Tacking

[Don Guillette]

I was reading a tacking thread on the Hunter site (those boys are something else when it comes to sail trim. I thought the Catalina sailors we something but the Hunters beat them out) and there is a step in the tacking process that a lot of mates miss and it is very important. We all know about gathering as much speed as we can before the tack and backwinding the jib to allow it to push over the bow but it is the step just before backwinding that is most important and it is what helps you power out of the tack and obtain top speed on the new tack.

It requires both jib trimmers to work as a team. It even applies if you're single handing the boat. Just before the sail "breaks"' and backwinds the jib trimmer has to notice which part of the jib breakes first - does the foot flutter, bottom luff or bottom telltales break first or does the leech flutter, top luff or the top telltales break first. This happens very quickly and the jib trimmer has to be very watchful to catch it. He then conveys that info to the new jib trimmer who will quickly reset his fairlead.

What way would the new trimmer set his fairlead in each of the above situation?

Suppose the jib broke evenly from top to bottom? What adjustment would the jib trimmer make? That's too easy. The answer is he would not make any fairlead adjustment.

If you're fairleads are frozen in place and you never move them then this question is not for you. Maybe after you see the answers you'll un-freeze them.

An adjustable fairlead system gives you some leeway. If you have a pin type setup it is easier to make the adjustment before the jib sheet is under load. Stepping on the jib sheet to adjust the pin is a pain.

 

[Winkfish]

If the foot/bottom luff is breaking first, move the lead aft. If the top luff breaks first, move the lead forward. (God, I hate trigonometry!!)

 

[Stu Jackson]

Concur, and if you don't like trig, try airflow.

 

[Winkfish]

Concur, and if you don't like trig, try airflow.

Thanks! Airflow sounds much better!

 

[alexco38]

Try to do that in a race around the can shorthanded. It takes a while to observe, get on the deck to adjust the fairlead jib car, finished the tacking. Assume you have enough crews to do the job.

I use the simpleton rule: Moderate and strong wind, fairlead backward to flatten the jib. Light wind, fairlead forward to bag the jib. Set them before the race and forget them. There is no time to deal with them anyway. If wind changes, pre-set the windward side before the next tack.

 

[nightowle]

I'm with Alexco!

 

[Alan]

Pin type fairleads are ridiculous. Almost no one uses them because they are such a PITA to deal with and the pin is rarely in the correct place. A couple of inches makes a huge difference. Line adjustable fairleads are easy to use and are infinitely adjustable.. If you're a set it and forget it racer you'll never win a race. Sail trim is all about getting those foils working to the best shape you can.
During our pre-race setup we always shoot the wind for direction and to tweak those lead cars.

 

[Don Guillette]

Nightowle: You might agree with him but I don't and I don't know one racer who would either. Even if your a cruiser that just wants to raise the main and roll out the jib and call it sailing you still should be adjusting your fairleads especially if you have a masthead rig since the jib is the engine on those boats.

Here's why you should adjust your fairleads. There are various controls for the mainsail that adjust draft depth, draft position, twist and angle of attack. Some only adjust one element such as the traveler. Some adjust a couple of elements such as the mainsheet and outhaul. Do you know how many of the 4 elements of sail trim the fairlead adjust on the jib? The answer is ALL OF THEM. Obviously, the fairlead is the most important sail trim control for the jib. If your faileads are set in one place and never moved they are like the broken clock - the setting is right for one point of sail and wind condition and wrong for all others.

If anyone is a racer, whether your serious or just fooling around, and has a masthead rig he should invest in a Garhauer adjustable fairlead system. if you are a cruiser that wants to get the most out of his boat then it would be a good investment for them also.

 

[Don Guillette]

I've received a phone call from So Ca sailor friends regarding tacking a sailboat. He asked me how long it should take to complete the tack? He's a lawyer and he never asks questions he thinks he knows the answer to. I told him that if he was any good at it (that throws him off) the max time should be about 30 seconds and he should not drop more than 1 knot of speed through the process.

The key is how you come out of the tack - and that is gradually. I don't mean you spend all day trimming up but you don't rush madly at it by wildly cranking in on the jib sheet, which is what most jib trimmers do. The key is to stroke it in to allow the boat to power up. When the jib comes head to wind the new trimmer should have taken up all the slack and he goes from there. Let the jib start to fill and don't get ahead of it or it will loose it power and collapse.

My friend said 30 seconds was not possible. I told him to mark his watch at zero and tell me when he reaches 15 seconds, which is an eternity (TRY IT RIGHT NOW ON YOUR WATCH!!). When he called 15 seconds, I hung up on him!!

He didn't call me back but he will - he always does because he is a glutton for punishment

 

[Alan]

Don, you're a real hoot!

