Recently was sailing in winds of 12-15kts. Pointing very well with minimal heel. Main and genoa set for a close reach and every time we had gusts she would round up. So I rolled in the geona part way and we lost speed when the gusts went away. Should I have reefed the main instead of rolling in the geona? I am new to this and looking for assistance with sail trim. Comments...
Rounding Up
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The main is where I would start.
But, before reefing, I would tighten down the cunningham, tighten outhaul, loosen the leech line, ease the vang/mainsheet and start easing the traveler down in the puffs...in that order. These adjustments should eliminate most of your rounding up if you are, otherwise, moving well with balanced sails in that wind range. Get Don Guilette's book on sail trim...he offers a clear understandable exlanation of sail trim and doesn't snow you with a blizzard of incomprehensible jargon and theory.
But, before reefing, I would tighten down the cunningham, tighten outhaul, loosen the leech line, ease the vang/mainsheet and start easing the traveler down in the puffs...in that order. These adjustments should eliminate most of your rounding up if you are, otherwise, moving well with balanced sails in that wind range. Get Don Guilette's book on sail trim...he offers a clear understandable exlanation of sail trim and doesn't snow you with a blizzard of incomprehensible jargon and theory.
How to handle gusts
Paul, This is one of the first challenges you face when you learn how to race...How do you handle gusts? For cruising purposes, the short answer is that you want to adjust the "angle of attack" (the angle the sails are to the wind) briefly while the gust is happening and quickly re-trim when the gust is gone. If you can master this technique then you'll convert the energy from the gust into forward boat motion, instead of wasting it by either rounding up or heeling excessively. The other post is also correct: You also want to depower the rig if you can (tightening cunningham, outhaul; loosening vang & traveler) but if you're just out for a lazy sail you may not want to go through all of that for every gust that hits. There are 2 ways to adjust angle of attack: alter course slightly (bear off during the gust)or ease the lines that control the sails (sheets and/or traveler). Ideally, you'll have someone looking out for when a gust is coming toward you so you can be prepared to handle it. If you're close hauled and you see an area of disturbed water AHEAD (that's a stationary gust called a header) and it appears almost stationary then it's probably a good time to tack just as you hit the area of disturbed air. This wind is actually blowing in a different direction than the prevailing wind, and tacking will let you convert that energy into moving the boat where you want it to go. This will allow you to get a good lift while in the puff & make better time to your ultimate destination. If your lookout sees an area of disturbed air that goes from right to left or vice versa, this is wind that's going in the same direction as the prevailing wind, it's just blowing harder (like a regular gust). For this circumstance, have your crew ease the sheets a little just as the gust hits & quickly sheet in when the gust is gone. This briefly de-powers the rig so it can produce more lift & less drag. This will solve your rounding problem & create better boat speed. It sounds a lot more complicated than it really is. When you get the hang of it, though, you look forward to the gust hitting rather than dreading rounding up. I hope this helped!!! Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
Paul, This is one of the first challenges you face when you learn how to race...How do you handle gusts? For cruising purposes, the short answer is that you want to adjust the "angle of attack" (the angle the sails are to the wind) briefly while the gust is happening and quickly re-trim when the gust is gone. If you can master this technique then you'll convert the energy from the gust into forward boat motion, instead of wasting it by either rounding up or heeling excessively. The other post is also correct: You also want to depower the rig if you can (tightening cunningham, outhaul; loosening vang & traveler) but if you're just out for a lazy sail you may not want to go through all of that for every gust that hits. There are 2 ways to adjust angle of attack: alter course slightly (bear off during the gust)or ease the lines that control the sails (sheets and/or traveler). Ideally, you'll have someone looking out for when a gust is coming toward you so you can be prepared to handle it. If you're close hauled and you see an area of disturbed water AHEAD (that's a stationary gust called a header) and it appears almost stationary then it's probably a good time to tack just as you hit the area of disturbed air. This wind is actually blowing in a different direction than the prevailing wind, and tacking will let you convert that energy into moving the boat where you want it to go. This will allow you to get a good lift while in the puff & make better time to your ultimate destination. If your lookout sees an area of disturbed air that goes from right to left or vice versa, this is wind that's going in the same direction as the prevailing wind, it's just blowing harder (like a regular gust). For this circumstance, have your crew ease the sheets a little just as the gust hits & quickly sheet in when the gust is gone. This briefly de-powers the rig so it can produce more lift & less drag. This will solve your rounding problem & create better boat speed. It sounds a lot more complicated than it really is. When you get the hang of it, though, you look forward to the gust hitting rather than dreading rounding up. I hope this helped!!! Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
Rule of thumb
1. If big wind already, reef at dock. 2. If wind pipes up, pull in jib/genoa first. 3. If still too much helm, reef the main. It took me 20 years to get that down, 1,2,3.
1. If big wind already, reef at dock. 2. If wind pipes up, pull in jib/genoa first. 3. If still too much helm, reef the main. It took me 20 years to get that down, 1,2,3.
