| This article describes the proper process to buy a | | | | stability. |
| sailboat. Unlike most boat purchase advice, written by | | | | This is not to say that fin keel boats can not perform in |
| manufacturers and designed to persuade the reader | | | | heavy air, they can. Only to say that in heavy air the |
| to purchase one brand or another, the suggestions in | | | | full keel boat can provide ease of steering and good |
| this article are written from the perspective of a | | | | stability without excessive draft. |
| sailboat buyer and are drawn from the collective | | | | The next two factors to consider are sail area and sail |
| wisdom of the author's dozen or so sailboat | | | | plan. The key to safely sailing in heavy air is to reduce |
| purchases as well as conversations with many, many | | | | the sail area to match the increasing wind speed while |
| other sailboat buyers. | | | | maintaining a balanced sail plan. In order to accomplish |
| This article will focus on applying the buying process to | | | | this, we want a very flexible sail plan with many |
| purchasing an appropriate vessel for heavy air sailing. | | | | configuration options. Now is the time for cutter rigs |
| The Buying Process | | | | and multi-mast rigs such as ketches and yawls. The |
| We believe a multi-step process to purchase a sailing | | | | increased number of sails on these rigs allows for far |
| vessel is ideal. Our initial emphasis is on assuring that | | | | more flexibility in sail area and sail placement and gives |
| purchases are based on a detailed description of how | | | | the sailor many more options to keep the sail plan |
| and where the vessel will be used and then identifying | | | | balanced with less and less sail area. |
| the best set of vessel characteristics for the specific | | | | A sloop rig simply can't provide all the configuration |
| type of sailing to be completed. Critical vessel | | | | option available with these other rigs. Also, the largest |
| characteristics include: sail plan, rig design, keel shape, | | | | drawback to these rigs is eliminated in heavy air. While |
| keel depth and displacement. In this article, we apply | | | | cutters and multi-mast rigs have increased drag, this is |
| those characteristics to heavy air sailing areas. | | | | not a concern in heavy air since we have more than |
| Let's start by describing heavy air sailing areas. Heavy | | | | enough wind to reach hull speed anyway. For |
| air areas are sailing areas that average 15 knots of | | | | consistent sailing in heavy air, cutter rigs and multi-mast |
| wind or more. Moreover, wind speeds exceeding | | | | rigs are the way to go. |
| 20-25 knots are not uncommon. What areas would be | | | | Finally, we consider displacement (i.e. weight). Sailing |
| considered heavy air areas? | | | | vessels get stiffness, resistance to heel, from reducing |
| Typically consistent winds in these speed ranges are | | | | sail area, hull design and many other factors. One |
| driven by global weather and geological phenomenon. | | | | factor is displacement. More displacement helps |
| Some of the best known areas qualifying as heavy air | | | | increase resistance to heel (for a given hull design), so |
| areas would include the thermal winds of San | | | | it is desirable in heavy air where large wind forces will |
| Francisco Bay, the Caribbean trade winds from | | | | increase heeling forces dramatically over light air |
| December through March and most latitudes below 40 | | | | conditions. In addition, big winds, particularly on open |
| degrees South. | | | | water, create larger waves with more potential to |
| Vessel Characteristics For Heavy Air | | | | slow or stop a vessel when going to weather. To |
| To begin, we assume you have already identified your | | | | keep moving, we want increased displacement so that |
| usage in detail as we recommended in Part One. Next, | | | | there is more momentum to keep going through bigger |
| its time to find a vessel that best fits the usage in | | | | waves. |
| heavy air areas. In heavy air areas we will not be | | | | Summary |
| concerned with powering up to the boat like we would | | | | With the right vessel, heavy air sailing can be safely |
| be in light areas. Most of the time, we will easily reach | | | | and enjoyably accomplished. When sailing in heavy air, |
| hull speed and our primary concern will be assuring | | | | a primary consideration is assuring we have a vessel |
| stability and steerage. To accomplish this, we want a | | | | that remains stable and maneuverable as the wind |
| flexible sail plan that assures the vessel can be | | | | force increases. This means matching (reducing) the |
| controlled and safely sailed on all points of sail in the | | | | sail area, while continuing to balance the boat, to the |
| expected strong wind conditions. | | | | increased wind force. The best boats for these |
| The first vessel characteristic to consider is keel | | | | conditions are the ones that provide the most flexible |
| design. While cruising in heavy air, we look for stability | | | | sail plans. Multi mast rigs and cutter rigs are superior to |
| and stiffness (resistance to heel) more than | | | | sloop rigs for this purpose. A keel design that helps |
| maneuverability and weight reduction. In these | | | | keep the boat steering straight through large wind |
| conditions, the full keels shine. The improved steering, | | | | forces and waves is also a help, so full length keels |
| resistance to turning and full keel length are all desirable | | | | are preferred over fin keels. Finally, stiffness, the |
| characteristics provided by a full keel. In addition, full | | | | resistance to heel, and momentum to move through |
| length keel allow for shallower drafts than fin keels | | | | larger waves are critical, so more displacement is |
| (while maintaining similar resistance to heal), permitting | | | | favored over light air conditions. |
| access to more ports of call while still maximizing | | | | |