Iron wind

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RICHH

FLAT SAILS!

To me the secret of low wind sailing is a good set of lightweight "Gentry Tufts" for perfect sail shape. Second in importance is "making you own wind' by sailing on an angle that maximizes boat speed; hence optimizing the air flow over the sails (apparent wind). Its in light wind that the streamflow across a sail separates too easily. As long as the "gentry tufts" - essentiallly tell tales all along the luff leach and foot are flying you have a decent shape enough to sail with. Heeling the boat to leeward will help with sail shape .... as well as a clean bottom will help top keep the speed up. With such tufts one can see the separations/stagnations .... and usually indicates in light going the sail needs to be as flat as possible - the tufts will immediately telly you if stagnated or separated flow. Increasing the flow over the sails by bearing off to keep boatspeed up is very important.... never dead downwind (in ANY condition) - better to tack downwind than to 'run' (run-an oxymoron if there ever was one).
 
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Meriby

Being in the boat...

It's being in the boat, separated from land/traffic/cellphones/stress, spending time with my niece, that makes the experience great! Sometimes we just take the tender out to the boat and sit and have lunch, do some perfunctory maintenance or read in the sun in the cockpit all afternoon. While handling light winds is fun, and certainly tests one's skills, being out there is what it's about for me and her. If I wanted to 'get places' all the time, or go fast, I'd probably just own a stinkpot.
 
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Kaiser

slow and loving it

Everyone loves a challenging sail with the rubrail buried. But I also love to just be moving along ever so slightly, and as you say, being able to hear the birds flying by or to carry on a short conversation with another boat near you. I tie down the tiller open a cool one and lay back. I just like being on the water whether I am moving or not. I only start the motor if I have to get back to the marina by a certain time.
 
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Fred Scott

It's time for a snooze!!!

I was out on a lake in Alberta Canada and the sailing was great, then the wind suddenly died. The sails just hung there and the sky looked like it may pick up again. So I left them up grabed a pillow from inside and laid down in the cockpit. Leo my friendly Bichon was lying in his favorite spot straddling the gunwhale as he likes to watch the water. I must have dozed off for awhile then woke to find Leo not on board. The panic was on and I was a mile from shore. Then I heard plashing water at the stern and there he was trying to get up the swim ladder. I am not sure how long he was in the water but suspect that he must have fallen a sleep also and then rolled over and rolled off the boat. He wasn't too happy when I got him back on board and then I made sure he had his life jacket on at all times on the boat. The wind did pick up and off we went with Leo back on the Gunwhale watching the water go by. Fred Scott "Lady Vi"
 
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Dan

Smooth sailing

Drifting along with the light wind is great fun if there are no sea swells to slap all the rigging around. If it is calm, smooth, then I would never crank up the engine, if on the onther hand, the sails are beating themselve silly as the boat rocks back and forth, it is not fun for me and not good for the boat and equipment, start it up or take the sails down and just drift.
 
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Derek

Unless there's a storm or I'm late for a meal . .

As long as she's moving, doesn't matter how slow. I take the fast with slow.
 
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FRED MENS

why saiL, then?

IN REPLY TO THE QUESTION ABOUT GHOSTING, HOW SLOW SHOULD YOU GO? SIMPLE. LET US ALL BE HONEST, NO ONE SAILS A SAILBOAT WITH THE INTENTION OF GETTING ANYWHERE IN A HURRY. WHY WOULD ANYONE DISTURB WHAT IS DESCRIBED HERE WITH THE SOUND OF AN OUTBOARD ENGINE. IF I AM AROUND, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT FIRE UP YOUR ENGINE IN THE MIDST OF THE BIRDS SINGING, THE SAILS LUFFING, AND THE WATER BURBLING. THIS IS THE WAY LIFE WAS INTENDED TO BE.
 
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Beverly SV "Sight Unseen"

When the crew is seasick

We were all out having a fun sail off Cape May on a hot day last August with 4 guests aboard. They were not "boat people" but wanted to see the shoreline by boat. The wind just died and the rolling waves made the 2 of the guests sick. Capt Bligh had no sympathy and kept everyone bobbing about offering them drinks and snacks while he tacked looking for the non- existant wind. Only when one of the sick guests threatened to jump over board and swim to shore did he finally turn on the engine and motored back to the dock. So now we have a policy on turning on the motor when there is no wind to keep the guests happy and the boat clean.
 
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Frank Sears

An easy wind...

If I'm moving... I'm happy. Easier to drink my wine and I can shut my eyes once in a while. I'll let the boat sail herself.
 
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Jeff

start 'er up

Dead Calm is a great movie title but not much sailing fun so start 'er up. Those other replies are full of it.
 
