A skeptic no more!

[kappykaplan]

Was out solo yesterday under a small craft advisory. Took the main straight to the first reef and was having a blast. It looked like I was easily going to be able to get my goal of 50NM of sailing. Then the wind really piped up!

I quickly realized that I needed to depower the rig, but I wasn't going to risk going to a close haul and then going forward to take the second reef with two-three foot seas on the Patuxent River. Years ago, I accidentally put the boat in a heave to while taking a reef. I've seen lots of discussion on this board about using heave to to take a reef, so I thought, why not? It worked! I tacked the boat, leaving the working jib sheet where it was, then brought the boat to around 35 degrees off the wind. Boat speed was around 4.3 kts, but she was stable. I did my thing, then brought the jib across.

Things were better, but I was still overpowered in gusts that exceeded 23 kts, so I cut the day short. Thanks to all for another trick in my sailing tool box!

 

[jssailem]

Now that is seamanship. Using all your tools in the box to effect a safer sailing experience.

 

[agprice22]

Nice work. However, “irons” or “in irons” is when the boat is stalled head into the wind. Heave-to is what you did. Think of “in irons” as being under arrest or arrested, as in unable to move.

 

[kappykaplan]

Tks for the clarification.

 

[AlastairLC]

A 37 footer should be able to handle 23 knot gusts easily. Does your jib furl partway? Do you have a second reef capability? Next time, try de-powering your reefed main by moving the traveler down wind.

 

[kappykaplan]

Normally, it’s fine. Yesterday with the suddenness with which the seas kicked up with the wind, I didn’t feel too comfortable. I used heave to to put the second reef in. The boat was still burying the toe rail in the gusts. At one point, I had full rudder in and the boat didn’t turn downwind. The traveler was eased to leeward, but I decided enough was enough and packed it in for the day.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

A 37 footer should be able to handle 23 knot gusts easily. Does your jib furl partway? Do you have a second reef capability? Next time, try de-powering your reefed main by moving the traveler down wind.

What size genoa do you have?

I take a first reef at 23kts. I take the first reef with the genoa, then at 27 I take the first reef in the main, 30kts second reef in the genoa, 35 second in the main. Above 40kts I completely furl the genoa. Above 40 I shouldn’t be out there I want to find shelter, but I remember one time I had to sail all day in 45-50k to bring the boat back before Hurricane Irene hit the area (a test for me my wife and the boat). Above 50 I strike all sail and motor, seeking shelter (or would let out a hankie of genoa and heave-to).

 

[kappykaplan]

I had my 110 high-clew jib up yesterday - haven’t flown the genoa in several years. Since I’m solo most of the time, first reef goes in with apparent wind around 15 kits, second when apparent wind goes above 20. I was out in a gale warning once, with crew, but didn’t know the gale warning was up until I got home. Wave action wasn’t anything like the short chop I experienced yesterday.

 

[DrJudyB]

Normally, it’s fine. Yesterday with the suddenness with which the seas kicked up with the wind, I didn’t feel too comfortable. I used heave to to put the second reef in. The boat was still burying the toe rail in the gusts. At one point, I had full rudder in and the boat didn’t turn downwind. The traveler was eased to leeward, but I decided enough was enough and packed it in for the day.

If you have been sailing up wind in high winds, with mainsail and boom sheeted in, You must ease the mainsheet Quite a bit as you steer though the turn ( or before) to enable the boat to bear off to a downwind course. Just lowering the traveler is not sufficient.

Here’s a thought experiment. Imagine you’re already sailing on a reach and you tighten the main to a close hauled position, as you keep the helm in the same place. What will the boat do? It will head up until it reaches an new equilibrium on a higher course.

Now apply the same concept to what happens when you bear off from an upwind course to a downwind course. In the midst of this maneuver, you have to pass through a reach. If the mainsail is still closehauled, the boat will fight the rudder you as you try to sail on a reach. In high winds, the mainsail will win the fight every time.

 

[kappykaplan]

@DrJudyB , the autopilot wasn’t driving, I was. I couldn’t safely leave the helm to further ease the main.

 

[Kings Gambit]

@DrJudyB , the autopilot wasn’t driving, I was. I couldn’t safely leave the helm to further ease the main.

Well, there it is! Before single-handing, the boat should be fully rigged for it. Mine is not fully so, but better than it used to be. A dependable auto pilot is an essential piece of gear for these larger yachts. I recently rigged my headsail furling line with 3:1 purchase so I can furl more easily, but it’s still a two-step operation that I must leave the helm to complete. Reefing the mainsail when alone, or otherwise, I normally put the boat head-to-wind (briefly under power) so the mainsail does not foul the lazy-jack lines when coming down. I must leave the helm to accomplish it, however.

