Single handed Olson 30 vs……

[matthewwhill]

Still enjoying single handing my Olson 30 in Puget Sound. Just day sailing and minimalist cruising. When the wind blows hard it can be a handful by myself, but nothing too gnarly if prepared. Still, I occasionally wonder if I should downsize - something like a Moore 24, Olson 25, or even an old Cal 25.

Specific question has to do with upwind performance in 12+ knots and chop - conditions under which I find it a bit slow going due to leeway…..

Despite the shorter waterline and in some cases smaller displacement, are boats like those I mention able have less leeway while single handed (not much weight on the rail) and even make a better VMG than a single handed Olson 30?

My current strategy is basically to foot as fast and flat as I can… with the longer displacement perhaps sailing faster but lower would still yield a better VMG?

 

[Xavier]

An O30 is faster (elapsed time, boat-for-boat) than the three boats you mentioned. Yes, upwind in 12+ knots of breeze an O30 is not the boat’s favorite conditions. As you know, the O30 is stability challenged, and is difficult to sail to its rating in those conditions, especially singlehanded. I believe the other boats you mentioned, and I would include the Express 27 in the list, have more form stability relative to total righting moment. So I think they suffer less than the Olson from the loss of rail weight. Therefore, they probably have a bit of a rating advantage in some conditions. The same is true for most boats, the O30 is a great light air boat. But it can still be competitive upwind in 12+.

Excessive leeway is an indicator of being overpowered. React with: travel down, flatter shapes, more twist, smaller sails…

I think the best reason to sail an O30 (or any boat) is if you have “a thing for them”. Otherwise, the other boats you mentioned have a lot to offer – not the least of which is that they have smaller, less costly sails and gear.

Hope this helps, Sam
Olson 30 Dragonsong

 

[matthewwhill]

An O30 is faster (elapsed time, boat-for-boat) than the three boats you mentioned. Yes, upwind in 12+ knots of breeze an O30 is not the boat’s favorite conditions. As you know, the O30 is stability challenged, and is difficult to sail to its rating in those conditions, especially singlehanded. I believe the other boats you mentioned, and I would include the Express 27 in the list, have more form stability relative to total righting moment. So I think they suffer less than the Olson from the loss of rail weight. Therefore, they probably have a bit of a rating advantage in some conditions. The same is true for most boats, the O30 is a great light air boat. But it can still be competitive upwind in 12+.

Excessive leeway is an indicator of being overpowered. React with: travel down, flatter shapes, more twist, smaller sails…

I think the best reason to sail an O30 (or any boat) is if you have “a thing for them”. Otherwise, the other boats you mentioned have a lot to offer – not the least of which is that they have smaller, less costly sails and gear.

Hope this helps, Sam
Olson 30 Dragonsong

Thanks so much Sam
Most if the time the winds are light here and I do love being able to sail basically all the time even when there is almost none.

In winds over 12 or whenever there is much chop I can get windward VMG’s from 3-3.5 kts - thats by GPS course over ground so that is including all leeway, wave action, currents etc…. And with dacron sails , usually non-overlapping headsails.

In 12 kts and flat water i have gotten over 4 kts VMG. Not as good as the polars predict but they don’t account for leeway or having no rail meat etc from what I understand.

Sam in your opinion does this seem about right?

When you charge out to the Fallarons or beat somewhere in the windy/wavy conditions, how fast do you get to a point dead upwind?

 

[Xavier]

Your speeds seem about right. As mentioned before, I don't focus on absolute numbers, so I don't have much to offer there. Offhand, fully powered upwind with the #3, if speed over ground is below about 5.5kn, there is adverse current, or I'm not sailing well (too often the latter). Tacking angles are often a tick or so lower than some boats but equal with other ULDB's (Moore, Express, Santa Cruz). Beating in windy/wavy conditions, we arrive at a point dead upwind when we get there, which is always later than we would like to have gotten there.

There is no substitute for sailing with and or alongside a similar boat and noting the relative differences. Find a sailmaker that has experience with the O30 and talk with them. Although it might be a little pricey if you end up buying a sail or two! I assume you have posed similar questions to the O30 facebook group?

 

[Wylieguy]

Mathew, The list of SSS Transpac boats in the Race Archives includes many Olson 30s that have sailed the race, with their skippers. Some of the skippers may still be active on this website. You might try contacting the ones that are to answer some of your questions. West Marine's Chuck Hawley was an early O30 racer and you might contact him thru WM. The Olson 29 is similar, so you might try contacting those skippers, too. Pat Broderick, former SSS Commodore

 

[DaveH]

OK, I'll jump in...
Everything Sam said above is true in my experience sailing the O29.
My go to for sailing upwind in chop is a bit unconventional; in lighter wind, I twist off the top (travel up, sheet out) once the wind is over 12 or so, I invert that and sheet in and drop the traveler. Seems to work, YMMV.
Also note this IS NOT what I do when there is swell involved, but for the typical wind and tide driven chop in the Sailsh sea, you might try it.

Having said that, the O29 is a different boat.
Specifically, it has a frac rig, the keel is 6" deeper and 150lbs heavier, and the rudder is completely different as well. The do share the basic canoe body, the 29 is 6" shorter, at the transom (not WL)

DH