Getting Out Of Irons

[Don Guillette]

Winkfish, who sails out of New Orleans (my favorite city), asked about this subject.

There are 3 simple ways to “get out of irons”, but first some basics. A rudder needs steerageway in order to work and unless water is moving against the rudder it is useless. So we have to get the boat moving and the only option is backwards. The slightest bit of backward motion will make the rudder effective. Once you get the boat moving backwards ever so slightly you have to do something with the rudder and the best option is to center it. Why is that? The reason is you want to start drifting/sailing the boat straight backwards. Turn the rudder at this point and you’ll kill what little speed you have. Once the boat starts moving backwards you’re half way out of irons. As you start to pick up a little speed you should start driving the boat backwards.

OK, now we have the boat moving backwards (I’ll explain how to do that in a minute) so we want to reverse the rudder. This is easier to understand using a tiller. You point the tiller in the direction you want to go. With wheel steering you point the stern in the direction you want to go.

The first way to get out of irons is to “back the main”. Shove it out 30 to 40 degrees until it fills in the direction OPPOSITE you want to go. If you want to go right push the main to port. Backing the main is not the best choice and that is because of its location in the center of the boat. It lacks leverage - sort of a seesaw.

The second and best way to get out of irons is to “back the jib”. If you back the jib to starboard the bow will swing to port and vice versa.

Guys like Alan, RichH, Joe from San Diego and other listers on this forum use “irons” all the time as a starting line racing technique and even while docking. RichH can sail his boat backwards over a good distance as well as he can sail it forwards!! All it takes is a little practice and anyone can do it. Don’t wait to learn the technique as I did with the boat 100 yards from a breakwater. I have no idea how I got out of the mess the first time it happened.

So what is the 3rd way to get out of irons? The answer is DON’T DO ANYTHING!! Beginners don’t like this method because they are not aware of what is about to happen to the boat and they panic – like I did the first time it happened. Eventually, and shortly, the boat will start moving backwards by itself. When that happens just reverse the rudder, trim up and sail off.

Practice putting your boat in irons and getting out of irons. Once you master the technique you move up a step in seamanship and you are controlling the boat instead of it controlling you.

 

[Winkfish]

Many thanks, Don. You make it sound so easy (maybe it is). Knock on wood, I've never been in irons. Give me a shout if you make it back to New Orleans and we'll raise a couple of tinnies together!

 

[Alan]

In PHRF racing when possible I prefer the Vanderbilt start. But in match racing where both boats hunt eachother in the pre-start dial up, sailing head to wind and holding position for minutes on end is an essential tactic. Sitting in irons like this must be coupled with a fast escape maneuver if you are to maintain control over your opponent. The jib trimmer sits on the bow with the clew in hand and watches the helm who calls for trim as needed. The jib trimmer moves the clew from side to side to maintain a head to wind posture till the break away is called for.
The reason the jib is used for this is it is the fastest and most effective for controlling and accelerating the boat.

 

[Benny17441]

Don't forget to mention that in an emergency turning the auxilliary engine on is most effective.

 

[Don Guillette]

Winkfish: How about hurricanes at O'Briens!! When we were there my wife and I had one each and they tasted so good we decided to split another one and then split another one. Our next stop was going to be a Cajun bar where we wanted to dance. By the time we got to the bar, which was just down the block, we could hardly stand up let alone dance!!

 

[Don Guillette]

Alan: When I was racing at the C30 National Regattas I sailed with a skipper named Max Munger. He is the Tres. of the national assoc. This guy was something else. He'd first size up the line, which was never square, and then sail off parallel and then come back again to pick his spot. He'd then go off again and I'd say to myself "Max, you ain't going to make it this time as you've gone to far and we won't be back in time". Fortunately, I always said it to myself because he made it exactly every time and we were always 1st or 2nd over the line.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Moving up in skill

Not sure that is the way I'd put it. Getting out of irons is not the skill you need. Staying out of irons is. Getting out is easy, do nothing and let the boat decide which tack you are on. I hope that is not the one that runs you aground. Hope is not a method BTW.
I would suggest you don't concentrate on getting out of irons and do concentrate on staying out of them. It is just as easy but does require planning. So as you see yourself going into irons for whatever reason, BEAR OFF. Turn the boat downwind through the shortest angle to DDW till your sails start driving the boat again. (Seriously Don, if they can’t figure out how to steer the boat just going backward the rest of the discussion is moot)
The boat will now be on the same tack as before and you can build up speed to try another tack. The problem occurs when you HAVE to tack to avoid a shoal. And this is where that planning stuff comes to play. NEVER put yourself in the position where you HAVE to tack. Since I assume you are not racing (they don’t put courses over shoals like that for that reason) you are pleasure sailing and not in a tremendous hurry. Plan a longer route, stay away from that lee shore/shoal, always cut as close as possible to the windward mark, and NEVER sail into someplace that you can’t sail out of or through.


I'm kinda curious, how many of you all have sailed into an anchorage that is up a creek or small river? That is without using the iron spinnaker.
Also what is the highest you ever pointed your boat and maintained steerage?

 

[Winkfish]

Winkfish: How about hurricanes at O'Briens!! When we were there my wife and I had one each and they tasted so good we decided to split another one and then split another one. Our next stop was going to be a Cajun bar where we wanted to dance. By the time we got to the bar, which was just down the block, we could hardly stand up let alone dance!!

Yeah, hurricanes do that. Quite an appropriate name, eh? Years ago, a friend of mine and I were heading to a rock concert downtown. We decided to stop for a "quick hurricane" at Pat O's. It was about 4 hours later we first realized we missed the concert.

You name your poison - my treat!

 

[Don Guillette]

Re: Moving up in skill

Bill: Here's the problem with beginners - they don't know what they don't know. If they do get stuck in irons, which actually is very easy especially in light winds, most have no idea what to do next. Most, like me when it happened for the first time, have no idea how they got there in the first place. The first thing they do is madly turn the wheel or tiller to no effective. It is like the rudder is not there.

My point to them is don't panic and just think about the 3 ways I outlined to get out of the situation. While they are thinking about that I don't want them touching the rudder (other than centering it) until they have enough headway so they can steer the boat. I hate for beginners to try to figure things out for themselves. That's why I use the examples I do and steering backwards is one of them. Most beginners will be looking forward instead of backwards in this situation.

Are there any beginners out there who have a "irons" story to tell? How did you get into the situation and how did you get out of it? Tell it through the eyes of the little sailing experience you had at the time.

 

[zeehag]

i place my boat "in irons" when fishing and cruising-- into irons to retrieve my fish, pull a jibsheet and on i go...lol is soo easy-- should be practiced when out playing in the lakes and seas.... is fun. kinda goes along with pivoting/spinning your fin/spade sloop n its own length

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

Bill: Here's the problem with beginners - they don't know what they don't know.

I agree. I am not a beginner and I am currently teaching a basic sail class at our Sail and Power Squadron. But I enjoyed reading Don's explanation because there is always something to learn, even if it validates what you think you know. Thanks Don.

Paul