid-ship cleats, the head is attached to the mainsail halyard, and the clew is tied to aft end of the wishbone boom.
The sail is positioned as far aft and as low to the furled mainsail as possible. All lines are made as tight as possible.
I used an old Blue Jay jib on my Nonsuch 26. It cut the see-sawing by at least one-half in 10 - 20 knots of wind. A flatter sail with hollow leech and foot would have been much quieter – AND much more expensive!
Note that Botts doesn’t believe in them – one of the very few areas in which we disagree.
I used an old Blue Jay jib on my Nonsuch 26. It cut the see-sawing by at least one-half in 10 - 20 knots of wind. A flatter sail with hollow leech and foot would have been much quieter -- AND much more expensive!
Note that Botts doesn't believe in them -- one of the very few areas in which we disagree.
Allen Ames
R.C., Yumsuch