I'm writing a book (fiction) which involves a sailboat that loses it's rudder and I'm trying to remember what the jerry-rigged device is called that floats behind that one can create to steer a boat. Can anyone please help, thank you.
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A drogue is used to slow a boat down...
I don't think one can use it to steer. How about having the protagonist use the spinnaker pole with the head hatch attached. Like the ones used on Gondolas in Italy. Know what I mean? I'd like to know how to steer a boat with just my sails.
I don't think one can use it to steer. How about having the protagonist use the spinnaker pole with the head hatch attached. Like the ones used on Gondolas in Italy. Know what I mean? I'd like to know how to steer a boat with just my sails.
Rudderless Sailing
Look at the article beginning on Page 26 of the Hunter Marine 2007 Safety Tuneup on rudderless sailing. I was looking through the Hunter Marine website last week and downloaded the booklet. It includes a diagram showing a bucket on a rope tied off to the leeward midship cleat to assist with steering a straight coarse without a rudder. Here is the link to the site page with the Safety Tunup downloads. http://www.huntermarine.com/ProductNot/ProductNotIndex.html Bob R Unfurled 2002 H356
Look at the article beginning on Page 26 of the Hunter Marine 2007 Safety Tuneup on rudderless sailing. I was looking through the Hunter Marine website last week and downloaded the booklet. It includes a diagram showing a bucket on a rope tied off to the leeward midship cleat to assist with steering a straight coarse without a rudder. Here is the link to the site page with the Safety Tunup downloads. http://www.huntermarine.com/ProductNot/ProductNotIndex.html Bob R Unfurled 2002 H356
Drogue
A drogue can be used to steer a rudderless boat if rigged to port and stbd lines properly. And Bob, I do not think a bucket would hold up to the forces needed to steer a boat. I have heard of people using a spare anchor though. Tim R.
A drogue can be used to steer a rudderless boat if rigged to port and stbd lines properly. And Bob, I do not think a bucket would hold up to the forces needed to steer a boat. I have heard of people using a spare anchor though. Tim R.
Could you not
use the sails to steer to some degree by unbalancing them. If you were to let your main loose and tighten you jib wouldn't the bow fall off to lee and inversely haul in the main and let the jib luff cause the bow to turn toward the wind? I guess you might stear to a limited degree this way and only on certain points of sail.
use the sails to steer to some degree by unbalancing them. If you were to let your main loose and tighten you jib wouldn't the bow fall off to lee and inversely haul in the main and let the jib luff cause the bow to turn toward the wind? I guess you might stear to a limited degree this way and only on certain points of sail.
balance
Sure, you can steer by using your sails. Ease the headsail to turn upwind; ease the main to turn downwind. But, assuming you're not sailing something huge, you may do better by moving crew weight around. The boat moves to the opposite side of the crew weight. So, to steer upwind, put the crew on the downhill side of the boat, and vice versa. Steering without using the rudder's not too hard (at least on my little 20 footer.) Tacking without a rudder is trickier. Letting the jib backwind in the middle of the tack helps a lot.
Sure, you can steer by using your sails. Ease the headsail to turn upwind; ease the main to turn downwind. But, assuming you're not sailing something huge, you may do better by moving crew weight around. The boat moves to the opposite side of the crew weight. So, to steer upwind, put the crew on the downhill side of the boat, and vice versa. Steering without using the rudder's not too hard (at least on my little 20 footer.) Tacking without a rudder is trickier. Letting the jib backwind in the middle of the tack helps a lot.
Take this any way you like
but if you can't remember it's called a drogue, perhaps you don't have the nautical chops to be writing nautical fiction.
but if you can't remember it's called a drogue, perhaps you don't have the nautical chops to be writing nautical fiction.
Windsurfing
If you have ever windsurfed, you would know how to steer using the sail. Same principle. Move the center of effort to affect a turn. Of course, once you are planing, you can steer with the board similar to surfing. Tim R.
If you have ever windsurfed, you would know how to steer using the sail. Same principle. Move the center of effort to affect a turn. Of course, once you are planing, you can steer with the board similar to surfing. Tim R.
This applies to outboard powered boats 26ft or under. Two choices. 1. easiest and most logical. Start your outboard and use it to steer in. 2. You need an oar probably about 10 ft long. Lash it to your backstay with the blade in the water. This is no fun but it will work.
Brian D. my Grandpa
used to say that "artistic license" was another term for male bovine waste and was what people said when they didn't know what they were talking about. I've written nautical fiction, two books in fact, that are both available on Amazon.
used to say that "artistic license" was another term for male bovine waste and was what people said when they didn't know what they were talking about. I've written nautical fiction, two books in fact, that are both available on Amazon.
Larry W. Check my link for the compass rose review
he has wonderful things to say about authors that don't know their subject. Rather like some sailors that claim to enjoy sailing in 30-40 knots of wind in open water.
he has wonderful things to say about authors that don't know their subject. Rather like some sailors that claim to enjoy sailing in 30-40 knots of wind in open water.
Take this anyway you like
But NH may be a genius maritime author. Perhaps he knows the sailor's psyche like no other. Perhaps he is doing detailed research on winter induced boat withdrawls. Maybe his book will reveal to the world how many insignificant subjects we will discect so that we might take a short cyber sail when its cold outside. I'm proud to be a part of it but how do we split the royalties?
But NH may be a genius maritime author. Perhaps he knows the sailor's psyche like no other. Perhaps he is doing detailed research on winter induced boat withdrawls. Maybe his book will reveal to the world how many insignificant subjects we will discect so that we might take a short cyber sail when its cold outside. I'm proud to be a part of it but how do we split the royalties?
Its just funny to me
That being a bunch of sailors, we all offered advice and didn't ask anything more about the book(myself included). Like What is the title going to be? why is there a sailboat in the story? Has the author ever done any sailing? Man sometimes I just need to be a better listener.
That being a bunch of sailors, we all offered advice and didn't ask anything more about the book(myself included). Like What is the title going to be? why is there a sailboat in the story? Has the author ever done any sailing? Man sometimes I just need to be a better listener.
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