What you are trying to describe is a very efficient tack. Most of the folks I watch tacking the genoa are more apt to wait far too long and trim far too slowly to get the sheet in rather than being overly anxious and trim too quickly. Also, trimming in the new sheet should never be done with the winch. The initial trimming is done with big armfulls of line pulls. Only after the majority of the sheet is in and it starts to load do you switch to winching. On race boats with decksweepers the foot will get hung on the lifelines if the sail is not tacked properly requiring the trimmer to have someone "foot" the sail (pull the foot of the sail inside the lifeline). If executed well, this step can be avoided helping the boat to accelerate faster. Of course the helm plays a vital role in this ballet. After the intial tack, the helm steers a little low to allow the boat to regain speed. As the speed comes back the helm steers higher and the genoa trimmer follows by trimming up with him.

 

[sinnettc]

Back to the fairleads - I've got the garhauer adjustable cars for the genoa and they work great when I'm using the 140. For the blade, however, the cabin-top track has pin type cars. It's a fairly short track so I'm not sure the adjustable setup is even feasible, but I'm curious what those of you who are serious racers use?

BTW, I tend to use the blade a lot more than the genoa - we have the Capri 22 tall rig and it powers up fast - I generally go to the blade around 8-10 kts and reef the main around 12-13 kts, especially if it's gusty, and ESPECIALLY if my wife or non-sailing guests are along. I'll go a bit longer before switching sails/reefing if it's just my son and I out for an adrenalin rush.

 

[Sam Salter]

I'm not a racer - I guess they all say that! - but I don't like boats in front of me!

We have a slightly different take on tacking - may not be right - let me know!

We don't backwind the foresail. I think it slows the boat.
We do turn smoothly but not too hard - trying to balance the rudder between drag and lift.
As she comes round we manually tack the foresail using the winch and if we do it right can get the sail trimmed on the new tack without dogging up the winch with the handle. It's a smooth operation with the least amount of flapping canvas as possible.
Sure the driver bears off a bit to pick up speed and then comes back. All the time the trimmer is flying the tel-tales. (loosing off or winching in to get it right)
I have stops on the genoa track and we adjust them all the time - usually before the tack. We're always comparing pin holes from one side to the other. But if it was really bad, we'd luff up to move a car if we thought the pain was worth the gain! And if the sail was really out of wack, we'd do it anyway 'cause it would bug me something fearsome!

sam

 

[Alan]

Sam, it's good that you've found something you are comfortable with. If you are ever interested in increasing your tacking efficiency just try racing (there's that dirty word) with a good crew and you'll see how well it can really work. I'm not suggesting you 'race' but just for the sake of experiencing a well handled tack.
For myself I found it impossible to adjust those pin genoa cars each time the relative angle to the wind changed. That's the reason I switched a long time ago to adjustable cars.

 

[Don Guillette]

Sam: Thank you for your comments. Three things and my good friend Alan has touched on some of them.

First, anytime there are two boats on the water sailing in the same direction - you're racing!! Here's what always made my day. My wife and I would be out for a nice day on the water, just relaxing and having a few "tinneys". Since she is always facing aft, catching rays, she'd tell me there is a boat coming up on us and they appear to be trying to pass close to us. I'd say "thank you", check my main and jib and drop the traveler and ease the jib sheet allowing them to catch up and change course slightly so they have to pass on the downwind side and I'd tell my wife to signal me when they are about 5 boat lengths away. When she does I crank up the traveler and jib sheet and it is bye bye!! I might add, this is coming from a C30 that my wife has added every creature comfort known to man. It just illustrate - sail trim is everything and it doesn' t matter if you are a cruiser or racer.

Second is backwinding the jib. A skipper has to do with what he thinks is best but I think the extra ummph you get from backwinding the jib does push the bow over and you tend to get on the new tack a bit more quicker.

Adjustable fairleads are EVERYTHING and here's why. There are only 4 things ALL sail trim controls for the main and jib are adjusting and they are draft depth, draft position, twist and angle of attack. With the mainsail some controls adjust this and that but with the jib the fairleads adjust ALL FOUR ELEMENTS and if you have a masthead rig the jib is the engine. Pin type adjustments are gone with the wind and old fashion. For XMAS, ask for a Garhauer adjustable failrlead system.

I hate the thought of XMAS only as it ment the end of the sailing season for me. When I was a kid sailing in RI on Narragansett Bay, when Xmas and Thankgiving came up it was time to think about hauling boats. In the 40's and 50's, my social life was Edgewood YC. There was no Little League or soccer in those days. The great socials and dances were our way of life in those days. Almost brings a tear to my eye when I think back on it. It would be boring to kids now a days but to us boys and girls it was our way of life. I think our life those days was better but what do I know.