When taking a keelboat course in a dingy many years ago we learned how to steer without a rudder. Thought I'd practice this on my H260 but finally gave it up as lost cause. I tried letting the jib out and trimming the main in to head up and the reverse to fall off. It sorta worked but I never seemed to get the hang of it. Maybe I need more practice or this only works on a dingy? Have you tried this in a larger boat? Yes, this is a serious question, not a hoax.
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Sailing without rudder inputs
George, it does work, even on bigger boats. A couple of weeks ago I deliberately tied the wheel off to the pedestal in what I believed was a nearly neutral position, then played with the trim, sheeting in and out and observing the changes, both upwind and downwind. I did this with main alone, then jib alone and then with both sails. Just remember to practice this with plenty of room and little other traffic in the area, and pick conditions which give you plenty of reaction time, then practice, practice, and practice. I also combined this drill with heaving to. I drive a 2005 H 38. Steve Kamp "Carolina"
George, it does work, even on bigger boats. A couple of weeks ago I deliberately tied the wheel off to the pedestal in what I believed was a nearly neutral position, then played with the trim, sheeting in and out and observing the changes, both upwind and downwind. I did this with main alone, then jib alone and then with both sails. Just remember to practice this with plenty of room and little other traffic in the area, and pick conditions which give you plenty of reaction time, then practice, practice, and practice. I also combined this drill with heaving to. I drive a 2005 H 38. Steve Kamp "Carolina"
Steering without Rudder
Steve: Seems to me your technique works because you stil have a rudder in the water. What would happen if you no functional rudder in the water? With my boat it's easy to simulate a total failure of the rudder which by the way has happened to me.
Steve: Seems to me your technique works because you stil have a rudder in the water. What would happen if you no functional rudder in the water? With my boat it's easy to simulate a total failure of the rudder which by the way has happened to me.
No Rudder
George: Steve is right in that it does not matter on the size of the boat. Any sloop type sail boat can be steered with the sails alone. With smaller boats you can flip up the rudder to simulate the loss of the rudder but on larger boats you have to do the best you can and that is to lock the rudder in place. A larger boat skipper would be well advised to learn how to secure the rudder in place should the rudder cable break or the rudder is diasbled and flopping all over the place. A rudder flopping around would be a chore to deal with and no amount of sail trim would work. Additionally, there are other situations a mate has to be aware of how to handle and that is the loss of rigging. Picture this situation - your sailing along and a shroud or stay breaks. What would you do? If you don't have the answer on the tip of your tongue you are in serious trouble. So it is something to think about.
George: Steve is right in that it does not matter on the size of the boat. Any sloop type sail boat can be steered with the sails alone. With smaller boats you can flip up the rudder to simulate the loss of the rudder but on larger boats you have to do the best you can and that is to lock the rudder in place. A larger boat skipper would be well advised to learn how to secure the rudder in place should the rudder cable break or the rudder is diasbled and flopping all over the place. A rudder flopping around would be a chore to deal with and no amount of sail trim would work. Additionally, there are other situations a mate has to be aware of how to handle and that is the loss of rigging. Picture this situation - your sailing along and a shroud or stay breaks. What would you do? If you don't have the answer on the tip of your tongue you are in serious trouble. So it is something to think about.
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