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Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing #105206
04/29/07 12:04 AM
04/29/07 12:04 AM
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 208
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DHO Offline OP
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I picked up a copy of this book at a garage sale for 50 cents. This is the edition that came out in 1993. From skimming the book it looks like Bethwaite has quite a fetish for planing monoslugs such as the Aussie 18 foot skiffs. There is next to nothing in there about multihulls. Is any of the theory and engineering data in this book applicable to cats or is this book totally worthless?

D Ho
TheMightyHobie18 1067

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Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: DHO] #105207
04/29/07 01:34 AM
04/29/07 01:34 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 9,582
North-West Europe
Wouter Offline
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Quote

Is any of the theory and engineering data in this book applicable to cats or is this book totally worthless?



It is one of the most valuable book to own as a sailor.

Check out all the stuff on weather and sail trim. Sure, the skiffs have somewhat different control to affect the sailshape but the basic concept still do apply.

I found it a valuable book all-around. Increasinly more so after each time I reread it or used it t look something up. It is not really a book that will grap you first time around, mostly you'll be reading over the important stuff the first time around, but it is there.

Wouter


Wouter Hijink
Formula 16 NED 243 (one-off; homebuild)
The Netherlands
Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: DHO] #105208
04/29/07 02:43 AM
04/29/07 02:43 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
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David,
What a steal- I paid well over 100 times that price for my copy and I'd do it again.
You lucky bugger.

Regards,
Phill


I know that the voices in my head aint real,
but they have some pretty good ideas.
There is no such thing as a quick fix and I've never had free lunch!

Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: DHO] #105209
04/29/07 04:10 AM
04/29/07 04:10 AM

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Hi David,

just remember to treat the speeds etc. he quotes for skiffs with healthy scepticism. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

The cats have taken on his skiffs on their home turf, Sydney Flying Squadron for the last 2 years and Won. First year it was windy and the skiffs said try and beat us in light wind, second year light wind and cats won again <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: DHO] #105210
04/29/07 06:24 AM
04/29/07 06:24 AM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 951
Brisbane, Queensland, Australi...
ncik Offline
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A book worth having for any sailor, if you can keep track of what he's trying say as it jumps around a bit. The weather section is probably the most valuable, hence worth reading and understanding thoroughly.

A yacht is a yacht, whether it's got two hulls or one. Certain principles apply to all yachts (lift, drag, resistance, righting moment, etc.), you'll just have to think a bit laterally to apply the ideas to cats.

Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: ncik] #105211
04/29/07 08:32 AM
04/29/07 08:32 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 264
Long Island, NY
gregP19 Offline
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I think he favors planing skiffs because the ability of their hulls to plane effortlessly allows them to sail up to 2.5 times the wind speed. He notes the fact that displacement boats have hull speed limitations. They can't get beyond sailing in the "forced mode". It's got to be one of the most in-depth books on sailing ever written.


G Gove Blade #728 Long Island, New Yawk
Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: gregP19] #105212
04/29/07 01:14 PM
04/29/07 01:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,049
Sebring, Florida.
Timbo Offline
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I got a lot out of his drag tests with the different hull shapes, boards, rudders, and the clean hull vs. the sanded hull tests. He also talks about the different sail shapes and the associated drag there. You do know his son, Julian, designed the 49'r Olympic skiff, right?

I wish someone with credentials would write a similar book dealing only with catamarans, hull shapes, rig lift/drag, maybe throw in some lift stuff for designing hydrofoil cats and tri's, etc.

And Rick should update his previouse excellent book, Catamaran Racing for the 90's, to Catamaran Racing for the 2010's and beyond! To include A cats and all spinnaker cats, Corsair Tri's, and the new Lightspeed cat and the R33.

We have seen much development in the past 10 years and need new books to keep up with it.


Blade F16
#777
Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: Timbo] #105213
04/29/07 07:42 PM
04/29/07 07:42 PM

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I had a heck of a time tracking this one down. Pretty much every online store claims to have it, but after they drag it out a month, it becomes clear most don’t. I got lucky and finely found a copy. Well worth the .5 My version is a 2003 reprint and it is not clear if it has been updated since 1993.

Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: gregP19] #105214
04/29/07 09:17 PM
04/29/07 09:17 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 951
Brisbane, Queensland, Australi...
ncik Offline
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Big displacement boats will plane with enough wind up the bum, just look at the maxis and volvo 70s. Hell, an oil tanker will plane with a big enough engine, but that is unfeasible!

There are basic principles that apply to all boats. Just keep that in mind when reading the book and try to convert his ideas on dinghies and skiffs to cats.

Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: Timbo] #105215
04/29/07 11:53 PM
04/29/07 11:53 PM

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Quote

And Rick should update his previous excellent book, Catamaran Racing for the 90's, to Catamaran Racing for the 2010's and beyond! To include A cats and all spinnaker cats, Corsair Tri's, and the new Lightspeed cat and the R33.

We have seen much development in the past 10 years and need new books to keep up with it.


And include the F-18 and F-16 boats. Don't get me wrong. Rick does a SUPER job, but i would like to see his knowledge applied to these new boats. I am seriously looking at a Blade.in 2008

Doug and Ashleigh Snell

Re: Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing [Re: DHO] #105216
04/30/07 06:41 AM
04/30/07 06:41 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
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Jake  Offline
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Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Yes, absolutely. There is a lot of terrific wind and weather information in that book. Although he pretty clearly feels that skiffs are the greatest thing in the world, there are some good things about balance and trim that still apply.


Jake Kohl

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