Reefing the mainsail while hove-to is a skill one must demonstrate when testing for an ASA Instructor certification. Of course, doing it on one of their boats, typically on the smallish side (< 30 ft), in protected waters and in light air (when I did it) is no big test. Yachts with narrowish fin keels and relatively flat bottoms, like me Bavaria, do not heave-to so well. It’s very much less of a “natural maneuver” than with older designs having greater keel surface area fore-aft, such as the older Pearsons and Cals. The Bavaria always wants to bear off when “hove-to.”

 

[DrJudyB]

@DrJudyB , the autopilot wasn’t driving, I was. I couldn’t safely leave the helm to further ease the main.

If you are going to single hand, you have to be able to lock the helm somehow while you attend to other matters. Wheel lock, lash the wheel with a line, autopilot, tiller clutch whatever.

To turn downwind from a closehaul, lock the helm straight ahead first, and then ease the main. The boat will steer itself to a reach. Ease the main even further to where you think you’ll want it on you new course. The boat will turn even more. Then go back to the helm and steer.

 

[kappykaplan]

I’ll give it a shot. Probably should have let the boat get into irons (tks @agprice22) set the autopilot, then eased the main and used the autopilot to fall off. Lot easier to think about it after the fact.

 

[AlastairLC]

Don’t let the boat get into irons. You’ll lose control. Keep it close hauled, ease out the main a bit, then put in your reefs.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Well, there it is! Before single-handing, the boat should be fully rigged for it. ...

...Reefing the mainsail while hove-to is a skill one must demonstrate when testing for an ASA Instructor certification. Of course, doing it on one of their boats, typically on the smallish side (< 30 ft), in protected waters and in light air (when I did it) is no big test. Yachts with narrowish fin keels and relatively flat bottoms, like me Bavaria, do not heave-to so well. It’s very much less of a “natural maneuver” than with older designs having greater keel surface area fore-aft, such as the older Pearsons and Cals. The Bavaria always wants to bear off when “hove-to.”

Kings Gambit, Well said about being set up to single hand. On my C30 tr/bs I single hand a lot (whether with others aboard or not) and enjoy strong winds of 30-40. given that, I have my traveler with a continuous line that I drape over the wheel pedestal so I can reach it from the helm. I also have long main sheet and I keep the end looped over a stern cleek so that it can also be reached from the helm. I use a PRX clutch for the mainsheet stopper so that just a light tug on the line will release it without moving from the wheel.
My boat also likes top bear away farther than I like when hove-to. As a result, I now do most of my reefing while sailing on a close reach or above. With the jib trimmed and pulling, I can release the traveler, mainsheet and vang and pull in the reef from the cockpit with just me an auto with very little loss of speed and none of that unsettling flapping and flogging that I see on so many attempting to reef.

 

[Hayden Watson]

I’ll give it a shot. Probably should have let the boat get into irons (tks @agprice22) set the autopilot, then eased the main and used the autopilot to fall off. Lot easier to think about it after the fact.

In my opinion, in irons (head to wind0 is the worst point of sail to reef.

1. Your auto pilot will be unable to steer because the boat will quickly loose all speed.
2. With no steerage, the boat will fall off to one side or the other and most likely much farther than you want and will make finishing the reef impossible.
3. If you use your engine to keep some headway on so that the auto pilot can steer, the mail will be flogging wildly and dangerously.

You need to have the wind in front of the beam so I either sail on the jib close hauled or heave to. I was in a distance race last year and one of the crew was at the helm struggling to dive a good line because we were overpowered. I pulled in a reef and suddenly he was able to drive a straight line with little effort. After a few minutes, he said, "Hey, I am getting the hang of steering in this breeze." He didn't even realize that I had reefed but felt it in the way the boat handled.

 

[kappykaplan]

Tks @Hayden Watson ! Even though I’ve been doing the solo thing for 9 seasons, there’s always something to learn.

 

[NotCook]

A 37 footer should be able to handle 23 knot gusts easily. Does your jib furl partway? Do you have a second reef capability? Next time, try de-powering your reefed main by moving the traveler down wind.

I was thinking the same thing. We're bigger than that, but at 23kts we are just coming into our own. On a recent sail back from St. Thomas to St. Croix, we had 23-27kts just aft of the beam all day. It was a beautiful sail with all the canvas flying. We ran a consistent 8kts all day and made the 40 nm trip in 5 hours flat. Basically ideal conditions for us. Now, we do put in a reef at 35kts, and a second one at 45kts. But then, I am also of the school that says, If the thought occurs to you, "I wonder if we should reef?", you should reef. It is better than later having the thought, "I wish we had reefed back when I first thought about it!"