Beaten by a 26D

[Steve K]

Well, I finally passed the 26D that was the subject of this post originally today... in my 38'.

The 26D is an amazingly fast boat. In the same wind on the same course it took a LONG time for the 38 to pass her by in her lee. And we never really left them behind.

10 knots of wind, both boats were doing between 5 and 6 knots.

Yea Matt........ Don't tell all these other guys (X & M owners, as if they won't read this ), but this is why I now own a D and sold my X.
Not knocking the power sailors....... they are fine boats (probably the best ever) for their designed purpose. But somewhere along the line I found that sailing was what it was about for me and the D IS a very fine and fast sail boat. For it's size, weight and price, it can't be beat. And the fact that you can drag it and launch it almost anywhere is icing on the cake imho. I can even have some fun on a weekday afternoon on my little 3 mile wide, local lake (Silverwood).
I would say that the 26D is the fastest boat of it's size, that you can actually live on comfortable for a few days. And there's nothing like being on "Three Sheets" when everything is right and she's in her groove, sitting up on the high side, hauling a%% and watching all the sails behind you getting smaller and smaller.
Man I really need to get her out of the back yard and get her all wet pretty soon

Best Breezes,
Steve K.

[mastreb]

Given the performance vs. my 38 (which was dragging some kelp from outside the bay), it's definitely the fastest <30 sailboat I've sailed against. The 38 is a very fast boat; we've not been overtaken by anything less than 10' longer than her LWL as yet.

The 26D is a star.

We embarrassed a 40'catamaran sailor today by outpointing, out tacking, and then flat out sailing past him on a close reach today. We could hear him yelling at his crew/family but I was looking at a blown out main with sagging on the luff between the slugs and a way-too-small-for-light-air 70% hank-on auto-tacking jib. Took them forever to tack (with an auto tacking jib!!) and it couldn't point well enough to compete. Natural advantages are quickly lost to sloppiness.

[Steve K]

Your new boat looks fast just sitting at the dock I was watching some video of one the other day an she looks like a real performer.

Yea.... what's up with the scalloped mainsail luff anyway. I see them every time I go sailing. It bugs me. I want to tell the skipper to winch that sucker up some, every time. However, it's really fun to scoot on past them in my little D. The 30 to 35 footers are the ones that I get a kick out of, mostly (bigger than me but still small enough for me to overtake, when things are right).
They didn't even know they don't know how to sail. They thought they were old salt skippers. They thought they had a fast boat. Then little "Three Sheets" will sneak up on them and pretty soon they are looking at our stern. These guys (and you know the kind I talking about) are either scratching their heads or yelling at their crew by then

See ya next time, gotta get some zzzzzs

BB
SK

[dlandersson]

It's a well-established fact (like white hulls/blue hulls) that 26D's are "wicked fast".

Well, I finally passed the 26D that was the subject of this post originally today... in my 38'.

The 26D is an amazingly fast boat. In the same wind on the same course it took a LONG time for the 38 to pass her by in her lee. And we never really left them behind.

10 knots of wind, both boats were doing between 5 and 6 knots.

[BOAT]

There is a 26 D that frequents the harbor here every now and then - do I dare take him a challenge?

[Steve K]

There is a 26 D that frequents the harbor here every now and then - do I dare take him a challenge?

I would say, IF he knows how to sail it, it could be pointless. You could maybe catch him on a run, but going up wind, don't think so. The D boats have this pointing ability I sometimes can't believe, even though I own and sail one.

Can't speak for the M directly but................

You do carry more sail........... perhaps if you empty the boat (not the ballast, but all the stuff inside) and remove the outboard, you would be faster, depending on how he loads his boat. I knew a guy with an X boat, who had a 10hp outboard. His X performed markedly better than the others we sailed with (including mine at the time). He seemed to be competitive with some of the classics. Right before I decided to sell my X, I was thinking about selling the big Mercury outboard and getting a 9.9hp of some kind for it. Getting 300 pounds off the stern will wake these boats up where sailing is concerned.
I also know all these boats are quite sensitive to weight. I generally am loaded up, when Newell and I meet. I also, usually have the Admiral with me too. Newell will be alone. He has a smaller, ob and I'm pretty sure his D boat is all but empty inside. He is hard to catch and I rarely can. I also suspect Newell is a better sailor than me though too

Trying to beat a D (or at least keep up with one) in my X boat did have a lot to do with what kind of sailor I am today though. I got the best out of my X and became pretty skilled at sailing, just chasing the D boats.


Best Breezes,
Steve K.

[Whipsyjac]

Boat,

If you are on the water at the same time as that D you're in a race.... If you don't tell the other skipper you're racing maybe you'll have a chance.

You seem like you push the limit a bit and have a racing history so the gap may not be as big as if I took him on in

Otherwise it's up to Highlander to beat a D with a powersailer...

Willy

[Whipsyjac]

Newell,

Where are you at in your PNW cruise... We should be around James Bay Prevost Island tomorrow morning.

Not sure if we'll cross the strait tonight depending when we launch this afternoon.

Willy

[BOAT]

I could always cheat.

[Steve K]

I could always cheat.

Sometimes I see one of my 26X friends scooting up behind me. You can get by with it if you have a really quiet outboard. Put her in gear and just let her idle. While sailing, this will add the knot or two you need

Yea, they'll pass me and sometimes forget to kill and raise the engine. I usually catch on right about the time I'm in their wind shadow
And remember to keep him to your lee..... in your wind shadow (and you have a big one)

BB,
SK

[Russ]

There is a 26 D that frequents the harbor here every now and then - do I dare take him a challenge?

I would say, IF he knows how to sail it, it could be pointless.

Yup.

I beat a 26D only because the captain had no idea what he was doing. I felt bad for him because he should have blown me away. I barely squeaked by him as his sails were totally set wrong.

--Russ

[BOAT]

Maybe I better not risk it.

[Steve K]

Well, don't risk it for titles or anything, but a beer maybe

Just think how puffed up your chest will be if you beat him..... particularly after reading this thread.
I say go for it. Full sails and full speed ahead

BB,
SK

[Catigale]

On a course where pointing is needed an S or D boat with a decent skipper will chew you up.

But my Harpoon will leave you in my wake..even with a waggle in it.

[BOAT]

I usually can beat a lot of the bigger boats sailing in and out of the harbor but I must say that 26 D looks a little fast for me - and I can tell you the skipper is no slouch - I have talked to him. He was one of the first guys I met at the ramp when I got 'boat'. He sails just with his wife like I do. I can tell they know what they are doing.

Because of what you guys are saying I think maybe I will stick with just embarrassing all the bigger boats for now. I shall give this 26D skipper a wide berth.