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downwind in a E32-200 1990 in Sf Bay

frosero7744

Member II
Hello!! I had my E32-200 out this weekend in the SF bay. Shot out of Alameda behind Treasure Island in 25knots, once around the tip of TI I tacked to starboard and close reached, eventually broad reaching around the island back to the estuary. The wind hit 32 but hovered mid 20's the whole trip. The boat had happy feet for sure, she was wandering and bouncing port to starboard. We had wind waves. i had a single reef and a jib which was too much sail for sure. Heres my questions for those with E32-3 or 200's

1. Do you find that your girl has any trouble at a particular point of sail or a least favorable? i felt like broad reaching was difficult to hold course, but given that we had following wind waves and too much sail up maybe that wasnt the boats fault.
2. At what wind speed would you run just your jib? ive been out in 20-28 knots jib only and made 5.5knots easily. Seems like a steady 25 is where id drop my main all the way down.
3. The PO told me when reefing, he would double reef straightaway considering the wind is usually building in the afternoon in SF. thoughts?

Any input would be appreciated. Just running over the sail this weekend in my head and thinking about what i learned and what i would do differently.
 
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Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
I'd put a double reef in from 25+, but that's just me. We don't hit those conditions often in Puget Sound, so I don't have a ton of practice, but I've found the boat handles well with a single reef and scrap o' jib around 20+ knots.

Point of sail - I've found that my 32-3 either really hates deep reaches, or I just am bad at trimming for it. Once the main starts blanketing the jib, it starts to feel very soggy. I usually just opt to point a bit lower and go wing-on-wing, which the boat seems to enjoy quite a bit with my big 150% jib. Moving the genoa sheets to the outside car helps tremendously, too. I do remember one time when the wind was blowing pretty strongly and I was going wing-on-wing and the boat had a hard time tracking a straight line. At the time I couldn't understand why, but that was my 3rd or 4th time sailing. Now I think I understand it was overpowered or the conditions. A 38 owner told me they get the Death Roll under spinnaker DDW, and our hull forms aren't too different from each other.

As far as reefing straightaway, the general advice I've heard is if you are thinking you need a reef, it's time to reef. It's easier to shake a reef out in lightening conditions than to put one in during worsening ones.

Lots of folks here with way more experience than me, but just throwing my data in the bank.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
You can see most sail plan choices for that model in this video. Note the frequent reefs, and on the return voyage the use of a third reef.

https://youtu.be/28TAdDu5L6U?list=PLXJx_F6E8T8y8BVNBmmZ1c9udOwnNjx93

Seems like your numbered issues are just about right.

When it gets hairy, I would go to jib alone. I have tracked very nicely at about 4 knots in 25-30 knots with no more than 15 percent genoa, on a close reach for 50 hours. If that seems "slow", trying to go any faster upwind in 10-foot cresting seas is self-waterboarding.

All the Ericsons, as 1980s-era displacement hulls, require reduction of sail downwind and reaching in heavy air. The hull is easily driven up to hull speed, and after that any excess force makes the boat directionally unstable.

We are not sleds.

For anyone in a typically breezy environment, say SF Bay, I think a third reef on a 32-3 would be a delight. The return from Hawaii can mean a week or more close hauled into the trade winds, where a 90 percent jib and Reef 3 is luxury and gives speed and control.

3reef.jpg
 
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mfield

Member III
In general single reef at 13 (occasional whitecaps) with 50% jib and double reef at 16 (frequent whitecaps) with 30% jib. Anything else is just a waste of canvas and makes for too much lean.

Downwind ease out a little more headsail.

Double reefing as the PO suggested is a good idea as the wind is fickle behind Alcatraz and the Marin headlands and can go from 2 kts to 20 kts in a hundred yards.

Last week with a double reef close hauled from Alcatraz to Sausalito with about 15 knots of wind we moved at 8.5 to 9 knots, granted we had a 2.5 knot assist from the tidal current, who could ask for anything more.

Looking at all the other boats on the bay with full sail up, tilted at 30 degrees and scads of folks on the rail does look exciting but is scary for the single-hander.
 
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frosero7744

Member II
evolving the question

Okay so after marinading a while longer.........

Does anyone feel like there is a particular point of sail or maybe sail combo they might call their goto or favorite? A single reef in the main @ 15 knots with a jib sailing a beam reach? DDW with no main and a poled out jib in 20? Close hauled in whatever?
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
There are a great number of variables, most related to the sails.

New sails allow more sail when close-hauled because their camber is correct. Old sails have belly, which makes them inefficient, and makes for more heel. The difference is subtle and not easy to see, but it's real. To windward, new sails allow more area to be set.

New foam-luff genoas can be furled with little sacrifice in shape. A tired-out genoa, especially without a foam luff, furls ugly. Nothing sets you on your side, going sideways to windward, like a baggy genoa.

A good furling genny, therefore, allows an infinite size selection merely with the tug of the furler line. The position of the genoa sheet fairlead does need to be changed to accommodate the new size.

Off the wind none of this matters so much, and dead downwind sail shape hardly matters at all.

Full length battens have a downside: heavy, sail cover won't fit, stack higher,and they can poke you in the eye.

But a mainsail with full length battens, when relieved to spill wind, hardly luffs at all. In puffy conditions, you can just lug it for half a hour and put off reefing.

My favorite point of sail, like everybody's else's, is a broad reach. The key to enjoying a broad reach on most Ericsons is the mainsail. If overtrimmed, the boat is hard to steer and the helmsman frustrated. Let it out until she tracks straight. Let it out more than seems necessary.

Our boats are very good to windward. The key to efficiency and enjoyment is the heel angle. The correct heel angle is (much) less than action photographs suggest. Maintaining the right heel angle is an active process, especially in gusty winds.

The helmsman should feather in gusts. Reefs should be put in to control heel, without reference to other boats which are not reefed (because their reefing gear is frozen or because the skipper thinks reefing is for sissies).

Excessive heel makes the boat want to head up, and to keep course the rudder becomes a brake. Whenever there is a lot of weather helm, something is wrong. Probably over-trimmed or too much sail up.

We can carry more sail with five people on the weather rain in matching foul weather gear and neoprene gloves.

If your crew is asleep below on the leeward bunks, reduce sail.
 
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