I posted some photos in the NCSail.org website. It was an interesting weekend. I learned why "life lines" are called "life lines". 4 to 6 foot seas on the last day, downpour, no visibility, VHF didn't work that well under the rain, mal de mer for the good part of the leg, got caught in a squall with too much sail out, almost went overboard twice, I'm still sore from all the bumps in the cockpit and down below where the rain water collected (about two gallons in 30 minutes) For those trying to go offshore in a C-22; if you value your life, don't do it.
Other than that, it was fun, I launched at Cobb marina in VA Beach with a group of sailors from NCSail and their Mac-26s, I sailed to Cape Charles by myself the first day, they came the next day to spend the night, had a great dinner with friends, and Monday we turned around.
Back from a weekend in the Chesapeake Bay
Back from a weekend in the Chesapeake Bay
1976 Chrysler 22 Halve Maen - Sail # 595
Gus
I here ya on the warning about a c22 offshore!!! I took mine out just south of chaleston. What a ride! 6-8ft seas and 20 knot winds. We went about 6 miles out for a couple hours...if a storm had popped up we would have been in trouble! It was intimidating at first, but a blast after we got used to it.
I here ya on the warning about a c22 offshore!!! I took mine out just south of chaleston. What a ride! 6-8ft seas and 20 knot winds. We went about 6 miles out for a couple hours...if a storm had popped up we would have been in trouble! It was intimidating at first, but a blast after we got used to it.
I agree Gus. Both the C22 and the C26 are NOT BLUEWATER BOATS. Perhaps the C-26 with the fixed Keel could be close but the swing keels could spell trouble when it gets rough out there. 6-8ft while coastal cruising are rather big however once you get out in the middle of nowhere 6-8ft are on the small side when you get storms blowing up.
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CaptainScott
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very interesting, worth reading the following;
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/learning- ... fined.html
AND
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-d ... water.html
AND keel specific...
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-revi ... ising.html
all very interesting, some say don't gout off-shore in less than 30-40ft boat, others say nothing less than 5200lbs displ., all agree a swing keel is not for the rough stuff, but some say the C-26 swing keel is OK since it can be "locked" in the down position, true?
great lessons to share here,, you are a real sailor! what was worrisome was your fatigue AND your VHF issues....there is another thread about setting-up a masthead VHF antenna and I bet in your situation, you were praying for every db of transmissoin you could muster to communicate you position/situation....( no cell phones where this real sailor went)
great story and great lessons for sailors like me who stick to lakes, bays, marinas and boat stands. thanks it is reassuring to really know what these boats can and can not do.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/learning- ... fined.html
AND
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-d ... water.html
AND keel specific...
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-revi ... ising.html
all very interesting, some say don't gout off-shore in less than 30-40ft boat, others say nothing less than 5200lbs displ., all agree a swing keel is not for the rough stuff, but some say the C-26 swing keel is OK since it can be "locked" in the down position, true?
great lessons to share here,, you are a real sailor! what was worrisome was your fatigue AND your VHF issues....there is another thread about setting-up a masthead VHF antenna and I bet in your situation, you were praying for every db of transmissoin you could muster to communicate you position/situation....( no cell phones where this real sailor went)
great story and great lessons for sailors like me who stick to lakes, bays, marinas and boat stands. thanks it is reassuring to really know what these boats can and can not do.
Last edited by NYCSAILOR on Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
C-26, Fixed Keel # 343
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EmergencyExit
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The manual says "
The ideal position of the keel is 60 degrees to the water line. It is suggested that the keel be let down until the line is slack, when it will automatically lock into its wedge. "
I'd be really suspicious that it would stay there in rough/high seas.
I bet Windward can tell us how much keel bump he had last year offshore.
The ideal position of the keel is 60 degrees to the water line. It is suggested that the keel be let down until the line is slack, when it will automatically lock into its wedge. "
I'd be really suspicious that it would stay there in rough/high seas.
I bet Windward can tell us how much keel bump he had last year offshore.
I was not aware that the keel in the C26 locked into position. I did not see any hardware on mine that will accommodate this process. Love more info on this.
Granted the more experience the better you will handle those conditions next time. These are amazing boats but I still have this over riding fear of the keel crashing through the keel pocket. Fun times sailing solo in rough weather!
Granted the more experience the better you will handle those conditions next time. These are amazing boats but I still have this over riding fear of the keel crashing through the keel pocket. Fun times sailing solo in rough weather!
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EmergencyExit
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- Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
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EmergencyExit
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- Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 5:02 pm
- Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Jammin'!
