24 May
2011
24 May
'11
8:19 a.m.
I figure my M-17 ought to do a little over 5.3 knots, based on its waterline length. But at the recent Florida 120, my GPS indicated 5.5 to 5.8 knots for periods long enough to make me wonder how it was possible. We were fairly close hauled, heeling 20°, to 30° in the gusts. Does this boat grow when heeled? Oh it was fun!
I commonly sail 5+knots close hauled. Though I generally find it will go faster when flatter. 10-15 degrees. I once kept 6.5 on the clock for about 20 seconds. Surfing down a long wave on a broad reach with a little more sail than I should have had up. Everything including me was maxed out and too much. Such is the magic of the 17.