Interesting. I have to say that the boat's performance looked really disappointing. I wonder what more experienced cat sailors than me think? 6-7kn downwind in 25 kn of wind and a flat sea is not great! I would expect my much smaller and more agricultural cat to be doing a comfortable 10kn under those conditions and under headsails only.
I was looking at the smaller Privilege cats but have never sailed one, so very interested in peoples' thoughts.
What should be understood are the following factors.
1. Mike sailed the boat with as almost standard a double reefed main.
2. He had ordered a new set of sails and ordered the chartered version thinking these were amore durable version only to discover that they were in fact a smaller safer version with much less sail towards the top of the main for example than on the normal sails. So in effect we were using small sails that were reefed in.
3. The last downwind passage - the furled forward sail was rolled well in but even when out we did about 7 knots in 25 knots of wind.So still not any sort of performance to write home about.
Hope you enjoyed the video - ut does take some time to watch [img]/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]
Hi, on wap fone so no movie for me. Re speed downwind, clean bum and foldy props needed. Also big parasail, mine due soon. All these unlikely on charter boat?
I have looked at a parasail for my new boat but am told that they do not work well on catamarans?
It will be interesting to see how you get on with it.
Yes the boat was a charter boat (with skipper) and had taken a fair bit of bashing over its six years of life.
The performance was a bit pedestrian but it looked like this was due to deficiencies in the equipment. Fear of a potentially jamming foresail and an obsession with keeping two reefs in the main seemed to restrict the potential.
I would have thought that no main and a big headsail would have suited the boat better off the wind.
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I would have thought that no main and a big headsail would have suited the boat better off the wind.
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Certainly what I would have done. In fact my video (down there somewhere) shows a much smaller cat doing 8kn in an estimated 10-15kn wind with headsails only. I guess if they were worried about a big headsail jamming, it is understandable not to have too much out in over 25kn. Hanked-on has its advantages!
But even so, I am surprised at just how pedestrian it was and would like to understand as I am thinking about looking more seriously at the Privilege cats. Was it very overloaded ?
Coming from power boats I am not an experienced cat sailor.
What I can say is that it is the slowest cat I have been on in trying out cats before choosing my St Francis.
I have watched a video of a St Francis doing 19 knots in like conditions.
I would'nt trust one of those two hulled (or even three hulled) things off shore but they sure look fun skidding around the bay.(turn the music up). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWINygISxDE
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um, first i supose the liveaboardy cats nearer 40 feet will likely be slower than those nearer 50 feet - almost the very same gear but that much shorter on LWL. Second, the conditions in which the st francis on the video got 19-20 knots didn't much seem to me as similar conditions tho i didn't sit thru the whole unedited 72minute gludy video - in truly similar conditions tho, i would have thought most cats would get up some good speed in teens- he had fast rolling big following sea - and hence posted the video. But max surf speeds quite different from true averages - he was dropping back to at least low teens and took the camera away.
The skipper on gludy's boat had limited sail set, and seemed (quite reasonably with just himself as crew, guests on board etc) to be well reefed down.
Most important in those (st francis video) conditions would need decent downwind sails, parasail or at least a big gennaker. Whereas the gludy charter privilege had only a single foreail, and quite a stingily cut one at that.
And yep, the privilge in owners form at least must be a whole load of wood trim and an extra half-hull (that middle nacelle for full-width 7metre wide owners cabin) heavier than typical 4-coffin layout and a lighter fitout. Takes your money etc etc.
Hope gludy's doesn't have a galley down like that seemed to be, seasick cooking, urgh? Galley up for owners version imho.
TCM
Yes the longer the WEL the faster the boat.
Yes the conditions were not the same ... obvious.
Yes ... we were well reefed down as cleary stated on the video.
Yes- the cat in my video had charter sails that were smaller than normal sails.
The charter boat was the 4 berth coffin layout not the full width owners version.
No - I do not have a galley down - we have galley up with a pantry down.
Having said al of that, I did not find the charter boat a fast boat ..... that is all I am agreeing with when it was pointed out.
I have done two Atlantic crossings with a Parasailor.
Up the sail in Gran Canaria and down in St. Lucia.
Very simple, very effective.
You can feel how they pull the bows of a cat up - exactly what you want.
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