Boat handling

[Roger F]

I have had a couple times now in Casco Bay in Maine, channels in between islands and from the bay to the open ocean, where the current is working against the wind. When tacking close to the wind the boat heels too much and basically doesn't move much at all either. I have tried bring the jib in some and reefing, but it doesn not seem to help too much and the wind, I am guess isn't that much above 10 to 15 knots. Adds a lot of time getting back home! Any tips and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Roger F]

When I say bring jib in

When I say I bring the jib in, I mean into the furler so less sail area and it is just the stock H240 jib.

 

[wayne24212]

current

Hmm, seems like either it is for you or against you. Sailing against a stiff tide +4 knots boat speed -2knots current make it seem like you a crawing and the force against the hull probialby makes you heal more. Keep experimenting with sail trim, jib seems to do most of the driving on the 240. I sailed up through an area and 1 hour later with some fine sailing finally caught upto and past a tanking only to realize it was anchored, thats current working against you. At times the iron lung has to be engaged to get somewhere.

 

[Roger F]

Sail trim

I am betting I will hit the exact conditions again soon and will play some more with different sail trim.I let out the main just a bit but as soon as the boat starts to level off even slightly it starts flapping pretty good. So I bring it back in and try to steer off the wind a bit more to compensate - makes for a long trip back up wind - and the narrow channels don't help!

 

[Drew]

Roger

If the current is "working against the wind," and you are beating into the wind, that means the current is going where you are, correct? My guess is that your speed over the ground is greater than your perceived speed over the water. Reef down to keep her on her feet and enjoy the trip!

 

[Roger F]

Poor use of words on my part

What I meant by "current is working against the wind" was the net effect on the boat! The current was actually the same direction as the wind, but as I was sailing or beating to the wind, so the current was working against...me. My mistake in wording. Judging by the lobster trap buoys, we weren't going anywhere fast, just a heel'n. Yes,to do a 180 about face would have been the ticket if it was the right direction for us at the time!

 

[Jon Dyer]

Wind

Roger,I know the feeling. I've been moving along on a nice close reach heading out of the Carquinez Straits. Sails are full, nicely trimmed, water is moving nicely under the boat, only to look over at the shore and notice that I am not making any headway! The current going in and out of the strait, particularly after lots of rain in the winter, is strong and steady. It's a strange feeling, but it's actually kind of interesting - sort of like a stationary bike, eh?Jon Dyer

 

[keel_haul]

mid-cocpit traveler and double reef

I have an H-240 and have done a few things that I find help a lot. I put a second reef in the Main. I put on a boom-kicker and removed the topping lift that gives the leads for the second reef. I put dead-eyes port and starboard just aft of the wood sections in the cockpit (it was difficult to properly install them with bedding etc.) and then rigged a mid-cockpit, removable rope traveler between the two dead-eyes. That lets me trim the main down from an outboard position so it is driving the boat not flapping and heeling the boat. The drive of the full jib is very helpful. Don't pinch. Keep the boat driving. Reef the main. Trim it down and out.