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- Thread starter Roger Long
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Without reading the rest of the post and without knowing if you answered already, I would have do the same thing, tack and heave to. At least while the boat moved toward the wind I would try and unjam the jam.
I was running out of room pretty fast to windward on the course I needed to maintain to avoid a knockdown in the gusts. I had the width of the harbor to leeward, about 2/10 of a mile at that point, but there was a lot of traffic and it was no place to be floundering around out of control with other vessels not realizing the sheet was jammed. I didn't have any hands for a radio call at that point.
Roger,
I had this happen while racing once due to an overzealous head sail trimmer who did not catch the override until the sail went under load in 15+. We immediately grabbed the windward lazy sheet and ran it through the leeward double line genny car, a good reason for a dual line car, then to the other winch and used what had been the windward lazy sheet to over trim the genny and to alleviate the strain on the jammed sheet. Did not take much to let off tension and un-wrap the override. We were not in as close quarters as you but were coming into a mark rather hot with two other bigger boats. We did however consider the situation very serious as we had to put precious seconds behind us as there were two boats with rather "questionable" PHRF ratings we needed to beat..
No extra seconds to deal with a override..
That is probably exactly how I would handle it today if it happened again but I do run dual line cars. Unfortunately, a single line car would prevent this tactic unless you had two tracks, and inboard and outboard cars. On certain boats getting to a winch on the opposite side can be difficult because the wheels are often in the same location as the winches so the skipper can trim and sail solo.
I always keep a large spare snap shackle mounted block in my lazarette as a just-in-case. This allows me to get to my opposite winch by attaching the block behind the wheel to my aluminum perforated toe rail. Have not needed to use it yet but it is there if I need it. It could also come in handy for many other situations.
If in your situation, and unable to get to another winch, I would have done as you did dump the main but probably eased up into the wind to try and ease the sheet. If that did not work I would likely heave to and fire up the motor under heave to clear the area then deal with it. If in a real pinch my knife is always ready.
Nice job..
I had this happen while racing once due to an overzealous head sail trimmer who did not catch the override until the sail went under load in 15+. We immediately grabbed the windward lazy sheet and ran it through the leeward double line genny car, a good reason for a dual line car, then to the other winch and used what had been the windward lazy sheet to over trim the genny and to alleviate the strain on the jammed sheet. Did not take much to let off tension and un-wrap the override. We were not in as close quarters as you but were coming into a mark rather hot with two other bigger boats. We did however consider the situation very serious as we had to put precious seconds behind us as there were two boats with rather "questionable" PHRF ratings we needed to beat..
No extra seconds to deal with a override..That is probably exactly how I would handle it today if it happened again but I do run dual line cars. Unfortunately, a single line car would prevent this tactic unless you had two tracks, and inboard and outboard cars. On certain boats getting to a winch on the opposite side can be difficult because the wheels are often in the same location as the winches so the skipper can trim and sail solo.
I always keep a large spare snap shackle mounted block in my lazarette as a just-in-case. This allows me to get to my opposite winch by attaching the block behind the wheel to my aluminum perforated toe rail. Have not needed to use it yet but it is there if I need it. It could also come in handy for many other situations.
If in your situation, and unable to get to another winch, I would have done as you did dump the main but probably eased up into the wind to try and ease the sheet. If that did not work I would likely heave to and fire up the motor under heave to clear the area then deal with it. If in a real pinch my knife is always ready.
Nice job..
We always keep a short (12') changing sheet ready for overrides. It has a mainsail reefing hook on one end for a quick attachment to the clew and is run through the twin lead genoa car to the cabin top winch. This will carry the load while the override is pulled out.
An override unfortunately happens a lot while racing. On my boat we practice this and my crew have learned to immediately run the tail counter clockwise to the opposite winch and crank out one turn at a time. We are always looking at the winches to insure that the there is no override and therefore we are never caught unaware.
Roger: This was a good exercise and we shouild do more of it. When I'm out on a solo sail, I often think "what could go wrong and what would I do about it." It's a fun game to play with yourself (as long as nothing goes wrong....).
UK-Halsey has some really fun quizes on their site and add new ones all the time: http://www.ukhalsey.com/RulesQuiz/quiz_list.asp
I had an overide on my furler drum once in a restricted area, while solo. It was no fun. Pivoted about 180 degrees and went back out into open water then turned into the wind and went forward to deal with it. It was stuck good so I secured the genoa as best I could and then returned to my mooring.
I like the idea of a 12 foot line with a reefing hook to the cabin top winch. I will definitely make one up, if only as a charm against future over rides!
I like the idea of a 12 foot line with a reefing hook to the cabin top winch. I will definitely make one up, if only as a charm against future over rides!
I was watching Lynn & Larry Pardee's "Crossing Oceans" video. They said when the winch jams with a trip is to use a rolling hitch on the sheet to ease the pressure enough to free the trip. If I didn't have time to rig a rolling hitch I would cut that sucker.
I cant begin to thank enough all of you who post thoughts and ideas. I learn more each day from this forum than I ever dreamed about.
As the my kids say "TOTAL FAIL" by my brain.
My first thought too was rolling hitch on the sheet to pull off the load but the situation said only 1 minute and I know there's no way in Portland that I would be able to tie that, run it across to another winch and unload in less than a minute much less 2 or 3. = Crash
I also thought about letting out the main but in all honesty that was purely a panic move and I had absolutely no idea what it would get me (except less power) or what to do afterwards
. I'm sure the jib would have kept me going right into the mooring field albeit a little slower. = Crash againAs someone else mentioned "fiberglass splinters", prayers noone gets hurt, and a call to my insurance agent were looming large. Never thought about a knife to cut the line but that's something I will add to my preparations and have with me now to be used if my brain can't sort something out quickly first. I win with this lesson tip.
