matthewwhill
New member
Greetings. Have had an Olson 30 for a few months now in Seattle. Really like the boat. Almost always single hand. Would like to get some feedback, especially from Olson sailors that bash upwind out to the Farallons.
I realize that without weight on the rail beating upwind isn’t its greatest strength. I want to know what I should expect and whether I am doing something fundamentally wrong. I reduce sail early, keep her flat and as fast as I can while still making some progress to windward. I can sail 6 kts as close to apparent wind as I can and although I don’t have a lot of instruments I believe I am sailing close to the polars with respect to apparent wind.
But when I look at my course over ground my “GPS-VMG” I occasionally get tacking angles at 90 degrees or less but usually around 50-55 with VMG 3.5-3.6 but sometimes much worse depending on sea state etc… I presume a lot of it is leeway despite my efforts to stay flat and fast.
What do you guys experience beating out to the Farallons if there is a west or NW wind?
How long does it take ? Or what is your VMG?
Thanks so much!
Matt
I realize that without weight on the rail beating upwind isn’t its greatest strength. I want to know what I should expect and whether I am doing something fundamentally wrong. I reduce sail early, keep her flat and as fast as I can while still making some progress to windward. I can sail 6 kts as close to apparent wind as I can and although I don’t have a lot of instruments I believe I am sailing close to the polars with respect to apparent wind.
But when I look at my course over ground my “GPS-VMG” I occasionally get tacking angles at 90 degrees or less but usually around 50-55 with VMG 3.5-3.6 but sometimes much worse depending on sea state etc… I presume a lot of it is leeway despite my efforts to stay flat and fast.
What do you guys experience beating out to the Farallons if there is a west or NW wind?
How long does it take ? Or what is your VMG?
Thanks so much!
Matt