A Little Too Windy

[Woreign]

I took my DS2 out for the third time today with my daughter. The two previous sails were in 8-13 knot winds. Today was supposedly 10-15. Turned out to be too much for our novice skills. The boat was really moving, but it required so much attention to keep it from heeling over too much, that neither of us found it very enjoyable. So we dropped sail and motored back in. Since we didn't die, we figured it was a good day...

Maybe I'm just being a little tiller shy now, but if this is how the DS is supposed to be sailed, maybe I have the wrong boat? I'd rather have something that's slower and more stable. If my wife had been with us, it probably would have been her last sail, as she would refuse to go again.

Looking back I should have reefed the sail, but being new to sailing, I didn't think 10-15 would be so blustery to the boat. Would reefing have tamed the boat down to sail like it did in 8-13 winds?

 

[LeslieTroyer]

You did exactly the right thing. Don’t scare your family or you’ll not have a sail boat in the future. Build up their skill and confidence in the boat. It will be worth it

Les

 

[Michael Davis]

Practise reefing on a calm( when you don't need it) day. Get your family to help (train). It's a lot easier to master then rather then when you really need it!

 

[Gene Neill]

Would reefing have tamed the boat down to sail like it did in 8-13 winds?

Yep, something like that. Next time!

 

[Cowpokee]

Yes, reefing will help. When in doubt of the days conditions, put the reef in before you ever leave the dock. It is much easier to shake the reef out when you realize you didn't need it than to try to reef after you realize you are over-canvassed.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Practice sailing reefed before you take the wife out. Those first impressions can be lasting. My wife was a sport but she didn't enjoy sailing until we got the heavier keelboat.

 

[Jackdaw]

Remember that the force of the wind SQUARES with the velocity. Going from 10 knots to 15, the effort of the wind has more than DOUBLED.

‘Gee, I wish I hadn’t reefed’ said no cruising sailor, ever.

 

[Kings Gambit]

The fastest way to “reef” would be to drop the jib. Make sure it has a jib down-haul attached so you don’t have to send anyone forward, etc. If you wish a more “stable” boat, consider a 20’ model. Track down a Santana 20 or Cal20, for example.

Sailing a small center-board boat in high wind is not for a crew of rank beginners, IMHO. I hope you and your daughter had the jackets on!! I know people do stuff like this all of the time for the thrill, but I know that was not your chief intent.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Make sure it has a jib down-haul attached so you don’t have to send anyone forward, etc.

Good idea, here's how:

 

[Woreign]

Thank you all for your input. They say that every time you go sailing, you learn something new. I learned to stay home if the winds are projected to be 10-15. The jib did come down most of the way on its own, but a downhaul would definitely be useful. Another DIY upgrade to add to the list!

I'm currently limited in the size and weight of the boat, since I tow with a sedan, specifically a Kia Forte. So there aren't many options available that I'm aware of.

 

[Justin_NSA]

A day sailer gets you into the sport with mininum overhead. Learning to handle one will make you a better sailor. Enjoy!

 

[JRT]

I did the same thing with my O'day 25 and nobody was happy including my wife. The best thing I did was to sign up for lessons with my daughter and really get proper training. Last year was great and with reefed main and a new 115 jib my 25 was so much easier. I did several 15+ with gusting conditions into the truely sporty scale and while still nervous I was much better prepared. The results were no scarry events and a great confidence boost.

 

[Dave Groshong]

Reefing is key to enjoyable sailing, my old Cal 28, like most any sailboat, was scary and a nightmare when over canvassed, when probably reefed, sailing was strangely calm and enjoyable even in 35 kts of wind.

 

[Daveinet]

The boat you have has a very high sail area to displacement ratio. (33.6 - most boats are 20) As such, it is very dependent on passengers for ballast. Being that it was only you and your daughter, my guess is you did not have much weight/ballast available to counteract the wind. The boat should be able to handle 10 to 15 with full sails, but to do so, may expect to have 3 adults on the rail. (not just on the bench)
Reefing will help - probably more than you might expect. SO just know if you don't have much ballast sailing with you, then reef. If you have 3 adults, that boat should fly. If you want a boat that has ballast in the keel, take a look at a Holder 20. The boat is still fairly lightweight - under 1200 lbs. It is very fast, and sails very well. There are 2 versions, one has a slightly longer cabin.

 

[williamtl]

Yes to reefing, but it seems there is another option or an additional technique and that is don’t drive the boat so hard. You are out pleasure sailing not racing. Either choose a less aggressive tack or don’t fill the sails. I’ve used this when I have inexperienced or nervous folks on board.

When going up wind, fall off a bit or don’t sheet in all the way. The boat sits more upright. Yes I have to tack more, but again, it’s pleasure sailing not racing.

Big wind on a down wind heading usually isn’t the problem because the boat is flat and the sensation of movement is reduced. Even here, sheet in the sails some and they don’t catch as much air. I must admit where I sail I don’t have the fetch to drive truly big waves so I don’t know what impact that would have.

You also learn a great skill which is to go at your speed. Even more, learning how to set the sails to go slower teaches you what makes it go faster.

 

[jwing]

I have come to believe that manufacturers who build family-oriented boats without travelers are evil. Surely they know the problems that they are forcing upon unsuspecting newbies.

The next time you go sailing, pay close attention to your mainsail trim. If the wind gusts, you will want to allow the sail to fall off leeward. If your boat has a traveler, you would allow the car to fall leeward and your boat would heel less. However, without a traveler, your only recourse is to let the mainsheet out. The mainsail will fall leeward, yes, but the other thing that happens is the stern end of the boom is allowed to pivot upward. That changes the shape of the sail, making it rounder. Making a sail rounder powers it up, making the boat heel more. So during a gust when you want less power, easing the sheet creates more power.

Short of installing a traveler, you can rig a bridle system. Lots of info out there for you to discover. There's an article on the Daysailor Associations site that describes a bridle system, but calls it a traveler: https://daysailer.org/Rigging-Guide

Finally, remember this mnemonic adage: "Tiller toward trouble." If your trouble is that your gunwale is too close to the water, GENTLY move the tiller in the direction of the low gunwale. The boat will turn into the wind, slow down, and stand back up.

 

[williamtl]

If your boat has a traveler, you would allow the car to fall leeward and your boat would heel less.

Got to get me one of those.

 

[Daveinet]

In moderate changing winds, I hook a bungee to my main sheet traveler. As the wind picks up, it allows the main to dump off some wind. When the wind drops, the sail comes back in again. Makes the boat stay fairly level without operator input. Between that and the auto pilot, I get to be a passenger in my own boat. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[JRT]

Maybe I have this wrong but I thought you could also dump your boom vang to get the sail to twist and dump air at the top also. Agree a traveler is better but I didn't feel it was worth the cost and decided to get a nice new vang.

 

[Daveinet]

You are making an assumption that the sail is in good condition. Old sails do not twist. They just raise the boom and increase the draft.
(Technically old sails do twist, but the pocket becomes so huge, it negates the normal benefit of the twist. )