Achilles 24
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Achilles 24 |
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General Sailing, March 1976.
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In very light conditions it pays to heel the boat to leeward so that gravity will help form the sails into a useful shape; use a foreguy to stop the boom shaking about and knocking the wind out of the mainsail even when beating to windward. It also pays in light airs to have some of the crew weight on the foredeck to reduce wetted area aft. Even more necessary is for the crew not to move about unless it is essential as nothing stops a boat more quickly in these conditions than having an elephant running about on deck. In any wind conditions it does not pay to move the tiller about too much or too viciously. Every movement of the rudder slows the boat down. If you have excessive weather helm first check that you do not have the mainsheet too tight before adjusting the sail tensions. Even when cruising always fly a burgee, or better still, a "Great Hawk" or "Windex" wind indicator. As all yacht rudders stall and become inefficient when angled beyond bout 15° from the centreline, do not move the tiller more than this, even when tacking. The only time more movement is useful is when tacking in very light winds, and you are trying to push the stern round. Your rudder is acting as a paddle then and not as a piece of steering equipment. It is a useful exercise to play with the sheet adjustments when hard on the wind in a force 3 or force 4. Having trimmed the sheets so that the sails are as near perfect as you can reasonably achieve just let go of the tiller. You should find that your Achilles will very gently luff up into the wind. Keeping the weight of the crew stationary and the weight of the helmsman to windward, bring her back on course and now harden in the genoa just a trifle and ease off the mainsheet an equal amount. With very little experiment you will find that she will steer herself for a reasonable length of time with no one at the helm. Now with the crews weight still stationary and the helm unattended the helmsman should transfer his weight to the leeward side of the cockpit. The yacht will now, once again, gently ease herself into the wind. With practise you can steer an Achilles merely by transfering your weight from one side of the cockpit to the other in that sort of wind if the sea is moderately calm. If this cannot be done you are not handling the sails correctly or the mast rake is not correct. These notes are intended purely as an initial guide to the Achilles 24. In Achilles you have a yacht that is very responsive, and that being so will respond to tuning in a most satisfactory manner. Whether you are mainly interested in racing or cruising you have a fast craft that is easy to handle and will give you a pleasant, enjoyable and comfortable sail. It only remains for us to wish you many fine seasons of enjoyment with your Achilles. Butler Mouldings, Gowerton, Nr Swansea. |