19+ Ways To Make Your Sailboat Faster? Increase Boat Speed
More speed means more fun, and more time and places to explore. Whether for racing or normal sailing. Increasing the sailboat speed and making the sailboat faster will take your experience to a higher level and make it much more filled with all the excitement and fun.
Well, I will share with you 19+ effective and proven ways that will increase your sailboat speed and make you sail faster. These tips are not all just for sailboats, you can apply what is appropriate to other boats such as fishing boats, catamarans, trimarans, yachts, and others.
Applying just one of them will not make a huge difference but when you apply several of them together you will notice a huge difference in the performance and speed of your sailboat.
This may not work for everyone, as there are differences in sailboat types, classes, and the limited changes you can make to the designs and the capabilities of each person. But despite that, you will surely find what suits your circumstances.
Without further ado let’s see how to increase your sailboat speed and make your sailing boat faster.
1. Get Rid Of Unnecessary Weight To Sail Faster
The lighter boat is faster than the heavier boat if they are similar in size and design.
You will struggle to outrun other boats if you use the maximum gross load of your boat, or increase the sailing boat speed during normal sailing.
In simple words, the sailboat is moved by the force of the wind, which constitutes two forces, pushing and lifting. More weight means more wind is needed to move it.
Since the invention of sailboats thousands of years ago; Weight is one of the most important factors affecting the speed of a sailboat.
Remove any unnecessary weight even if it is light in itself. When you combine them with other things, you may get rid of an unnecessary load. Thus your boat will practically become faster.
You can get rid of any things you are not going to use in your race or if you are on a normal sailing trip.
Some sailors even had to remove doors, lockers, mattresses, and pillows, and some even removed the toilet and left it on the dock. What the $$$$?
Next, I will give some ideas about things you can get rid of to make your boat lighter and faster.
2. Empty The Tanks, Water, Fuel, And Holding Tank
50 gallons of water, 50 gallons of fuel plus the holding tank, that’s more than 455 kilograms (1000 pounds) of extra weight that can be removed.
Don’t wonder why your boat is slow if your tanks are always full.
If you are in a race, take only what you need, water and fuel, without extra.
Nobody is going to take a shower during the race I think. And you don’t need 50 gallons of fuel to get back to the dock.
Always make sure to empty the holding tank and to keep it clean of " The things stuck inside ". As these things are heavy, as you know.
If you are on a normal sailing trip, take 20% more than you need for water and fuel, in case something unexpected happens on your voyage or you change your plans. Pump out the holding tank frequently and keep it clean of sludge.
Read more about how to clean the holding tank.
3. Rearrange The Boat And Your Belongings
If you are racing remove anything that was not necessary for your race. This includes but is not limited to; extra clothing, food, and water bottles, and removing things like cockpit grills, seat cushions, and heavy items and leaving them on the dock.
There are some things that should be kept onboard like life jackets, flares, fire extinguishers, etc.
For normal sailing, go through the boat and threw away anything that was not useful for your trip. Anything that was not going to be used or make you happy while you are sailing should be removed from the boat.
Another thing to consider is the dinghy.
If you are racing I assume that you will not take your dinghy with you during the race and that you will leave it on the dock. You know that, don’t you?
For everyday sailing, considering a lightweight dinghy is the best choice. Lighter means less weight to carry around, thus increasing the sailboat speed.
This will not only make the sailboat faster but provide comfort and speed for the crew to work effectively.
4. Upgrade To Lighter Options When Doing Repairs
When doing maintenance and repairs, consider the weight of the parts. Choose lighter parts, for example, upgrade fittings and bolts to titanium instead of steel.
It is not necessary to rebuild the boat from scratch, a few pieces at a time, and with time your boat will become lighter and more durable.
Weight is one of the most important factors affecting speed according to the laws of physics.
In short, under the same applied force (the wind), the lighter the boat, the faster it accelerates and reaches a higher speed.
When you apply the above instructions, you will be amazed about how much unnecessary weight you carry slowing your sailboat down. In some cases, it may reach more than 2000 kg.
5. Weight Distribution And Balancing The Boat
Another important factor is the weight distribution inside the boat. If the boat is unbalanced, this affects the acceleration and speed of the boat significantly.
In calm weather, drop the sails and watch the boat’s heeling degree, if you feel your boat is leaning a bit much or wants to tip over, you’re probably too heavy on one side.
There are several things related to the essence of this matter, such as Center of Gravity (CG), Center of Pressure (COP), and Center of Mass (COM). This may not be an option available to everyone, but if you distribute the weight evenly on each side, you will be fine.
Another option you may consider is, that if you were to balance the boat on its keel, you would find that it weighs less than if it was weighted equally throughout the length of the hull.
