Better sailing performance on a liveaboard cruiser?

[DDW]

In the modern theory of wings, a sloop (to weather) is a single slotted airfoil, a cutter is a double slotted airfoil. Slots are high lift, high drag devices. It may allow you to generate more lift when you don't have enough, but at the cost of drag; drag always increases the most efficient pointing angle. Absent other considerations, you would not see a slot on a boat designed to go to weather - but the other considerations are many.

 

[Vaeredil]

No way could that have slightly affected my speed... /s

 

[longy]

How long ago did you clean that bottom?? IIRC you said you put 4-5 hrs into it? Not to be sarcastic, but if that's the normal shape of the underbody, don't worry about anything else yet

 

[SloopJonB]

In the modern theory of wings, a sloop (to weather) is a single slotted airfoil, a cutter is a double slotted airfoil. Slots are high lift, high drag devices. It may allow you to generate more lift when you don't have enough, but at the cost of drag; drag always increases the most efficient pointing angle. Absent other considerations, you would not see a slot on a boat designed to go to weather - but the other considerations are many.

I remember when "triple slotting" was trendy in IOR racing - didn't last long IIRC.

Looked like this but without the prod.

 

[SloopJonB]

No way could that have slightly affected my speed... /s

View attachment 543213

The worst bottom I ever did could be cleaned up after with a shovel - I never needed a front end loader to cart it off.

 

[Vaeredil]

How long ago did you clean that bottom?? IIRC you said you put 4-5 hrs into it? Not to be sarcastic, but if that's the normal shape of the underbody, don't worry about anything else yet

The worst bottom I ever did could be cleaned up after with a shovel - I never needed a front end loader to cart it off.

I agree, it's significantly worse than I imagined! Also, when pressure washing it off, it seems there's at least 6 layers of old paint on there. The original gel coat is off white and there's bright green, red, black, and several layers of blue. I think if I take it back to a bare hull and redo it properly..... yeah, that'll be most of my issues gone.

Any suggestions on a decent ablative would be welcome! The 300$ a gallon CsC micron is spendy as hell but apparently works like a miracle?

I'm still going to clean out all the excess crap, of course, may as well get every bit of performance I can out of her. I have a feeling I'll jump up a knot without issue though.

The growth this summer that I referenced spending 4-5 hours on was significantly worse but I assumed that it was only so thick then because I had spent 3 months in a very sheltered warm inlet without moving (was working a summer job).

 

[SloopJonB]

Any suggestions on a decent ablative would be welcome! The 300$ a gallon CsC micron is spendy as hell but apparently works like a miracle?

I used it on Ish's recommendation and I'm into my second year with only slime on it - had a short lift recently for a wash & new zincs - it will be fine until next spring.

I watch Craigslist for Micron and pick it up when available. Last time I got two gallons of ugly red for $100 each because the guys wife wanted blue. It means an ugly colour bottom for several years but it's underwater most of the time and the $450 savings paid for one of the Harken self tailers.

 

[Vaeredil]

I used it on Ish's recommendation and I'm into my second year with only slime on it - had a short lift recently for a wash & new zincs - it will be fine until next spring.

I watch Craigslist for Micron and pick it up when available. Last time I got two gallons of ugly red for $100 each because the guys wife wanted blue. It means an ugly colour bottom for several years but it's underwater most of the time and the $450 savings paid for one of the Harken self tailers.

Makes sense! I'll keep an eye out. Even at retail, I think the doubled price over other options still makes sense if it does last a couple years. If I can save a $300 haulout and a lot of unpleasant work by the same amount of money in quality bottom paint.... that makes sense.

 

[DDW]

I tried Micron CSC, didn't really like it because of the slime. That said, in Canada, not much else is available. I have Hydrocoat on the trawler, the Eco stuff hardly worked at all, even when only in for 3 months and in more or less constant motion. The non-Eco copper bearing Hydrocoat worked better, but about the same slime as the CSC. It is a lot more pleasant to apply than CSC, water based and doesn't stink.

 

[Jim in Halifax]

On the right coast, I've had good luck on my previous boat with Aquaguard. Pleasant to use, washes up with water. My current boat came with a lot of Micron CSC that I'm using up. I plan to go back to Aquaguard.

 

[longy]

Definitely check up into the thru hulls, you probably have stuff clogging those up also. They can also use some antifoul paint.

 

[longy]

I remember when "triple slotting" was trendy in IOR racing - didn't last long IIRC.

Looked like this but without the prod.

View attachment 543249

True wind is close to 90 degrees. Even the main is eased out
On a smaller boat, you need to be careful not to set too many sails in the gap. If a leading sail is overtrimmed, all sails behind go to crap & just become drag. This is perfect conditions, however, dead flat, good wind angle

 

[Panope]

Maintaining sailing performance the old fashioned way. This morning at 8:00 a.m.

 

[Kiwi Clipper]

Vaeredil: I am a little confused by your posts. First one says you went from Victoria to Port Townshend, but then others suggest you are from Ontario and may have the boat in fresh water. Where is it?

 

[Vaeredil]

Vaeredil: I am a little confused by your posts. First one says you went from Victoria to Port Townshend, but then others suggest you are from Ontario and may have the boat in fresh water. Where is it?

Check the dates on the posts! I was in Northwestern Ontario sailing mostly small dinghys on local lakes and the Great Lakes a few years ago, but am now living aboard Freja in BC.

 

[SloopJonB]

Makes sense! I'll keep an eye out. Even at retail, I think the doubled price over other options still makes sense if it does last a couple years. If I can save a $300 haulout and a lot of unpleasant work by the same amount of money in quality bottom paint.... that makes sense.

What's the old saying?

"Quality is appreciated long after the price is forgotten"?

Something like that.

 

[alctel]

I had a similar question regarding my boat on this thread

Can someone help me make my lead mine actually move

So my old boat was an old 1980 hunter 36. Loved it, could sail in 2 knots of wind on flat water. Got stuck in Mexico during covid and had to sell it eventually. My new boat is a Rafiki 37 https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/rafiki-37. It displaces twice as much as the old hunter (26500lb vs...

forums.sailinganarchy.com

Lots of good stuff in this one, thanks!

 

[slap]

Check the dates on the posts! I was in Northwestern Ontario sailing mostly small dinghys on local lakes and the Great Lakes a few years ago, but am now living aboard Freja in BC.

You might want to update your profile - every post you make states that you live in Dryden, Ontario.

 

[Vaeredil]

Bottom done! I'm moving back down to a smaller boat again all the same, however... these big boat costs keep adding up, and I want to spend more time sailing and less time working to afford to spend all my time on maintenance.

Thanks to everyone who gave me a hand in this thread!

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Do you have your eye on anything?