Getting Out Of Irons

[Don Guillette]

I talked to a FL sailor yesterday on another subject but during the conversation "getting out of irons" came up. He's been stuck a couple of times off Ft Myers and wanted a quick way to get the boat moving again. There really isn't a fast way. When America Cup boats get stuck in irons they have a devil of a time getting going. It frequently happens to racers at the starting line and it's fun to watch them muddle around. It happens most often when a mate doesn't have enough speed to get through a tack.

There are a number of ways to get the boat moving forward again but the easiest way is to DO NOTHING. Eventually the boat will start sailing backwards by itself and you can use your rudder to get the boat going forward. The last time I got stuck in irons I didn't have that option because I was near the breakwater and would have sailed backwards right into it.

I gave him a couple of methods to use and suggested he try them by purposely putting the boat in irons and practice the suggestion until he found the one that worked the best and fastest for him.

What methods do some of you use to get out of irons?

 

[Calif. Ted]

I usually try to backwind the jib to get the nose around and finish that tack, hopefully any momentum you have is going that direction already. And if the wheel is "hard over" back off and give it just a quarter turn in the direction you want to go until it gets a little bite, so it doesn't impede getting the boat moving again.

 

[CharlieCobra]

With a sloop in light air, I leave the headsail where it is until back winded before crossing it over to the new tack. That usually keeps me out of irons. With a split rig, like a yawl or ketch, simply grabbing the mizzen and swinging it to the direction I now want to go will pivot the boat's stern and get me out.

 

[Benny17441]

Yes, doing nothing seems to work for me just fine but if I'm in a hurry I just turn on the engine.

 

[Nodak7]

I just cuss a lot :cussing: and that seems to help because as I am doing that the boat just comes around.... It works everytime!

 

[Jackdaw]

Backwind the jib by pulling the clew to the windward rail.
Let main luff
Tiller to leeward so when the boat slides slightly backwards stern goes to windward.
After bow falls off tiller midships and jib back to leeward, harden main
Sails generate lift in this position and you're golden

PS - You're right; the last generation AC monohulls used to do a 'dialup' at the start... both boats luffing nose to wind untill they both stalled. Drivers would play 'chicken' by seeing who could stand that the longest.

The cats don't do that; as they are very hard to restart. During the last AC in Spain, BMW/Oracle was caught in irons at the start for what seems like AN HOUR....

 

[Ray T]

Although I don't get into irons very often it seems to happen just before the start of a race. I usually race with just two of us and the other crew person is inexperienced, by the time we get organized to backwind the jib we're out of irons.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I backwind the jib like others have posted. Learned to do this before the 'ol internet when sailing and racing Hobies and my Supercat. A light cat just does not want to tack in light air and needs a little help.
Another case where starting in small boats helped me later.

 

[Bill Roosa]

I don't go there.
Before you tack
bear off to build up some speed if you are close hauled and going too slow
then tack with sufficient way on to compleate the tack without gettin stuck.
I think I read that in a book somewhere.

 

[Jackdaw]

I don't go there.
Before you tack
bear off to build up some speed if you are close hauled and going too slow
then tack with sufficient way on to compleate the tack without gettin stuck.
I think I read that in a book somewhere.

Yea that teach you that in Sailing 101.

But sometimes it happens, like at the start of races; where you often luff-up to the point of stalling.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Maybe we have a different idea of in irons. Many discuss using the jib, but if you're really in irons, both sails are flapping. yeah, you could try to backwind the jib, but pushing the boom out and using the mainsail also works.

The trick is to get the boat moving backwards fast enough to have the rudder bite. That's why, with stronger winds, doing nothing makes sense, because the wind starts the process.

 

[Jackdaw]

Stu, I see your point, but normally the Center of Effort (CE) of the mainsail is very close to (or behind!) the Center of Lateral Resistance (CLR) created by the keel. That being the case, she will not want to pivot on a backwinded main. The jib's CE is father forward, and so she will turn much easier if you backwind the jib.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Jack, I'm not suggesting pivoting of any kind, merely moving backwards fast enough to have the rudder be able to steer. You know, like those guys who complain about prop walk and don't give the boat any throttle.