For everyday sailing, the supplies should be stored as low as possible with weight well distributed. Secure the equipment to the boat to keep it from shifting.
6. Clean Your Boat’s Bottom Regularly
Cleaning the bottom of your boat is not only good for its appearance but also for its performance. A dirty bottom causes serious issues.
This can not only damage the hull of the boat, but it could slow it down too. If this happens, you may have to replace the entire bottom of the boat at some point.
You have to clean your boat’s bottom to prevent mold from forming, keep out algae that might form on your boat’s bottom and eventually eat away at your paint, and keep out insects that might crawl into your boat’s interior.
Also, to prevent saltwater from eroding the bottom of the boat. Saltwater corrodes fiberglass and aluminum boats faster than freshwater does.
Marine life (biofouling) built on the bottom of the boat will make it difficult for the boat to move through the water due to the resistance it creates.
When you clean your boat’s bottom, if it’s in good condition then that’s good. if not, clean out all the paint to the hull and re-paint with anti-fouling paint, then apply super-slick surface finishing.
A clean boat’s bottom will improve the sailboat’s speed a bit, but if it’s not clean will cause a lot more problems. Ensure to perform a regular bottom cleaning and your boat will be faster.
7. Ensure the bilge pump working properly
When the bilge pump fails, the water in the boat can build up and eventually overflow into the cabin area. This can cause serious problems like mold, rot, and others.
Plus, 1 liter of water equals 1 kg unnecessarily extra weight. This could slow your sailboat if the bilge pump fails or If it is slowed down than what it should be.
Ensure that the bilge pump is in very good working condition and with high efficiency.
8. More Sail Area Faster Sail Speed
More sails and lesser weight is the golden rule. More sails area means more wind harnessed. Means, faster sail speed. This is what makes the sailboats move faster.
The sails area is the total surface area of the sails that are attached to your boat. This is measured in square feet (ft²). A larger sail area means that you can use less wind power to move forward.
In similar sea conditions and similar sailboats; the one who captures more winds will be faster.
If you have a smaller sail area than what you need, then you will need to increase the size of your sails to make your sailboat faster.
This may not work for everybody for a variety of reasons (i.e boat design and budget), and may not work in all conditions i.e upwind.
Nevertheless, more sails area means you can either make the sails bigger or add more sails.
There are two types of sails: mainsail and jib sail. For a variety of reasons, one option may not suit everyone. But you got the idea, depending on your boat design’ and your budget you will do what works for you. Add more sail area.
Still, there are issues related to the sails other than the sails area that will increase the speed of the sailing boat, which we will discuss later on.
9. Get A Better Sail Plan To Increase Your Sailboat Speed
Sail plans are a graphical representation of how a boat’s rigging is arranged. They are used to describe the type of rig (i.e., gaff-rigged vs. fore-and-aft rigged), the number of masts, and the arrangement of those masts.
A sail plan can also include information about the shape of the hull, the location of the center of gravity, and other details. This information can help determine where the weight should be placed on the boat to achieve maximum performance.
There are some limitations to what you can do but you can certainly make it better to improve the speed of the boat.
I.e fit a more efficient rigging, tune your rigs, backstay adjuster, lighter/taller masts, and better sail control. Use new lighter, less stretchy sheets, and halyards. Add adjustable jib sheet cars, get a whisker pole, and a Cunningham. Still, there is so much you can do.
10. Get A Bowsprit
The bowsprit is a spar that extends from the bow of a ship. It is used to balance the weight of the masts and sails, and to provide stability while sailing.
Bow sprits are typically made of wood, although some modern designs use metal instead. And usually about two meters long. And it has some advantages:
- Allows you to use a bigger sail (added more sail area).
- To keep the foresails in place.
- To provide more stability to the sailboat.
- To provide additional structural integrity to the sailboat.
- To allow the crew to move freely along the deck without being hindered by the rigging.
If you want to increase your sailboat speed, a bowsprit will help with that.
11. Master To Maximize VMG
Velocity Made Good (VMG) is the speed at which your boat is moving relative to the wind. You can use this information to determine how much time you have to make a turn (Tacking) before you reach your destination.
If you are going straight ahead, you should have no problem reaching your destination. However, if you are sailing into the wind, you may need to tack back and forth until you reach your destination.
And here comes the need to master VMG to make your sailboat go faster. You must master this skill and use the modern equipment that will help you to maximize VMG and sail faster.
Here is a helpful video about VMG.
12. Ensure The Rudder Is Deep Enough To Steer & Control
The rudder is the part of the boat that controls its direction. If your rudder is too small, then you won’t have much control over where you are going. On the other hand, if your rudder is too big, then you’ll end up getting stuck in the mud or hitting rocks.
