Another Pop Quiz

[Warren Milberg]

I've been sailing all day on a dead downwind run. Full main out to port and the 150 genoa is pulling nicely on the starboard side. Using a preventer on the main and a whisker pole on the genoa. The wind has been rising and the tide is also pushing the boat.. Doing hull speed. As the boat begins to roll, it becomes clear I''ve got too much sail up for the worsening conditions. In lesser conditions, I normally would turn the boat upwind, bring the genoa over to port, and reef the main, Yet I know I've waited too long and that turning upwind, and against the tide, at this point would endanger the boat as it could broach once the wind is abeam. What would you do to depower the boat?

 

[Old Skool Neil]

I'd sheet the main in tight, jibe it and ease the sheet out to blanket the jib, then roll in the jib. If more reduction is needed, I'd then head upwind (hopefully turning would be safe with less sail up) and reef.

 

[FourPoints]

before trying anything else, you should take off the whisker pole, that will depower the head sail, and probably do everything you need.

If that is not enough, or you just want to take the sails down, then I would let out the Jib sheet until the clew is up near the bow, then sheet in the main to jibe it, and then let the sheet out till the boom is all the way out, then turn to port (as the genoa and now main are to starboard).

 

[Alan]

I've had this exact scenario. Wind was building from 15 to 35kts. We did a headsail peel and put up the #3 and poled it out. Watching many boats with spinnakers up doing death rolls while we were under complete control rolling past them and hitting speeds in the 9's.

 

[RichH]

Ease the jibsheet, and let the pole go forward .... and then partly furl the jib, etc.

If you had your jib sheets set up 'out and around' instead of the normal 'through the foretriangle' gybe you could have simply gybed the jib around to take the strain onto the 'lazy' sheet as the jib moves into the windshadow of the main, then disconnected the pole etc.
With the jibsheets arranged for 'though the foretriangle' gybe and with the pole still loaded and under strain you cant do an 'inside the foretriangle' without the risk of breaking the pole, fouling the sheets, etc. Better to set up for an 'outside gybe' then if it gets 'squirrely' you have many options to depower.

So, the most prudent, when at or above hull speed and in danger of broaching (starting to 'death-roll') is to re-reeve the 'lazy' sheet to be FORWARD of the headstay and then re-reeve it through the fairlead car .... so that you can do an 'outside gybe' (jib only if desired) which then gives you several options to 'depower'.

 

[PaulK]

I'm with Alan on this one: drop, change, or roll up the jib. You shouldn't have to gybe or change your heading beforehand; it should drop or roll easily enough going dead downwind. The idea of stowing the whisker pole first is a good one too.

We had this happen on a run from Harpswell ME last summer. Breeze came up astern as Portland came abeam in the late afternoon. Winged out the jib and headed straight for the Cape Cod Canal. Around sunset, with the wind building, we rolled up the jib and put a reef in the main. Dolphins came out to play in the moonlight as we zipped along at 9 knots. The breeze picked up with the rollers until it was blowing about 30 and we were doing 11 knots down the wavefronts. We arrived at the canal a couple of hours before the current was to change, but we didn't want to play around on a lee shore with 8' waves, so we headed up the canal despite the current. We caught a wave at the entrance that carried us in through the water at 10.5 knots. Once inside the breeze dropped and we shook out the reef. We made it home to Southport CT in less than 48 hours.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Yup, I did just about what all you suggested: being alone, I locked the wheel, went forward and quicklly disengaged and secured the whisker pole. Back to the cockpit and eased the clew of the genoa forward as I began rolling iit in. This is when you always wish you had three hands: one to steer (I do not have an autopilot), one to control the sheet, and one to haul in the furling line. I have often furled this genoa by blanketing it with the main, but had never tried doing this dead downwind with the genoa out opposite to the main when it's blowing like stink. It was much easier than I thought it would be. Thanks for all your ideas.

Before doing this, I played with the idea of trying to center the main and drag it down to preset reefing points while in the downwind posture. I'm not sure this would have worked and thought the only way I'd try it would be with crew to ensure I could steer the boat absolutely dead downwind while hauling down the main. Has anyone ever tried to reef while going downwind rather than upwind? If so, how did you do it and how well did it work?

