Topic: Is there an optimum wind condition for Aloha 27 performance?

[Steve]

Have those racing an Aloha 27 found their boats to perform better relative to rating in one condition versus another?

[aloha27]

Steve, our A27 (#39) is fitted out as a cruising vessel. As a matter of fact, Patti has stowed so much stuff aboard that I'm almost surprised "Ever After" still floats. She was built in 1980 with an encapsulated keel. i.e. the ballast is at the bottom of the keel. (Lead shot and epoxy) I believe it is this feature that separates the earlier A27's from the newer models. We seem to perform best upwind and reaching with true wind of about 18 knots and up.  We have to reef the main when the wind gets to be over 25 knots. Downwind, we suffer. No question. Even winging it with our 150% we pretty much lose ground to the rest of the fleet here at Barrachois Harbour Yacht Club. We had 6 A27's here a few years ago and were able to figure out which boats would do well on any particular day. We had ours, #42, #47, #167 and #184 racing here, as well as DH Boatbuilding (bought the mould after Aloha went under) #2. The three later models did exceptionally well in light to moderate air (I think because of greater sail area) but all had to reef when the wind piped up LONG before the older three.

Hope this helps!
Steve, Patti and Grace (Ship's Cat)
sv "Ever After"
A27 #39
Tatamagouche NS

[Steve]

Steve,

Is your model called Aloha 27 or 26?

That's very interesting. If I understand you, the later boats had their ballast evenly distributed through the keel - or did I read somewhwere that only the forward half got ballast and the rest was filled with whatever? - while the earlier boats, like yours, had the ballast cocnentrated down low. Presumably the total ballast weight is the same for both.

Question: Any chance you have more rake than the others? Typically, with boats of this vintage (keel dsign), more rake is needed for upwind performance than generally realized. However, rake makes you slower downwind. On the other hand, as you say, if you're racing downwind without spinnakers, the bigger mains of the newer boats would make a huge difference.

Your info tells me I'd much rather have an earlier boat. That is, I'd rather have a stiff boat for cruising, for sure, but also for racing. That's because you simply can't go well with insufficient ballast in heavy air, but with careful tuning and a couple of good tacks, you can be competitive in light air despite heavy ballast.

Any idea what year, or at what sail number, they switched ballast methods?

[aloha27]

Hi Steve!

Our Aloha was sold as a 26. We use our adjustable backstay to rake/mini-reef in moderate to strong winds  while beating. I'll ask Dana Hunter (DH boatbuilding) here in Tatamagouche what year Aloha switched to the drop-in ballast system. To clarify further, our lead shot and epoxy ballast is down low on the forward third of the keel.
I'm looking at the line drawing I have right now and our ballast could be 2200 lbs. as opposed to the 2000 lbs. generally listed and the designed weight is 5414 lbs.

As an aside, Dana sailed a 27 and 28. Finding the 28 to be slightly more tender, opted to purchase the Aloha 27 mould. I'm going to take a guess the ballast system was changed in '82 or '83 when the "E" measurement changed) , but I'll certainly ask.

[Steve]

Steve, I would appreciate knowing when they changed over. And I'd be interested to know if they decreased the ballast too, as you have reason to wonder if you don't have an extra 200 lbs.

BTW, your backstay adjuster will pull the top of the mast aft a bit and create a bit of forward bend in the mast around the midsection (depending on how flexible your mast is), which in turn flattens the main and, usually, increaes forestay tension. But it won't rake your mast. That can only be done by letting off the forestay so that mast begins to fall back. Most boats of your vintage need about 12 to 16 inches of rake, meaning - as you probably realize - with no tension on the backstay the top of the mast will sit 12 - 16 inches aft of the base of the mast.

Most people think rake is about balancing the helm. That is, as you increase rake you increase weather helm, and vica versa as you decrease rake. In fact, rake is no less about slot. As you increase or decrease rake the slot is radically altered. The right rake maximizes upwind performance. However, different rake is needed for the jib versus the genoa, as they set up very differently, with very different slot.

My marina, here in Alberta, won't allow boats longer than 26 feet. Not that many aren't 26 feet something. So, in fact, if I had an earlier moder called Aloha 26, that might help get me in, despite that the boat is closer to 27 feet.

Steve

[musrum]

Backstay tension plays a significant role in sail tuning,
even with a masthead rig, even with a masthead rig that
has all shrouds at the same point fore and aft as the
mast foot, (i.e., no way to bend the mast.   It will control
forestay sag, which in turn will have a dramatic affect
on the depth and location of the foresail camber.

I am not familiar with the A27 rig, but a hydraulic back
stay tensioner made a world of difference on my Cal
2-27.  Basically, higher pointing or higher wind, tighter
backstay, Off the wind or lighter air, less tension.

Of course, it is all a waste of time and money if you
don't have a properly cut foresail.

[Steve]

Thomas is right, of course.

But, sometimes, people overdo backstay tension in heavy air. The result is pointing too high into a chop and with insufficient power to get through it.

That's because if the forestay is too tight, a skipper can (and probably will) point very high before the luff backwinds. That sounds good. But it isn't if the boat is pointing too close to head-on the chop. A lack of power to get through the chop is also problematic. More forestay sag provides extra power and ensures a boat isn't trying to point too high. Needless to say, one must to experiment to know how much backstay/forestay tension is best

(Thanks for editing the word "their" into "there" in the subject title.)

[aloha27]

This link on the site may be useful regarding forestay tension on the A27's! 
http://www.alohaowners.com/pages/projects/rig/rig.htm
It made a HUGE difference to us while mixing it up with the BIG kids!

Steve, Patti and Grace (Ship's Cat)
sv "Ever After"
A27 #39
Barrachois Harbour (Tatamagouche) NS

[musrum]

Ah...good article.  I am glad I qualified my statement with the note
that I was not familiar with the A27 rig.  The Cal 27 is a masthead rig.
Two completely different beasts!

There is a rather good book unimaginatively called "Sail Trim" that
has a lot of good information on fractional rig techniques.  I don't
remember the author just now.  The book is aimed at small keel
boats, but much would likely apply to somewhat larger boats
(A27) as well.

[alohaoa]

Doing a quick "Google" search using "Sail Trim" to see if I could identify this book, showed there are many on the subject (and I'm not sure which is the one Thomas is referring to), but also highlighted just how many free on-line articles there are on this subject.

Link http://www.google.com/search?q=sail+trim&hl=en&lr=&start=10&sa=N

Keith

[musrum]

"A Manual of Sail Trim", Stuart H. Walker.


[Thanks for the additional info - Keith]