This is fantastic and I hope you experienced guys continue to give us rookies more of these.
Actually, that is probably the best take home message of the whole thing. Modern sailors have the idea of luffing so ingrained that we often forget that the traditional way of dealing with sudden wind increases and some other emergencies was to run off.
I like to amuse non and semi experienced sailors on days when it's blowing hard and we are going fast to windward by saying, "Hey, tell me when you would like the wind to stop." When they respond, I let the main sheet run, crank the wheel over and put the boat dead downwind. On a day with whitecaps when spray has been flying, it will suddenly seem like the wind dropped to zero. I then say, "Tell me when you would like the wind to come back." Try it.
If your boat is seriously overpowered and you keep luffing, your speed will gradually decay and only the most skillful helmsmanship will keep you going. If your speed drops too far, you will go aback. With sheet let run and the boat head to wind you will have a loud, rig damaging thundering of flogging sails. Downwind, it will be much quieter, the boat will be level, and you'll have plenty of speed for rudder control. If you start rolling hard, just come up a little bit.
You need speed though to make the downwind turn so it's not a move you can make after luffing nearly to nearly dead in the water. Drive the boat hard to build up speed, dump the main, and turn resolutely downwind. It's a move your should practice because it will bring sudden calm to surprisingly strong winds. The easiest way to get a jib rolled up is to get it smothered behind the main. Then come back up on the wind to put a reef in if you need it.
The flip side is what happens when you set off downwind, sail along thinking what a fine day it is, and then turn for the beat home. This mistake has killed many people with an offshore breeze.
S&*% sometimes happens
I have been in similar situations in the past, and they are never fun. As a result, and the fact that I'm a lot older than I used to be, I never, ever sail up channels, or under bridges without the engine running. Lots of times I just have it idling in neutral, but always running. Just too many bad things can happen when your ability to maneuver is limited. I know of two instances where a boat hit a bridge, trying to sail through and got caught in a swirling, shifting wind.
I have been in similar situations in the past, and they are never fun. As a result, and the fact that I'm a lot older than I used to be, I never, ever sail up channels, or under bridges without the engine running. Lots of times I just have it idling in neutral, but always running. Just too many bad things can happen when your ability to maneuver is limited. I know of two instances where a boat hit a bridge, trying to sail through and got caught in a swirling, shifting wind.
I see a lot of the same thing in reverse in where I'm at.
Sailboats running in and out under a lift bridge with their sails tied down (or under covers and in bags) and no anchor in sight. A little bit of sediment mixed up in the fuel tank and the next few minutes might get very interesting.
Sailboats running in and out under a lift bridge with their sails tied down (or under covers and in bags) and no anchor in sight. A little bit of sediment mixed up in the fuel tank and the next few minutes might get very interesting.
I like what Nice N Easy said about never sailing in restricted space without having the engine running (or in my case at least down into the water). Under power I subscribe to ffaubert's rule: never power in restricted areas without at least the mainsail cover OFF and the anchor ready to deploy.
Roger's idea is interesting in that by bearing off you also blanket the hardened-fast jib with the main, freeing it from both weird flogging for being too tight and from most of the load, so the overwrap can be freed up. If you have room to leeward I guess that should look like a no-brainer; but not noticing the wrap before having to tack suggests you are out of room by then. I am not so concerned with having twin-sheet lead blocks for this contingency; having a perforated toerail I would just take the lazy sheet to another 'pick' with a snap-shackle block and relieve the hardened sheet that way. I also like the idea of going across the cockpit with the tail to the other winch. When I first considered singlehanding that was my answer for cross-cockpit (high-side) sheeting anyway.
I often 'amuse' myself with 'what-if's like these. Once I had an actual dream (nightmare?) about tacking down towards Penns Landing in Phila and losing the main halyard; and I woke up consciously thinking, 'All right; but what would I do if that did happen?' One main trouble in that situation would have been all of Philadelphia watching it; and of course I was born there so that matters! (I do have double halyards for potential issues like this; I did calculate I could change over and get the main back up before blowing down into the USS New Jersey.)
I agree we should do more of these 'quizzes'. I am only grateful to Roger for suggesting it and grateful too that no cordage products, railcaps, powerboats or polar-bear cubs were harmed in the making of this not-so-hypothetical conundrum.
Roger's idea is interesting in that by bearing off you also blanket the hardened-fast jib with the main, freeing it from both weird flogging for being too tight and from most of the load, so the overwrap can be freed up. If you have room to leeward I guess that should look like a no-brainer; but not noticing the wrap before having to tack suggests you are out of room by then. I am not so concerned with having twin-sheet lead blocks for this contingency; having a perforated toerail I would just take the lazy sheet to another 'pick' with a snap-shackle block and relieve the hardened sheet that way. I also like the idea of going across the cockpit with the tail to the other winch. When I first considered singlehanding that was my answer for cross-cockpit (high-side) sheeting anyway.
I often 'amuse' myself with 'what-if's like these. Once I had an actual dream (nightmare?) about tacking down towards Penns Landing in Phila and losing the main halyard; and I woke up consciously thinking, 'All right; but what would I do if that did happen?' One main trouble in that situation would have been all of Philadelphia watching it; and of course I was born there so that matters! (I do have double halyards for potential issues like this; I did calculate I could change over and get the main back up before blowing down into the USS New Jersey.)
I agree we should do more of these 'quizzes'. I am only grateful to Roger for suggesting it and grateful too that no cordage products, railcaps, powerboats or polar-bear cubs were harmed in the making of this not-so-hypothetical conundrum.
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