Reefing

[Dan McGuire]

Tacking Speed Limit

There is an upper limit to the amount of wind I can tack my MAC 23. I suspect the same may be true for some other boats.I am limited in forward speed by the hull speed. If the wind is high enough I cannot coast throught the tack. In addition because of the hull design, the MAC 23 has a lot of lot of drag to leeward in the forward hull. The combination limits me to about 15 to 20k max for tacking. I have tried all sorts of manuevers including backwinding the jib, pushing the main to windward and shifting my weight forward and to leeward. It would probably improve with better sails. Mine are pretty well blown.

 

[rookie]

I'm in the same "boat"

I totally agree. I think I should have luffed the jib, made the tack, and then trimed it again on the new heading.The whole day, in lighter winds, I found myself having to gybe vs. tack because I could never get her to around.But in the gusty situation, I was already at 30*, I certainly did not want to Gybe her.

 

[Mike]

Rudder

I don't know what type of rudder your boat has, but my C22 has a kick up rudder. After only owning it a short time, I was sailing with winds of 12 - 15 mph. The rudder had worked itself up to almost horizontal because it's lockdown handle was slightly corroded and wouldn't tighten any further. I lost all steerage and couldn't tack. Very lucky for me, I had my father-in-law with me, and he took the tiller while I climbed over the stern rail, and used my foot to push the rudder back to the proper location. NO, I wasn't tethered off, but know better now. I repaired the rudder with a bungee inserted thru a hole I drilled and it keeps the rudder perfectly in place, but allows it to still kick up.

 

[Benny]

Heave to!

When we go under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge it could be blowing 15 on the inside and 25-30 on the outside just a couple of 100 yards away in usually traffic churned waters. What we do is "heave to" by backwinding the genoa and locking the wheel to windward. This stops forward motion and settles the boat to allow to go to the mast and reef the main. Release the halyard, insert the clew in the horn and pull the reefing line. Raise halyard and release the wheel and genoa halyard and allow the boat to tack. To bring in the Genoa we'll put the line on to a winch and crank while releasing the halyard.

 

[hugo]

Reefing misery. Had my first sail with my 1973 Venture 224. This one has roller reefing and I was unable to reef at all. The boom just wud not roll no matter what. I have owned and sailed several boats for 35 years. Most had slap or jiffy reefing,some had roller.Every one I could handle except this one. It has the bolt through the mast.What did I DO WRONG????.

 

[Dave20133]

Furling? Me too

Amen - Was coming south on Lake Michigan last year, winds picked up to over 30, reefed it down to the equivalent of three reef points on both gennie and main - All from the cockpit protected by the dodger. Since we do not race, the performance loss of the furling main is more than offset by the safety in these types of conditions.

 

[Jeanne Bromberg]

How do you back wind the jib?

I tried playing with the hove to move this weekend just to learn to do it without any success. What I did was to fall off until the jib started to swing. Then I tried to hold it there without letting the main swing. But, when I tried to push the tiller to the wind, the whole boat would swing. Obviously, I am not getting what it means to "Backwind the jib. Can someone explain this to a rookie! Thanks, Jeanne B

 

[Mark Spencer]

Anybody fall off?

I see a lot of comments about deciding which laundry to adjust first, when to reef, how to fight the boat until you've got it into the new configuration, all the while battling the breeze and trying not to get blown off the deck in the process, but there's a much easier way which, in most circumstances should work just fine...simply fall off on a dead run, ease the sheets, and the apparant wind just goes away. It's a lot easier to reef the main or change the headsail when it's not flapping in your face on a heeled boat which is trying to turn into the weather on it's own. I read about that technique somewhere, and it made sense. I tried it and couldn't imagine why everybody didn't do it that way. Just be sure to be ready for a big change in apparant atmospheric action when you come about to resume a reaching course!