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Mike

You gotta do what you gotta do

I fire up the engine for two (non-emergency) reasons: when the wind is so light and the motion of the boat is causing seasickness; and when I need to keep on schedule. I know, I know; we sail to get away from all that, and I do too. However, I have two small children who have soccer and baseball games and birthday parties galore, a wife who likes but doesn't love to sail, and very limited free time. The reality is that sometimes I just have to be somewhere at a certain time. I'd rather go sailing for three hours than not at all. If the engine allows me get back to the dock in time to take my seven year old to her swim lesson, then I consider that to be a bargain. If I don't have to be back at a particular time and no one is seasick, I'll happily sit in a bobbing boat that is moving nowhere.
 
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Bruce Byrnes

:) Any Sail is a Good Sail

The beauty of sailing is that all conditions contribute to it's enjoyment. It doesn't matter whether you are enjoying the peaceful lull of luffing in a gentle breeze or the adrenaline surge of the bow crashing through the sea with the sails straining against the rigging.
 
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Wayne Eisel

Drifting by drifter

I used to fire up the iron jenny early, until one day I was washing the boat instead of sailing in almost no breeze. A bigger boat ghosted by and asked if I wanted a ride. The answer is always yes. I asked why he could sail a heavier boat under a genoa while I couldn't move. He explained about a light air drifter. I copied his rigging and ordered one, and greatly expanded my sailing wind bracket on the low end. Any foward movement is good movement.
 
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Steve Booth

Depends on the sail.

When I had my first sailboat I went a whole season burning only 3 gallons of gas. Needless to say I almost never motored. I learned alot about sailing and alot about having a crew. I find many crew do not appreciate rocking and rolling to go now where. I still have days when I am just out to sail and don't crank up the Iron wind...but my general sail these days is apt to be a passage often in open water and I will crank on the engine as needed to make the destination. I hope to get a cruising spinnaker which will also allow less engine time. Of course I now have a new boat which will need battery charging for the fridge so guess it will all balance out. Pax. s/vGandalf
 
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Ernest F. Brodie, Sr.

Diversions for Iron Wind

It has been noted that many sailors have diversions for Iron Wind such as fishing, eating, drinking, swimming, etc. I personally don't mind the calm except for when it is extremely hot or being pounded by the wake of power boats. The most enjoyment that I have had is when the water is as smooth as glass, the slight breeze moves the boat along at approximately 2 knots as the sun is going down in the west and a full moon is rising in the east. The colors both in the sky and reflecting upon the water are awesome. As I continue to sail, the reflection of the moon dances upon the water and becomes the only light to sail by. It is like sailing through a picture without destroying it. Awesome!!!
 
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David Lewis

Iron Genny

I really don't do much solo sailing on my c-36 since my girlfriend lives aboard with me. But since I don't always listen to her, as long as the beer is cold and and I am registering at least 3 knots I can still have fun and not get too anxious. under 3 knots it time for the barn. Theirs alot of ocean out thier and somebodys got to sail it, and it won't happen under 3 knots, unless of course the iron genny is being uncooperative. l8tr, David
 
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Steve

Depends on mood

Don't know about others, but it depends on the way I am feeling. I enjoy boating for different reasons on different days. Sometimes I love a challenge and the more the deck tilts and the wetter I get, the more I love it. I bought a small, but heavy boat to "dare" the elements.... sort of! Lots of times, though, I turn on the quiet jazz and lap along, just enjoying the undwinding my mind and body is getting. If I am with friends, I enjoy moving smartly, but not scaring the bejesus out of everyone, causing anyone's drinks to spill. And also, when I am doing something else and my mind is deep within, I enjoy just plain quiet. Steve
 
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Jim

Slow is Enough

When the wind drive's me below 3 knots, I start the engine. At that point I can motor sail or just power on thru. I do a lot of cruising and while three is nice and comfortable, it does not get you there.
 
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Steve G.

Would you rather be working?

No doubt beating into a stiff breeze is exhilarating, but there's alot to be said for the peacefulness of a quiet sail. Sure, I'll use the engine to get into a mooring field or through a narrow channel under these conditions. If we're trying to go some distance, say crossing long island sound (where the tide will spin you in circles), in the course of the day AND the wind dies completely, I might use the deisel to keep schedule. If however, if there's any way to go under sail, no matter the pace, no matter what the crew says, those sails are staying up.
 
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Tom Mc.

Slow is Good

When you don't absolutely have to (darkness, got to get to the reserved slip, etc) why? That's the joy of sailing, those ghost days when a paddling duck pulls ahead but you have just enough wind to fill the sails. When things start slatting around, fire it up - reluctantly.
 
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