What is the optimum or maximum heeling angle of the J30?

don't have rooster tails off the stanchion bases. then you know you are going sideways, but fast.

we sort of like to keep the rail out of the water. and the windward deck kinda level ... how's that for a range of answers?

There may be an optimal number in Rod Johnstone's design brief or calculated in a velocity prediction program somewhere. If so you could use a Lev-O-Gage® to track it.

A bit of induced heel from the crew weight to leeward in light air will help fill the sails and reduce wetted surface. Once you are up to speed with the Genoa, keep the boat flat to get the most out of the stubby keel and point higher. As the boat becomes overpowered, control the heel angle in the usual way by dropping the traveler, adding backstay, etc.

Heeling causes the boat to turn into the wind, thus weather helm. Assuming your sails are trimmed properly manage the heel angle to control helm pressure.

Never thought about it before but Vic's comment about keeping the weather deck level is probably exactly what what Johnstone had in mind.

Thanks I was asking as on youtube from last years Chester Race week, Andreas Josenhansone talk (he did lots) was he did not use ticklers in heavy air, he just kept the boat at the designed heeling angle which he was able to quote for a lot of types. I just try to keep it as flat for the keel to work as well as posible. This is second year racing and still learning a lot like the fun of having lots of weight on the rail. We are building crew base and it is making a big difference.
Greg

I sail as flat as possible. Never more than 15 degrees heel. Remember that the keel on the J 30 (just like the j24) is on the small side. As a general hint, I am finding the more experience I gain in the 30, the more it sails like the J-24, EXCEPT that for some reason, trim fore and aft seems to be more sensative on the 30 than it was on the 24. There is a ton of material on J-24 sailing on the web.