 

[Mike Misko]

Heave to - Jeanne

Hello Jeanne - some of the more experienced folks could offer a more elegant explanation, but as one semi-newbie to another, let me try...When you heave to, you need to start the manuever by tacking and letting the boat turn into the wind (come about). Here's what is different - simply don't release the jibsheet that was secured on your previous tack. In fact, it may help to tighten it after you turn through the wind. Now that you have come about without releasing the jibsheet, the jib is back-winded. Also, as you come around, release the main, just as you normally would, but don't tighten it back in. It will flap downwind a bit, but nothing like when you put the boat dead into the wind. Finally, after you've tacked, pull the tiller down to the new leeward side and hold it/lash it in that position. You are now virtually stopped. To get moving again, release the jib, pull in the main and set the tiller amidships. Once it works for you, you'll find doing it is easier than explaning it! Check heave-to in the archives - about a month ago somebody posted a link to a site that gives a brief video clip of this and other maneuvers. Good luck! Mike

 

[Lauraine3557]

Head up!

Assuming most everyone has roller furling for the genoa/jib, just head up into the wind to take the pressure off your headsail so you can wind it up to where it's comfortable or roll it up completely and sail on mainsail alone. Flatten the main to spill wind and let the mainsheet out until the boat is at a comfortable angle for everyone. Your boat will appreciate it, too. It takes alot of the stress off the rigging - and you and your crew!

 

[Ross]

over canvased

I have learned that I can sail at hull speed with ten to twelve kts wind. When the wind speed increases to fifteen, I reef because at fifteen kts the force of the wind is a little more than double the force at ten kts. There are always gusts that run to twenty per cent increases in the velocity. I can't see any reason to stress the rig if it does't increase the boat speed.

 

[robert taylor]

backwinded heave to

to heave to, just tack without releasing the jib sheet. when the bow goes through the wind, try to hold that course with the jib "backed", or up against the "now" windward shrouds. holding the course will slow the boat. once the boat is dead slow, continue to fall off the wind a little then turn hard to windward and lock the rudder. the boat should not have enough momintum to put the bow back through the wind. it may take a little time to get the boat settled down, but once it is it will stay. to bring it out of irons, just release the jib and trim on the other side to start moving. the other alternative is to leave the jib where it is, unlock the rudder and go hard off wind and jibe the main to the new heading.

 

[AMylander]

Head Up

The quickest and easiest way to take off way, reduce heeling, and reduce pressure on standing and running rigging is to pinch up to windward - not so far as to put yourself in irons, or even to heave to, but just enough to depower the main and foresail, and stand the boat back up. Then you have a lot more options of what to do with your sails - tuck in reefs, furl, etc. All of these activities are much easier when the pressure is off of the sails and rigging. The obvious thing to do next is to reduce sail.

 

[alan@lumberspecialists.com]

Genny First

I reef the genny first because it's on a roller and it's so easy to do. Plus, it's out of the way when I go forward to hook the main.

 

[Jeanne Bromberg]

Heave to help

Thanks to the help with the hove to. I knew I was missing something. This will be my practice work next week. Thanks again, Jeanne B

 

[Mike]

Heave To - video

here's a link to the heaving to videohttp://www.videos.sailingcourse.com/heaving_to_wmv1.htm

 

[Ugadawg]

Head up

Because I don't have a furling genoa and the previous owners had never set up the main for reefing, I just head up closer to the wind but not enough to lose forward motion. Everyone has told me I can bury the rail and when enough of the keel comes out of the water, the boat will automatically turn into the wind. So far I have been too chicken to STAY heeled over beyond 20 degrees, mostly because I rarely have competent crew on board.

 

[Anchor Down]

In Theory

if one of the symptoms of being overcanvassed is the building weather helm, wouldn't it make much more sense to reef the mansail first, to restore a more balanced sailplan and relieve the weather helm?Those of you who roll in headsail area first: what effect does this have on weather helm, in your experience?

 

[MikeMD22]

reef or power

In my C22 I don't have a roller furling and only one reef point. also new to sailing.I've been out in 15 with one reef on the main and no headsail. As it blows harder .. above 20 kt I'm not sure what to do. any suggestions ?

 

[Alan]

OK

the wind is howling, rail is in the water, and lots of weather helm. Go immediately to vang sheeting and drop the traveler. This relieves the weather helm and heel right off the bat. Next step to reef the main. (Here's a reason for practising reefing)Done efficiently, because you are practiced, this takes about one minute. Last step is change headsails. Change tacks, if necessary, so that the inside groove is open. Rig the #3 and hoist inside your #1. Drop the #1 on deck. Now the boat is much more stable, up on her feet and moving much faster under better control.