The bigger your rudder, the easier it will be to steer your boat. This is true for all boats. A larger rudder allows for greater control over the direction of movement. If you have a small rudder, you may find yourself constantly having to correct your course.
As a general rule, make sure that your rudder blade is long and deep enough, so when the sailboat heels there is still enough rudder depth' in the water to keep control.
Rudder depth refers to how deep into the water the rudder blade extends. A deeper rudder blade allows for greater control over the sailboat.
This way, you can always move forward without losing control of the sailboat. The better the control the faster the sailboat will be.
13. Consider A Better Keel
This option may not be suitable for everyone because it requires making reconditioning and adjustments that need time and budget, but It is worth mentioning.
A better keel is not always heavier or deeper: there are other factors that determine what is the best, such as the sailboat design, the main purpose, the overall weight, etc.
But if you dig deeper into it and take the specialists’ opinion, you may find that there are better options for your sailboat keel’, which will make your boat faster.
There is no suitable option for everyone. As a general rule, a deeper and heavier keel is better.
You can read more here about sailboat keels.
14. Consider A Folding Or Feathering Propeller
When the engine is running, the propeller is what drives the boat. When sailing, the propeller creates more water resistance and drag, which means it slows the boat down.
A great way to reduce resistance and drag is by using a folding or feathering propeller.
A folding propeller can be used to help reduce resistance while using the sails to move the boat. This type of propeller has blades that fold together when not in use to reduce resistance and increase efficiency.
Feathering propellers are similar to folded propellers except that they have a feathering blade design; the blades extend outwards instead of folding inwards. This allows them to reduce resistance and drag.
Less drag and resistance means faster sailing and better performance.
15. Take Care Of Your Deck Gear
The deck gear, equipment, and fitting are the essence of any good sailboat. There are many things that can go wrong with your deck gear, but if you know how to properly service them, they should last you a lifetime.
These items are not only necessary for keeping your sailboat sailing, but they can also help increase your sailboat speed and prevent future failure from occurring.
Without proper service and maintenance, your deck gear can become worn out and cause damage or failure to your sailboat and slows you down. Make sure that your sailboat deck gear is well maintained and ready for action.
Making your sailing boat go faster is not all just about the sailboat. Good skills and techniques are also key.
16. Improve Your Sail Trimming Skills At All Sailing Points
The best way to learn to trim your sails is to practice. Practice trimming your sails at different angles and speeds.
You should always have a good understanding of what each point of the sail does before you start trimming.
If you are not sure what each point of sail is doing, then it is time to consolidate experience and knowledge of the situation.
Know-how and when to gybe, tack, reef, etc. It is the heart of sailing.
Once you know what each point of sail means, and how you should approach it, you’ll be able to make adjustments accordingly. You will hone your skills, become better and thus sail faster.
17. Ensure To Avoid Much Or Little Weather Helm And Lee Helm
Another important skill every sailor should have is to know how to handle weather helm and lee helm. Too much is bad, too little not enough.
Weather helm is the term used to describe the effect that wind has on the sailboat. It is the tendency of a sailboat to turn towards the direction of the wind, making the helm unbalanced and pulling the tiller to the wind direction (facing the wind).
Lee helm is the opposite of weather helm. It is the tendency of a sailboat to turn far from the wind direction, (wind blowing from the back of the sailboat). Which also makes the helm unbalanced and affects the speed of the sailboat.
You can read more here and here.
18. Race Against Yourself And Compare Results
When you race yourself, you get to see what kind of improvements you’ve made over time and what are your weaknesses. Racing against yourself helps you improve faster.
You’ll notice that you make changes to your boat that you didn’t think about before. These changes will allow you to perform better and make your sailboat faster.
19. Race Against Similar Sailboats And See How You Perform
Racing against similar sailboats is a great way to compare your performance and your boat’ to other boats. This can help you determine if your boat is performing better than others.
You should always try to beat the same boat that you are racing against. If you don’t, then you won’t know how well you’re doing.
This method is used to compare the performance of two different boats. When comparing boats, it is best to be similar boats.
This means that they have the same hull shape, size, sails, and weight. Many factors affect the performance of a boat, but these are the most common ones.
20. Sail In Different Boats And Develop Your Knowledge
This is a great way to increase your experience and knowledge about sailing. Different boats mean different sailors and different skills and tactics may be new to you. Sailing is an ongoing learning process, and this is one of the best ways to learn more.
Developing your knowledge and honing your skills is the ultimate thing to do to sail faster.
I hope you found this article helpful, if you did, please bookmark this page and share it with your friends and help someone else.