Distinguishing Allen's post
To clarify my opinion. This may not be the best way to do it, but I am basically a (very) lazy sailor and typically sail as if single handing. I put dropping the traveler on my list as my last adjustment because adjusting it back and forth for each big gust is a fairly active function that I prefer to avoid as I don't race (though I don't ignore as I do prefer to sail fast). I do not adjust the sail shape for each of the puffs. I adjust it for the predominant wind range (middle 70%). I incrementally de-power the main as the wind pipes up and try to get a shape that just prevents most round-ups in all but the few biggest gusts, yet doesn't slow the boat down very much. If the big gusts are regular, but spaced out, I'll drop the traveler when I see one coming in order to maintain speed and tracking. If the extreme ones are relatively infrequent, I might just feather into them and then fall off as rudder pressure eases, since they tend to be a lift anyway as the apparent wind initially moves aft in a gust and then forward as the boat accelerates. If the gusts become frequent after I've done all I can to de-power the main and the jib, then its time to reef the main. The main is the primary driving sail on our boat, so partially furling (it's too ugly to call it reefing) the 135 is our last option. Sometimes, I guess wrong or just don't have the right feel for the helm and we round up anyway. But, hey, life's just a learning experience so we might as well practice at it. Regards,
To clarify my opinion. This may not be the best way to do it, but I am basically a (very) lazy sailor and typically sail as if single handing. I put dropping the traveler on my list as my last adjustment because adjusting it back and forth for each big gust is a fairly active function that I prefer to avoid as I don't race (though I don't ignore as I do prefer to sail fast). I do not adjust the sail shape for each of the puffs. I adjust it for the predominant wind range (middle 70%). I incrementally de-power the main as the wind pipes up and try to get a shape that just prevents most round-ups in all but the few biggest gusts, yet doesn't slow the boat down very much. If the big gusts are regular, but spaced out, I'll drop the traveler when I see one coming in order to maintain speed and tracking. If the extreme ones are relatively infrequent, I might just feather into them and then fall off as rudder pressure eases, since they tend to be a lift anyway as the apparent wind initially moves aft in a gust and then forward as the boat accelerates. If the gusts become frequent after I've done all I can to de-power the main and the jib, then its time to reef the main. The main is the primary driving sail on our boat, so partially furling (it's too ugly to call it reefing) the 135 is our last option. Sometimes, I guess wrong or just don't have the right feel for the helm and we round up anyway. But, hey, life's just a learning experience so we might as well practice at it. Regards,
Again looking for answers
Still looking for more information. How high are the gusts? 10-12 knots going up to 17-18 or 25-30? It makes a big difference. What type of boat? Water ballast, lead ballast or centerboard? How long have you been sailing? Were you rounding up, or was the weather helm more than you were used to? I don't mean to be disrespectful, however, this board has sailors who range from begineers to blue water sailors. Alot of wind to one group is 20 knots, 35+ to the other. Russell Somewhere in between
Still looking for more information. How high are the gusts? 10-12 knots going up to 17-18 or 25-30? It makes a big difference. What type of boat? Water ballast, lead ballast or centerboard? How long have you been sailing? Were you rounding up, or was the weather helm more than you were used to? I don't mean to be disrespectful, however, this board has sailors who range from begineers to blue water sailors. Alot of wind to one group is 20 knots, 35+ to the other. Russell Somewhere in between
The definition of rounding up is: In a heavy wind load, with lots of weather helm and heel the rudder stalls. This means that the rudder is no longer effective, and the boat responds to the weather helm, "rounding up" into the wind, and out of control, So turning the wheel, or tiller is totally ineffective to control rounding up. In fact, the wheel or tiller should be eased to get the rudder back in an attached flow, and able to exert some control. David Lady Lillie
Depends on the rig
If it is a fractional rig, reef the main and if it is a masthead rig, roll the genoa in some. Though Chris makes some real good points, like "taking a bite" into the wind as the gust hits, then riding down the backside of it as the apparent wind moves forward, I respectfully disagree with his lack of use of the traveler. In that much wind, with frequent puffs, I sail with one hand on the tiller and the other on the traveler line. As the helm loads up I start easing the traveler - and when it frees up I bring the traveler back up. That way the rudder can give max lift and min drag. I find it much easier to return to an optimum sail trim position on the main this way. Of course, a lot of that has to do with where your controls are located.
If it is a fractional rig, reef the main and if it is a masthead rig, roll the genoa in some. Though Chris makes some real good points, like "taking a bite" into the wind as the gust hits, then riding down the backside of it as the apparent wind moves forward, I respectfully disagree with his lack of use of the traveler. In that much wind, with frequent puffs, I sail with one hand on the tiller and the other on the traveler line. As the helm loads up I start easing the traveler - and when it frees up I bring the traveler back up. That way the rudder can give max lift and min drag. I find it much easier to return to an optimum sail trim position on the main this way. Of course, a lot of that has to do with where your controls are located.
Thanks for the definition.
I've read several books on sailing, but some of the sailing terms still confuse me. I can read an entire post and not have a clue about what's being said. I just started sailing. Well, just started "trying" to sail. Is "rounding up" the same as when I'm sailing "close-hauled," lose concentration for a minute and end up in the "no-sail" zone? Except it sounds from your definition like the WIND causes it, not a sailor who can't tell from which direction the wind is coming. Scooter
I've read several books on sailing, but some of the sailing terms still confuse me. I can read an entire post and not have a clue about what's being said. I just started sailing. Well, just started "trying" to sail. Is "rounding up" the same as when I'm sailing "close-hauled," lose concentration for a minute and end up in the "no-sail" zone? Except it sounds from your definition like the WIND causes it, not a sailor who can't tell from which direction the wind is coming. Scooter
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