How Much wind is too much wind in a Catalina 22?

Question

I have a cat 22 on Lake Conroe. Im fairly new to sailing. How much wind is too much? Where should my limits be?

Answer 1

Too much wind is where you are losing the ability to control your boat. There are so many variables that factor in. What sails are you flying, is your main reefed, how much weight (people) on board, fixed or swing keel, wave/chop height are just a few.

If you are not comfortable, then that is probably too much wind for your experience.

Answer 2

A steady wind of between 25 and 30 mph should be your limit, but gust of 35 or more should have you taking your sails down.  Also any time there are "thunder storms in the area, you should get the sails down and motor for the closest shelter. If there are small craft warnings don't go out!  I hope this helps!  Good Luck!

Answer 3

If you are new to sailing, you probably don't want to take it out in more than 15 mph of wind. I suspect that anything more than 12 will start to make you feel uncomfortable, so at first you may want to reef your main and sail with your 110 jib if you expect the wind to be blowing. You should have 2 or 3 other crew, and you will need to use your winch handles to sheet the jib. It is important to keep the rig balanced so you have neutral helm, otherwise you will be holding on to the tiller for dear life. You will want to crank on the outhaul, cunningham, and especially the vang to flatten and depower the main. Move your jib leads back to flatten that sail out also. You will also want to tighten your back stay when sailing upwind.

When I am sailing with experienced crew (3 people) so we have a skipper, one cockpit crew, one mid deck and one foredeck, we can race in up to 30 mph before worrying about survival. But then again, I am a sailing instructor with 30+ sailing experience.

Answer 4

At some point when the wind increases you should be prepared to shorten sail ,or "reef". When you've shortened sail to the point that the boat's windage has more of an effect on where you're going than the sail plan, you're in too much wind. For that boat? With a good set of sails with reef points and handled with skill? Probably 25 knots.

Answer 5

Had an older  one for many years.

The swing keel model w/ main & 110% jib.

Also had about 150 lbs lead plate ballast in fwd I side storage compartments.

I sailed alone most times & not exactly sure but Im thinking about 15kts is enough maybe a little more on a  lake

With a couple of chunky friends have sailed in strong steady wind w/ the rail down & solid water coming over her bow.

Lots of initial heel , but a blast once she got going.

The 22 carries a big main & w/ the standard jib will flog in strong wind.

A roller reefing or storm jib will  make it more manageable.

Had a jiffy reef on the main which I used  fairly often.

Added a simple topping lift  & lazy jacks which helped keep the "laundry" from flopping around.

My basic gauge for wind was watching larger boats , chop & whitecaps & an eye on flags ashore.

If the flags were straight out & snapping in the breeze , I would take a tuck in the main before heading  out.

Old saying ..."if you have to think about reefing ...its too late "

Reefing single handed gets "interesting" when its blowing.

Anyhow ,they are great little boats but they can get a little "lively" when the wind comes up strong.& gusty.

Limits are a matter of common sense,

If you are getting  more than a little nervous, drop sail quick & head in.

Have fun

Best regards

Answer 6

A good rule of thumb for a novice is 1knt per foot of boatlength

hope this helps

Answer 7

For a new guy...hmmm.

Depends on how keen you are. Watch your sail area and combinations....traveler settings, etc.  You'll probably be a little overwhelmed in 20 knots. The boat with a top crew can be sailed fast in up to 25-30 knots. Remember it isn't fast on it's ear, so crew weight on the rail will become increasingly important.

Have fun.