Hi Ian, Your single spreader rig will point just fine. I'm not an expert, but I've learn a few things this season about ours. Like I've said before, I was real hot to convert to the double spreader rig when we first got Barnstormer, but not now. I now think with our rig we have an advantage over the other boats. Aside from the lower weight and reduced windage, the mast is more adjustable and tune-able (is that a word?). We are just now starting to adjust our rig rakes and tensions for varying wind/sea conditions. Something I've not heard talked about too much in the fleet as of yet.
Pointing is a function of balancing mast rake, sheet tension/angle, and weather helm with speed through the water. On Barnstormer we tend to foot more than other Olsons and sail with looser sheets, our net VMG is usually faster this way. We have suffered occasionally in really flat water where high pointing angles can be more effective. Road Runner has sailed away from us several times this season in these conditions. However, we did sail against three well sailed J29s in Vancouver BC at the WAVES Regatta with very good success. Your Olson should be able to out perform any J29 in any condition.
RR had a great regatta this last weekend. Not only did they sail smart and make few mistakes, they were sailing very fast. In the races they won easily, it was flat water and a freshening breeze. They just sailed away from us at the start, twice. Yesterday in the boat yard, I climbed around both boats (with John Hoag's permission) and took some numbers. We have done this before, but the numbers I recorded yesterday off RR were different than before. I measured head stay length, mast height off the deck, and mast rake. They were: RR - 37' 9.125" (HS), 35' 0.5" (mast), 38' 11" (rake).....BS - 37' 7.825", 35' 1", 39' 2.25". These numbers are as measured from - the top of the jib (center) halyard to the center of the headstay pin, the top of the main halyard to flush on the deck, and the top of the main halyard to the center edge on the transom. As a result, I've lengthen my headstay a little to see how this changes our performance.
What I would recommend to improve your point/speed VMG, is to set your rake at 39' 1" to 39'' 2" or so, don't sheet tighter than 6" off that single spreader, and keep those tail-tales streamlining aft.....don't PINCH! Let your keel do the work. Error on the side of more twist (both main and genoa), and remember with the main, keep that traveler low..."Bubbles are Fast". Sail FLAT FLAT FLAT with a full load of 1250 pounds on the rail.
Chuck Queen
Barnstormer #31
Owner/Driver
> ----------
> From: Alex Krawarik[SMTP:Alexk@activexchange.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 1999 11:38 PM
> To: 'ian anderson'; olson30@sailpix.com
> Subject: RE: O-30 performance
>
> Hi Ian, I own one of the two single spreader rigs currently racing in the
> Seattle area. Chuck Queen owns the very successful single-spreader
> Barnstormer, 1999 national champ. On my boat we go pretty well upwind, but
> point a little low because our sails suck.We go average downwind. J's don't
> tend to point as well upwind, but this is experience from J/24's.
>
> How heavy is the boat? The lightest boats are dry-stored and around 50
> pounds above min weight.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ian anderson [mailto:iander@email.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 1999 11:01 PM
> To: olson30@sailpix.com
> Subject: O-30 performance
>
>
> Our team could use some help with the performance of our single spreader
> O-30 racing in a phrf fleet. I've tried everything I've seen in the web
> page but we just can't seem to sail to our # (99) against J29's and 34's.
> We are the only O-30 around and therefore don't have the luxury of sailing
> with a tuning partner.
> The J's outpoint us going uphill. Is this common? Should we not worry>
> about height so much and just foot for speed? I've heard of moving the genoa
> tracks inboard and moving the primaries to the cabin top. Does that work
> well? What about hoisting problems?
>
> We don't seem to be blazing down wind either, my guesse is that we are too
> deep, is there a consensus on what is fastes for say 8-12 knots?
>
> Any suggestions from the group especially from single spreader boats will be
> greatly appreciated. I know this is a lot to ask but we are desperate to get
> this boat up to speed.
>
> thank you
> Ian
>
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Received on Thu Sep 30 09:04:17 1999