lies my sailing instructor told me

[john6206]

Summer is here, I just launched today! It has been a very busy spring - this is the latest I have launched ever, still I have way too much to do to go sailing, but I stole a few hours today! I had a handful of sailing lessons before I bought my 170, but basically I try to figure stuff out as I go along. So I was trying to get the boat to point a bit higher and I tried cleating the jib sheet on both sides, basically pulling the clew closer to the mast by cleating the leeward sheet. Thing is I remember my sailing instructor saying that this was a bad idea . . . .now she didn't specify how bad or why, like why Egan told Vinckman that crossing the streams of their proton packs was a bad idea. Basically it just fools the boat into thinking that the jib cleats are further back. It seemed to work, although it is sometimes hard for me to tell. Do you guys ever do that - is it really a bad idea. Here is another thing. I know for sure that she told me that if I ever capsize, you uncleat all the sheets, and flip the boat up (yes, I have a hobie float) and the boat will turn into the wind and stall. I on the other hand have learned that you better have a good darn grip on the boat when you step on the center board because it is going to take off like a shot when you turn it back over. Have you found the same thing?? Bottom line is that I went sailing today on a warm clear day with wonderful breeze. Summer is here! john

 

[Pops]

Barber Hauler

Search for "Barber Hauler" in the archives of this site. This is the accepted way of doing this [if you don't have jib tracks (I'm not familiar with the 170)]. I've never used the lazy sheet to trim the jib. I'm sure that some one else can tell us why that's bad.

 

[Pops]

Oh yeah

On my boat, 1980 hunter 27, any cross sheeting (correct term?) would cause all kinds of friction on the lines as they would be across the mast, over the hatch, across the non skid on the deck, etc. Again I'm not familiar with the 170, but we never did it on the X-boat, the c-scow, or the d-scow, which are three boats that I sailed many times when I lived in Minnesota, that had flat decks. A barber hauler is a short piece of line on a snatch block that is used to change the angle of the dangle. More efficent than using the lazy sheet which should set up for the next tack or jybe.

 

[Pops]

Your second question

Before you flip the boat up again, turn the bow into the wind. It will flip up "in irons".

 

[Pops]

Oh yeah

If you flip the boat with the wind on the stern, the main sail will fill the space between your shrouds and the mast. This will accelerate the boat at the current wind speed and rip the sail as it tries to go where it's not meant to go (i.e. forward of the mast and into the water).

 

[john6206]

That makes sense Pops

I bet I forgot the part about swimming the bow into the wind, probably she told me that. Twice I have accidently capsized, of course the wind was pretty fierce both times, when I flipped the boat up it took off and and had to grab on and haul myself in. If I had reacted too slowly I never would have caught it!

 

[john6206]

wait a minute!

Can you do that?? I bet it is pretty difficult to swim the bow of a capsized boat around until it points into the wind. I am picturing water over my head, me flopping around in my life jacket, the sails and the mast dragging in the water the boat on it's side. . . . . anyone done that?john

 

[Dale]

Dont know

I turn mine over all the time its a 170 Ive never had any trouble but I dont stand on the centerboard I grab the board while Im in the water and when the boat comes back up I grab the rubrail and as the boat accerates I just let it slide through my hand until I get to the back and I grab the rudder and turn it into the wind or I just climb in Ive never had any problem getting into my boat 20 25 mph wind no problems.

 

[crazy dave]

over she blows

If you go over, try to unleash all the sheets so any sails will flutter when it comes up. Suggest to get the main down as well. If you are prone to turning over, the catamaran sailors usually tie an extra line at the base but this may be hard with the 170 but you could tie a line to the shroud chain plate and throw it over to the other side.

 

[txjim]

Capsize Drills

Just want to add something to this discussion... I taught a Boy Scout Small Boat Sailing merit badge course last weekend (first time on my recently acquired used 170)and was a bit worried about the required capsize drill. I was very surprised by a couple traits of the 170:- The 170 was a lot more forgiving than I expected! Winds 10-12 and beginers at the helm, took quite a lot of effort to put it on it's side. Of course, we were not trimmed for speed (far from it) but the boat did show me that it could stay upright. (I did tell the Scouts that if one does NOT go over every now or then they were not trying very hard and not having enough fun)- The boat was very easy to right. The boat rode much higher in the water than I expected and it was actually quite a reach to grab the centerboard! Did not take much to get the boat on it's feet again. (Boat came with the Hobie bulb; looks like training wheels but sure helps)By the way, my first post on this forum. I've been absorbing everyone's comments and, thanks to eveything I read on this forum, I made sure that the recovery steps inclued grabbing the dock line.Jim

 

[Dave]

Turtled

Hi guys.I have capsized twice now. The first was a full turtle. The center board stayed up for about 10 minutes worth of my tugging before it fell back in to the well. The cheap bungie cord knot (staple) pulled through the hook.Does anyone have a better alternative to this bungie cord?I got help to right by a couple of power boats with the end result of bending the mast and breaking a spar. A little enginuity and some brute force straghtened the mast to near perfect with just a little dent where I was a little to over zealous.Dave

 

[Leftwing24]

Yes I have...

I've cleated both jib sheets to do the very same thing. My experience is that the benefit is not substantial, but it does help.On the capsize, the gist of the replies is correct (bow into the wind, uncleat the sheets, pop it up). The last step can be difficult (or impossible) if the boat turtles and the mast is stuck in the mud to leeward 25 yards off the boat ramp. Then it takes a power boat, a dock line, most of the local fire department, and apparently half the staff of the local newspaper to get it upright... The worst part about it was that I had capsized this boat several times, and had un-capsized it without incident. My kids had never been involved in a capsize, so I was going to use it as training. We would have been oaky, but when I turned around, my son was still hanging from the upper gunwhale, causing the boat to turtle.

 

[Dale]

turtle

Never use the bungee dont use anything when I sail on a run I pull the centerboard anyway and it always stays down when I want it to and if I hit anything underwater it comes up and falls bac down.