That's why I asked about the definition of in irons before. It means, to me, that the wind is coming directly from in front of the boat. If you can't sheet in the jib on either tack, it's luffing. If you have to go forward to in front of the mast to move the jib over, by the time you get back, the boat's in irons again.

It's easier and less walking forward to move the boom over than trying to mess with the jib. On some boats, you can sheet in the main and move the traveler over far enough to get air on the main.

Everybody has their own methods...but Don did ask.

 

[Jackdaw]

Stu,

Point taken. And all boats are different. What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa.

 

[Alan]

We do it all the time in the dial during pre-start (Swedish Match 40's). Both boats go head to wind playing chicken with the other boat. The helm and jib trimmer face eachother. The trimmer will hold the clew out on either side as the helm requests to keep the boat facing directly into the wind while slowly walking backwards. The minute one of the boats makes a move for the start line the clew of the jib is pushed out to weather and the bow drives down while the boat gains speed. The mainsheet is eased so as not top fight turning force of the jib. In a non competitive situation just pulling the jib sheet in on one side and waiting will sort things out and the boat will drive off and accelerate.

 

[Don Guillette]

The origin of the term came from early ships that were unable to maneuver due to the lack of forward motion or steerage and were like a prisoner "in irons" awaiting execution.

In present day it's a boat that's stopped head to wind and has no forward motion. The problem then is that the boat lacks a flow of water over the rudder and the boat can't be steered. That's what Stu is talking about when he wants the "rudder to bite". Without some "bite" your not going to get out of irons.

A sailor sent me a personal message and said he was afraid when the boat sailed backwards. I told him once he does it a couple of times he'll see it's no problem. That's why it's important to practice getting the boat moving in a controlled place where you've got plenty of room to fool around.

Say your sailing with the main only. Just push out the boom half way (called backing the main) until it fills with air and you start moving backwards. Now steer in reverse and turn the rudder in the opposite direction you want the stern to go. Shortly, the wind will come over the side of the boat and you will start moving forward.

If you really want to have some fun and amaze your sailing friend, see how far you can sail the boat backwards!! If mates ask you what you're doing just shrug your shoulders as if to say "what's the problem - isn't this the way the boat is suppose to sail?".

If you have the main and jib flying you can back the jib (called backing the jib) and get out of irons that way. If you really want to get out of irons quickly then back the main and jib at the same time.

 

[Rick]

Guys Guys

Just use the iron genny. Problem solved.

Kidding.

If you put the boat in irons on purpose, you are probably a good enough sailor to solve the problem quickly. If you do it on accident, the error of execution is probably 50 yards behind you. You were hanging on the taff rail instead of planning the next two tacks.

Good stuff though on techniques. Of course that depends on the amount of ballast you have.

 

[Don Guillette]

Rick: The problem with most things is beginner to intermediate don't take the time to practice situations, as I've suggested to them over and over for many years. All it takes is once or twice in the practice situation and they don't have to think about HOW to get out of the situation because it's now second nature to them.

 

[sinnettc]

This probably won't work for those of you with bigger boats, or wheels instead of tillers, but I can usually give the tiller a couple of good hard pumps, kind of like sculling, to force the stern around one way or the other. That said, as much trouble as I have getting Verboten to balance hove to, I don't generally have to worry about getting caught in irons.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Hey Jackdaw
I'm not the racer that I need to be clearly, I thought the start line was something to be crossed at MAX SPEED not while lufting. Maybe I'm not understanding what you are saying.
Typically I know how far from the start line I am and how fast the boat is going to be going on the tack I've chosen (farting around before the race stuff). I then stand off till the horn and then make for "my spot", cross the spot at full speed and the correct time and on course for the start line. If I’m off a little then I make adjustments between “my point” and the start line with adjustment happening sooner being better than later ones.
I'm not sure where you are doing all this lufting or why. Clearly I'm missing something.
Please explain where and when you are lufting.