How to tack perfectly...

Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Well if we are going to compile a list of tacking rules... rule #1 should be

MAKE SURE NO ONE IS WATCHING!

Every perfect maneuver I have ever made was done without witnesses.... just saying.
 
May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Every perfect maneuver I have ever made was done without witnesses.... just saying.
Just like a perfect docking in tricky conditions. Screw it up and suddenly people are all over the place.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Just like a perfect docking in tricky conditions. Screw it up and suddenly people are all over the place.
Yep! That's what I'm talking about.... witnesses and cameras.



WTF: How do you get facing the opposite direction? Dude... the tires are not wet yet....My guess...


 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Well if we are going to compile a list of tacking rules... rule #1 should be

MAKE SURE NO ONE IS WATCHING!

Every perfect maneuver I have ever made was done without witnesses.... just saying.
It’s what GoPros are made for.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Nice. I mis-named this thread. There is never perfect. But to get that ah ha feeling is so satisfying. That is part of the pleasure of sailing. Jackdaw isn't racing anyone in this clip. He's still going to do it right. That's sailing!
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish

WTF: How do you get facing the opposite direction? Dude... the tires are not wet yet....My guess...
...is that alcohol is involved. I mean what is the guy in the rear trying to figure out? What went wrong?
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
A lot of good suggestions have been given here, but pretty much all of them are boat dependent. As an example, lets look at back winding the jib. The heavy old wooden sloop that I grew up on, had a small jib & a big main. If you didn't backwind when coming about, you would just about have time for cheese & crackers before getting around to your new heading. My first day on a Hobie cat, I found out quickly that backwinding was even more important on that boat. Then I had my first day working the jib on a J-boat. I back winded hard & just about pushed us off into a beam reach. Ooops. The skipper was not happy with me. The learning curve was steep that day.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
A lot of good suggestions have been given here, but pretty much all of them are boat dependent. As an example, lets look at back winding the jib. The heavy old wooden sloop that I grew up on, had a small jib & a big main. If you didn't backwind when coming about, you would just about have time for cheese & crackers before getting around to your new heading. My first day on a Hobie cat, I found out quickly that backwinding was even more important on that boat. Then I had my first day working the jib on a J-boat. I back winded hard & just about pushed us off into a beam reach. Ooops. The skipper was not happy with me. The learning curve was steep that day.
On my hobie... I have learned that if I have a lot of people on the boat... and she is low on her water line, I need to jibe if I ever want to get around.