I just bought a sc19 and was wondering if anyone had any experience sailing one of these solo in any sort of wind?
I'm in good shape and weigh about 220. Wanted to get some feedback before I try it.
Thanks!!

Handicap racing this weekend at our local sailing club, www.windycrest.com , and mostly MC Scows & Thistles. Only two of us out on cats. Both of us single handing. I was on my Nacra 5.2 and my friend his Super Cat 20. The SC20 is nice boat. New sails with square top main. He also runs a screecher on a roller furler but did not have it rigged on Sunday. Winds started out light and continued to build into the afternoon. Winds were 10-12 with gusts I would imagine 17 to low 20s. He single hands his SC20 often but indicated that it is more than a hand full with wind over 10. Unfortunately, he was comming up to the line to start and was going from port to starboard tack and the wind picked up. He did this and should have done that and went over. His SC20 turtles pretty fast. Always takes a power boat to right him with the 12' beam.

Point is, I guess, depends on your skill level and the wind.

I am new to cats and just started this summer. Single hand my 5.2 most of the time. Capsized once and could not right it by myself at the time. I intend to do some capsize drills next spring to work on my righting technique. (I weigh 205.)

My buddy with the SC20 and I usually go out together so we can help each other if we have problems. Been sailing all summer and fall and had not had any problems. When the wind is up and gusty, he usually takes out his Trac 14. This guy is a master sailor, so it proved to me that it can happen to anyone, and you don't want to be out alone if you can't get you cat back on its feet by yourself.

Terry
When in doubt/let it out!

Hello TBird,
The first thing you need to do is fix the top of your mast so it doesn't leak. All SC products are designed not to turtle with the large streamlined mast section. When you turn over, get off the upper hull quickly or you will drive the boat turtle with your weight even with a mast that doesn't leak. Use the righting system, shroud extension, and right the boat yourself and be on your way again.
The SC19 came with one of two masts. A light air mast, 33ft tall, or a 28.5ft tall mast for windy locations. Which one do you have? The self tacking jib is the answer to single handing a boat with a jib. Set it once and sail to windward all day and you don't have to touch the jib sheet again. Set it once for sailing downwind and jibe downwind all day without touching the jib sheet again. OR... take the jib off and sail unirig on windy days, no problem.
For technical support, check with the factory, Aquarius-Sail.com.
Bill

Hi T Bird.
In addition to Bill Robert's advice, one thing that I can recomend is putting reefing points in your mainsail. If it really windy, and a bit a handfull even on main alone, then reefing will dramaticly increase your wind range. I sail a little 15 ft cat and for $65 (Australian) I had reefing points installed 2 battens (1.4m) from the foot, including a bit of 3mm spectra to tie between the halyard ring and the shackle on the head of the main, 3 sail ties with the cleats and one S hook for the clew. It takes about 2 minutes to take in or out and could be more easily done on the water on a 19 ft cat than my 15 footer. Last weekend was blowing about 30 knots, and the cat racing was cancelled for safety reasons. It was just me sailing reefed and the sailboards. For some reason the boat points higher and goes faster sailing reefed in 25-30kts than it does on full main in 15-20kts.

Cheers

Simon

Hey there
Last weekend I was racing an etchell in what was advertised as 18-20 knot winds , but probably ended up more like 23+
anyway we beat the rest of the keelboats by about 5 minutes (they are mostly trailer sailors) but we saw about 3 of the clubs tornados cap and it seemed like the ones that didnt turtle were able to get it eventually, with the aid of their righting poles. (with the bigs cats are pretty much a necessity) but from personal experience definitely the best thing to do is make sure your mast has no leaks. you can also try to point the hulls slightly off the wind and this will help bring the boat over.And if you are going two up it can be an idea to get one of you to hover under the end of the mast to make sure it doesnt go under. always remember in the event of any incident the best thing to do is stay with the boat. by the way, your TRAC 14 is actually known as a Windrush 14 over here , the factory is not far from my house.
myself I actually have a Paper Tiger catamaran that I am readying for summer and hope to sail in the 14ft class.

One of the nice things that I've discovered is that the higher the winds, the easier it is to right my boat. Just get the bows pointed about 45 degrees off the wind, and once you get a little air under the sail the boat should pop right up as long as there's no water in the mast.

Knowing how easy it is to right the boat in heavy air has been a great confidence-booster.

Thanks for the info. That makes perfect sense. Sounds like doing a water start when you're windsurfing....

Hi TBird,
Something that makes righting a beach cat easy is using the wind to lift the rig back to the vertical position. To make this work, the hulls must be pointed into the wind. A small drag chute will do this nicely. Store the drag chute on the underside of the tramp. When you turn over, launch the drag chute off the bow of the hull in the water and tie the main tow line to the forestay chainplate at the hull. The drag chute will keep the hulls pointed into the wind. Now free up the mainsail traveller control line and sheet in the mainsail. Stand on the traveller car and push it down toward the water. This will take the leach of the mainsail with it. At this time the mainsail will begin working like a sail with a positive angle of attack and generate enough lift to right the boat. This is how I right the RC30.
Good Sailing,
Bill

hmmmm....wow! Never thought of the drag chute before or leaving the main sheeted (I imagine the drag chute is a prerequisite for leaving the main sheeted)....Great input Bill - I'll have to try that some day but hopefully not too soon - my capsizing days are much fewer now.

Jake,
It is the same principle as a waterstart on a sailboard type boat. The only difficulty is keeping the turned over boat pointed into the wind so that the mast is perpendicular to the wind.
The drag chute will take care of this job. When the leech of the mainsail is pushed down toward the water, the sail fills and the lift created by the mainsail rights the boat. Now one person can right the boat. When the boat comes up, the sails are immediately luffing and the boat stays with the bows pointed into the wind as long as the drag chute is out.
Bill