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Re: Ballooner

Danny and Yvonne SIMMS
 

Hi again Pat,

just an extension to my previous to emphasize to value of following the wind.

On one voyage from New Zealand to Fiji, around 1200 miles we set off in wind just aft of the beam. We set big headsail, main, mizzen and mizzen staysail and put the auto helm on wind steer. The wind varied to port around 20 degrees and the auto helm followed, about 24 hours later it varied 20 degrees back to starboard for about 24 hours and so it was all the way. We never adjusted sheets the whole way. wind varied from 8 to 20 knots and we averaged 200 miles a day.

Now that I call a dream run.

But the dream came from going with the wind rather than holding the rhumb line. If we had followed the rhumb line we would have been adjusting and changing sails all the way.

Cheers

Danny

SM 299 Ocean pearl

On 24 March 2019 at 06:52 Danny and Yvonne SIMMS <simms@...> wrote:

Hi Pat,

you can get 15 to 20 degrees either side. 20 can be tricky and you need to play with sheet tensions. The Amel owners manual say reef if the true wind gets above 20 knots at which time the apparent would be 10 to 12 as you would be exceeding 8 knots and over 10 at times. If the wind does shift on you on a long passage, just go with it for some hours, it is quite likely to change back again and the deviation from the rhumb line wont cost you much in time.And if it doesn't change back you will have got yourself on to a good reach as you come back up on course. win win.  Another tip. If you get a sudden change that brings you on to a reach you can just drop the windward sail across to lie inside the other. You can carry on like that for some time. Another tip. The swivel at the top of the fore stay has a small locating tongue going into the track. This has a habit of wearing through. Without it it is near impossible to get the latch to hold the ballooner up. We are enjoying your face book posts

Kind Regards

Danny

SM 299

Ocean Pearl

On 24 March 2019 at 00:26 "Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io" <sailw32@...> wrote:

I have never had an opportunity to sail down wind using the ballooner other than a couple of short hops years ago. I may have an opportunity to use it between the BVIs and Bahamas. A couple of questions . How many degrees either side of downwind can you sail with the ballooner and at what apparent wind would you begin to reef sails ?
Thanks ,
Pat
SM Shenanigans
Virgin Gorda,BVI


 


 
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