Best sailing speed

[Gotro]

What is your best sailing speed in 15 to 20 knots of wind for the and the ? So far I have averaged 5.5 to 6 broad reach and 4.5 to weather in flat protected water

[Chinook]

You're right in the ballpark in comparison with my experience in the 26X. I only exceeded 6 knots under sail once, and that was an extraordinary day, sailing across the Yellow Banks from Nassau to the Exumas. We had about 15 knots of wind on the beam, but the seas were moderate. I had the main and genoa out all the way. Heel was about 20 degrees and once I got the sheets set, never touched a line during the 35 mile passage. Got up to 6.5 knots for extended periods. I dream of days like that.

[Be Free]

4.5 to 5.5kts is average for those conditions in my . I've exceeded 6kts a few times but not for long. I've found that my boat goes faster if I put in one reef above 15 kts. Once I get over 15 degrees or so of heel the boat seems to be wasting much of the wind.

Chinook, I can't match your long run, but I've had some like that. The best one was between the Suwannee River and Cedar Key in the Gulf of Mexico. Around 10 miles, all of it just over 5kts without touching the sheets or the wheel. It's great when everything is working.

[Interim]

On my 26S, which was not your question, we get to 6knts fairly often and sometimes peak at 6.5. But since we are inland, our winds are variable, and those faster speeds don't last very long before we get a shift or a lull. Its frustrating.

I agree on reefing. If we have white caps, the first reef will usually produce better speed.

--john

[dlandersson]

Ditto

4.5 to 5.5kts is average for those conditions in my . I've exceeded 6kts a few times but not for long. I've found that my boat goes faster if I put in one reef above 15 kts. Once I get over 15 degrees or so of heel the boat seems to be wasting much of the wind.

Chinook, I can't match your long run, but I've had some like that. The best one was between the Suwannee River and Cedar Key in the Gulf of Mexico. Around 10 miles, all of it just over 5kts without touching the sheets or the wheel. It's great when everything is working.

[Freedom77]

Comparing apple to oranges, (or some kind of fruit?) Freedom is 1976 V-25 masthead rig. 525 sq. ft. chute. Sailing downwind from Newport to Ensenada, with spinnaker up, approx. 20 kt wind, following sea. Pegged knot meter at 10 kt. surfing, planing, down front of swell for six hours. Took 4th in class. WHAT A RUSH!!!

[Idh63]

Hi all,

I sail my Tattoo 26 the same as the dingys from my youth, constantly working the sails and looking for that bit extra. I got great advise from Blue Water Yachts, and with a few mods from them, saw good improvement.

I too, sail an inland lake, so winds are always shifting.

I put a low friction application on the Hull several times a season. When I first do that I see about a knot improvement in speeds. Detaching and raising the engine is a 1 knot improvement too.

I happened to be out on the lake, 13 kts of wind headed down wind chasing a 30 foot Catalina. My asymmetric flying, managed to see 7.9 kn. Pretty exciting. (Post edit: A little clarity - As noted below hull speed is less that 7.9kts. I had the dagger board 1/2 up and the boat was trying to plane. It was just me on the boat. These results are not typical. etc. etc.etc.)

Once that low friction polish wears off, I’m back to the same stats as you guys have mentioned above.

I try not to reef unless the wind is sustaining 12+ knots. I have a mylar jib on roller furling that makes a lot of power, I control heal by releasing the main as necessary. The top of my main will be parallel to the wind as controlling sail twist is impossible. I get as flatter shape in the main as possible under these conditions. As mentioned above, lake sailing can be frustrating with 13 knots falling to 5 knots for a time, sometimes a long time.

I have only been out once it 17-18 kts. I started off with reefed main only. Boat was a slug! 3.5 kts @ 42 deg. I had to add some Jib to get the airflow. Jib only may have been better. I will try that next time.

6.2 is about the fastest I have ever seen on a broad reach. 5.7 @45.

[Starscream]

Hull speed in the X is 6.8 knots so I guess I am a lousy sailor!

On our boat we measure speed in mph (gasp!), but we don't go out in heavy winds. With 8 knots gusting 12 knots we can do above 5mph consistently but when it pipes up to 15 to 20, we have better things to do than to throw things about the cabin and slide around the cockpit.

We flew the new Precision sails for the first time last week, with the wind maxing out at 10 knots in the gusts. Cracked off the wind a bit we were mostly in the low 5's (mph), with a few bursts up to 6.2(mph). Heel was 5 degrees in the lulls and 15 in the gusts, with full jib and main. Our lake water levels are dropping (actually the St. Lawrence River) and we sailed through some very shoaly parts with our keel dragging through the weeds and all the other sailboats staying miles away from where we were. The line of the day came from my son: "Hey look, that seagull is standing on the water!". Yeah..right...rocks just poking through the surface.