Yes, the keel is a friction fit. That might not seem really secure, and in an inversion it's probably not -- I'll bet Ron's right about the damage it would do as it slammed home into the keel trunk -- but it's solid as can be in the conditions I've tried it in, and I've seen it wedge tightly enough to break a 3/16" stainless pendant wire on several boats.
"Offshore" means different things to different people. I'd not hesitate to go to the Bahamas with Windward, assuming a decent wx window. Not sure how far past horizontal you could get knocked before the keel would swing free and hammer the trunk. The theoretical stability specs for the C26 are quite impressive, but in practice I think the swing keel would swing with a vengeance and connect hard if you ever found yourself inverted.
On the coast last October, we saw a variety of conditions, but in all cases no bang, no slam, no "thunk," no problem. Ran past the end of Cape Lookout Shoals in 20-25 kt, experiencing 6'+ swells with the occasional big'un thrown in. These typically have some space between them, so not much problem there. In Pamlico Sound a week or so later, the waves were 4+ feet, again with some bigger ones, but the shallow sound meant very short wavelengths and much more violent action. Those were much more challenging to deal with, both upwind and down. Even the couple of times I rounded up while surfing at 8+ knots, no probs with the keel moving about -- stayed wedged tighter than a tick. Only other sailboats I saw out those days were > 35', and from watching their progress Windward clearly had no apologies to make. While doing stupid spinnaker tricks on that same trip, we rounded up hard enough to drown the winches a couple of times. Again, no problems with the swing keel going mobile.
Never sailed a fixed keel C26 so I can only conjecture, but based on the way Windward sails I think it would make a great, if small, offshore boat with some judicious mods/reinforcement to hull/deck joint, companionway hatch (smaller, stronger, and 100% watertight), some additional bulkheads and stringers, and perhaps some rudder revisions.
"Offshore" means different things to different people. I'd not hesitate to go to the Bahamas with Windward, assuming a decent wx window. Not sure how far past horizontal you could get knocked before the keel would swing free and hammer the trunk. The theoretical stability specs for the C26 are quite impressive, but in practice I think the swing keel would swing with a vengeance and connect hard if you ever found yourself inverted.
On the coast last October, we saw a variety of conditions, but in all cases no bang, no slam, no "thunk," no problem. Ran past the end of Cape Lookout Shoals in 20-25 kt, experiencing 6'+ swells with the occasional big'un thrown in. These typically have some space between them, so not much problem there. In Pamlico Sound a week or so later, the waves were 4+ feet, again with some bigger ones, but the shallow sound meant very short wavelengths and much more violent action. Those were much more challenging to deal with, both upwind and down. Even the couple of times I rounded up while surfing at 8+ knots, no probs with the keel moving about -- stayed wedged tighter than a tick. Only other sailboats I saw out those days were > 35', and from watching their progress Windward clearly had no apologies to make. While doing stupid spinnaker tricks on that same trip, we rounded up hard enough to drown the winches a couple of times. Again, no problems with the swing keel going mobile.
Never sailed a fixed keel C26 so I can only conjecture, but based on the way Windward sails I think it would make a great, if small, offshore boat with some judicious mods/reinforcement to hull/deck joint, companionway hatch (smaller, stronger, and 100% watertight), some additional bulkheads and stringers, and perhaps some rudder revisions.
Jeff
s/v Windward
1978 C-26 #481
http://www.lizards.net
http://www.sv-windward.com
http://www.chryslersailing.com
s/v Windward
1978 C-26 #481
http://www.lizards.net
http://www.sv-windward.com
http://www.chryslersailing.com
Jeff said it all....
From all the lore I have heard about swing keel and bluewater.. it is a definate NO except there is talk about the C-26 swing keel being the one exception... due to this "locking phenomonon"
I took with special interest Jeff's thoughts on teh Fixed keel 26's mods and wonder what he thinks about the deck stepped mast and esp. the chainplates for offshore.... I think this is a major weakpoint I worry about and am trying to figure out best practices reinforcement for them.... I am thinking using large "toggle" bolts in the settee back to hold down in place of teh wood screws... or cutting a "inspection port in the setee back so I can put a serious steel metal backing plate up in there to bolt down to...
From all the lore I have heard about swing keel and bluewater.. it is a definate NO except there is talk about the C-26 swing keel being the one exception... due to this "locking phenomonon"
I took with special interest Jeff's thoughts on teh Fixed keel 26's mods and wonder what he thinks about the deck stepped mast and esp. the chainplates for offshore.... I think this is a major weakpoint I worry about and am trying to figure out best practices reinforcement for them.... I am thinking using large "toggle" bolts in the settee back to hold down in place of teh wood screws... or cutting a "inspection port in the setee back so I can put a serious steel metal backing plate up in there to bolt down to...
C-26, Fixed Keel # 343