 

[RichH]

Has anyone ever tried to reef while going downwind rather than upwind? If so, how did you do it and how well did it work?

I do a lot of long distance stuff. Without a Stong Track or Harken bat-car system its usually very difficult to reef the main with the wind from behind .... FRICTION. It take a LOT of pull on a standard slug system and with the main even slightly windloaded to get it down, the reduction of the clew is easy; not so with the reef tack. It can be done by waiting for the boat to pitch and slightly release the pressure on the luff ... then one can 'assist' by hand pulling the luff tack reef lines (halyard is free but tied to the premarked reef point).

I find it better to first slightly reduce the foretriangle and then go over to a beam or close reach so trim that only the leech sections of the main still have a bit of windpressure to dampen the 'flogging', and then reef like a normal person, take your bashing for a few minutes going into the waves, etc. & set the reef 'well and proper' and then go back down wind.

 

[Roger Long]

I find it better to first slightly reduce the foretriangle and then go over to a beam or close reach ...

I'll second this. I only have the standard nylon "T" slides with S.S. ones at the batten.

I usually roll up the jib entirely though if the conditions are rough. My boat practically heaves to under main alone with the main eased. It's one of her many wonderful handling characteristics.

 

[Brian D]

I don't have roller furling so I do not have the luxury of just reeling in the headsail. But I think I would bring my headsail in to a close-hauled position which I think is the same as reducing the fore triangle. Then head up to starboard which should depower the mail in a sense. The headsail will probably start to back wind. But the mail should also start to luff.

That is basically what I would do. I could be very wrong about this. If so, please explain why.

 

[Ed A]

Ok now we are getting to old school. No furler!
I would have no problem i would reef the jib, by using the pre rigged reef system.

hook in a second sheet to the reef point. slack the jib halyard and pull the jib down to the reef point and re tack it. Tighten the jib halard. use pre rigged ties to roll the foot of the jib.

Havent seen one rigging like this in 20 or so years. but it will allow one to reef a jib without a furler.

Second idea is move the tracks on the sheets forward to spill air from the top of the jib. that rolls off the top of the sail at lets it dump air lowering the balance point. Reducing leverage.

 

[RichH]

Brian -
When going near DDW the sail power is principally derived from drag and the 'amount' of SAIL AREA exposed 'perpendicularly' to the wind. With the jib 'held fast' and back to the 'close hauled' position ..... you will have 'time' the 'head up' perfectly and with prior knowledge that the main WILL be luffing at the time that you 'cross' the eye of the wind .... many rigs especially with swept back spreaders cannot do this. The result 'may' be that you will get 'severe heeling' during a certain component of the turn from: The jib being at 90 degrees to the wind, the main restrained on a shroud will be at ~90 deg. to the wind .... AND the boat at maximum heel due to the 'inertia of the turn' regardless of any 'sail pressure' .... plus the vulnerability of being at ON TOP of the narrowest part of a wave at the exact wrong time. So when at max speed in doing so 'may' set up the perfect conditions for a 'broach' .... the lighter weight the boat the stronger the possibility.

Thats why when in overwhelming conditions and going downwind I USUALLY like to re-reeve the jib sheets so that jib, etc. can pass totally IN FRONT of the forestay .... allows the jib to be totally depowered by allowing it to briefly 'flog' in a position entirely out IN FRONT of the boat if needed. Such will lessen the chances of a broach during the 'turn'. Ive found this a good 'heavy weather tactic' in F8, F9 and 'above' !!!!, and especially in 'real heavy' seas. Letting a jib 'go out and around' in 'blammo conditions' requires a bombproof jib, etc. - heavy cloth, triple stitched and glued seams, etc.

I use the exact same tactic when racing my planing sport boats in 'suicide' conditions .... and there is NO way to reef these boats !!!!! These are super-light weight boats (SA/D = ~40, SA/D = ~90 w/ spinn !!!!) that when 'downwind' will if you dont always 'keep the boat exactly UNDER the mast' will very quickly broach & 'totally invert'.
http://www.ilya.org/i20-scow.html

http://www.windwardboatworks.com/i20.html ... notice the built-in floatation panels in the 'head of the mainsail'.
;-)

 

[Brian D]

Thanks, RIch, for the explanation. When I get home and conditions are right (safe) I will try that.