[Be Free]

Our lake water levels are dropping (actually the St. Lawrence River) and we sailed through some very shoaly parts with our keel dragging through the weeds and all the other sailboats staying miles away from where we were. The line of the day came from my son: "Hey look, that seagull is standing on the water!". Yeah..right...rocks just poking through the surface.

A couple of years ago I was sailing south on the Suwanee River and saw a man standing in the river (well away from shore) playing with his terrier sized dog. I had completely forgotten about Jack's Sandbar. If he had not been there I probably would have run right up on it. Even an has a hard time sailing in water that's just a little over ankle deep.

I'd heard before that you should not try to sail where the birds are walking. I guess we have to add small dogs to the list as well.

[dlandersson]

5.5 is just about my best speed.

What is your best sailing speed in 15 to 20 knots of wind for the and the ? So far I have averaged 5.5 to 6 broad reach and 4.5 to weather in flat protected water

[Neo]

I too, sail an inland lake, so winds are always shifting.

I put a low friction application on the Hull several times a season. When I first do that I see about a knot improvement in speeds. Detaching and raising the engine is a 1 knot improvement too.

I happened to be out on the lake, 13 kts of wind headed down wind chasing a 30 foot Catalina. My asymmetric flying, managed to see 7.9 kn. Pretty exciting. (Post edit: A little clarity - As noted below hull speed is less that 7.9kts. I had the dagger board 1/2 up and the boat was trying to plane. It was just me on the boat. These results are not typical. etc. etc.etc.)

I too, sail an inland lake and my best speed is 6.7Knots .... That was on 2nd Reefed main, white caps water and a wind of about 18knots healing at 15 to 20 deg .... Dagger board, Rudders and Outboard were all fully down and my hull is covered in a very rough (high friction!) antifoul which the PO put on ... not sure if my experience aligns well with yours

What instrument(s) are you checking your speed with?

[Inquisitor]

...
I happened to be out on the lake, 13 kts of wind headed down wind chasing a 30 foot Catalina. My asymmetric flying, managed to see 7.9 kn. Pretty exciting. (Post edit: A little clarity - As noted below hull speed is less that 7.9kts. I had the dagger board 1/2 up and the boat was trying to plane. It was just me on the boat. These results are not typical. etc. etc.etc.)
...

I was about to pass on giving mine as I knew I'd get the B.S. Sneeze.
But seeing your 7.9 knots => 9.1 mph! I can believe it.

I've seen a GPS number 8.0 mph for several minutes on a reach with the Spinnaker, 150% Genoa and full main in Pensacola Bay. Unfortunately, I didn't really take it for granite since I didn't know what currents were going on at the time. But it was a hull of a sleigh ride.

[Jimmyt]

6.8 knots max per Garmin chart plotter, but this doesn't happen a lot. 5 to a tad over 6 knots is typical when the wind is decent.

[svscott]

I've only sailed my 98 26X a handful of miles so far and got up to about 6 knots with full main and 150 genoa in 12 to 15 knot wind and fairly flat water.
My very well equipped 1987 26D definitely sails faster than the X and is easier to read what's going on with the boat and rig. On the D, I regularly see 6.5 to 7 knots and my personal best is 9.3 knots, sailing wing on wing while surfing 3 to 4 foot waves with about 15 knots wind dead astern. This was in July 2019 on a 50 mile passage from Erie, PA to Dunkirk, NY on Lake Erie. Winds were light and easy most of the day, with the Autopilot taking care of the steering but things got exciting and I took over when we were about an hour away from our destination. Accurate steering is crucial in that scenario!

Here are a few pictures of that fine day. I took my old boss/friend who'd just bought a C&C 29 for his first long sail. I also called ahead and arranged for the group home where my special needs uncle lives (very near our destination marina) to drop him him off to hang out for a couple hours. Uncle David LOVED getting to come see me and sit down for a great steak dinner with my buddy and I.
He was a little uneasy walking on the floating docks but by offering an arm for him to hold on to, I was able to help him feel stable then we hung out on 3 Hour Tour at the dock while we waited for his ride to come back an hour or so later. Memories like this are worth every boat buck I've spent!

I actually saw the 9.3kts on the GPS when it happened!


Wing on wing full main and 87 jib


View looking West towards Erie before the wind and swell picked up.


Safely docked in NY.


Random, awesome GTO in the marina parking lot.


My uncle and myself at dinner.


Lake Erie occasionally boasts some of the most amazing sunsets you'll ever see.

[Neo]

Great story and pictures.

Yep the 26D is a very different animal ... no heavy ballast tanks for start.
In the absence of ballast I've seen a 6.8Knot burst that lasted 2 or 3mins.... that was just before the wind knocked me flat .... I learnt just how great a Mac is that day/

"Boat Bucks" I like that term... I gonna steal that off you if I may