Tacking

[Don Guillette]

I spoke with a FL sailor today who's problem was tacking his Catalina in 5 to 8 knots of wind. He claimed it took forever to get through the tack and additionally he lost speed, which is obvious. The goal should be to complete the tack in less than 30 seconds and to lose no more than one knot of speed. I asked him to describe the process he uses and he said "he just does it". Therein lies the problem. I have a short procedure I go through each time and it's a joy to watch when there are 2 trimmers and another mate to tail the sheet. We really perfected it sailing on the Catalina 30 National team boats. We had to because the host club gave us the crappiest boat they could find - except in So ca where I picked the boats!!

Maybe some of you could share the technique you use to complete your tack? Later, I'll share mine.

 

[alexco38]

At closehaul, I bear off a bit (about 40-50 apparent) to gain more speed before tacking. After tacking also stay off a bit before trimming back to closehaul.
Works singlehand with autopilot autotack also.
BTW it is a bear to bring a 155 genny over to the otherside. A lot of lines to pull thru. 45 to 45 tack works best for me under norminal wind condition. Of cause at higher wind, it is able to tack closehaul to closehaul.

 

[Jackdaw]

It's not important how slow you get in the tack... what is important is how quickly you get back to pre-tack speed on the new board. All good teams measure this as a gauge of performance. In 5-8 knots of breeze, a Cat30 will take at least 45 seconds to get back to speed. Work on that.

EDIT: Forgot to answer, see below.

 

[sesmith]

I very often tighten up the genoa some, as we tack, and let it backwind first to help pull us over, before I let it over to the other side.

 

[Jackdaw]

Oh forgot to actually ANSWER!

1) Helm 'commands 'ready to tack', and notes compass bearing and boat speed
2) Windward jib trimmer confirms that jib car is in correct position.
3) Maintrim confirms that traveler and sheet will allow main to tack to same position other tack
4) Helm calls 'tacking' and turns boat smoothly to weather
5) Both active jib and main trimmer hold until sails start to luff, then
5a) Main trim walks mainsheet/car to new tack and eases to 'first gear' setting
5b) Jib trim eases sheet to allow clew to move forward as:
5c) New jib trimmer pulls on sheet to pull clew around as boat passes nose to wind.
6) Mast person (if available) helps walk the clew of larger genoas around
7) IMPORTANT Helm holds boat nose to wind for 1-3 seconds to allow forward progress and time for genoa re-trim
8) New jib trim trims jib to slightly eased 'first gear' position
9) Driver over-turns to slightly bow-down angle (90 degree turn for our 367, most are 100 degrees)
10) Drive eased and bow down (first gear) until you come up to target 'before tack' speed
11) At target boat speed trim in and turn up to correct tacking angle.

 

[Kings Gambit]

It depends on who's aboard. Racing crew (experienced + inexperienced), wife and me only, or guests for a day sail, etc. Also, whether No. 1 or No. 2 genoa.

Normally, if well trimmed and making good way in say, 8 knots of apparent wind, and the boat is "in the groove"; with my wife and me alone with a No. 1 genoa--the following with she at the helm.

Try to keep the boat at full speed while preparing: 1) Set the mainsail traveler position for the new tack which in that air is normally weather of the center line; 2) take up all slack on the lazy sheet; 3) one hand for the loaded sheet; the other for the lazy sheet with one wrap on the winch; stand in the center of the cockpit; 4) Call "Ready About" 5) Reply "Ready"; 6) Call--"Helm to lee" 7) Reply "Tacking"; 8) Boat turns with moderate speed through eye; 9) Genoa is back-winded slightly to help push through; 10) Spin sheet completely off loaded winch with one hand; haul in the other sheet as much as possible manually before, and as, wind refills the sail [steering lower as necessary, initially]; 11) With increasing sheet tension take another wrap on the winch and lock into self-tailer; 12) insert winch handle and CRANK!! as the boat comes back up to weather, picking up speed; 13) TRIM, TRIM, TRIM!!; 14) Boat is sometimes feathered slightly to relieve sheet tension near the end to complete trimming [without killing the trimmer!], then falls off to the close-hauled course for final trim adjustment(s). Time--if nothing gets fouled up-- probably less than a minute after "Helm to lee."

 

[Don Guillette]

Here's the piece I'd add --It's the responsibility of the loaded trimmer to call the BREAK of the sail. At some point just before head to wind the top or bottom of the sail will break or flutter. Depending on which part of the sail breaks first determines which way the unloaded trimmer is going to move the fairlead. This is especially important with pin type fairleads because they are hard to move under load. Even with adjustable fairleads, the unloaded trimmer will have an indication which direction he's going to be moving the fairlleads at the completion of the tack.

 

[Apex]

Here's the piece I'd add --It's the responsibility of the loaded trimmer to call the BREAK of the sail. At some point just before head to wind the top or bottom of the sail will break or flutter. Depending on which part of the sail breaks first determines which way the unloaded trimmer is going to move the fairlead. This is especially important with pin type fairleads because they are hard to move under load. Even with adjustable fairleads, the unloaded trimmer will have an indication which direction he's going to be moving the fairlleads at the completion of the tack.

Don perhaps I am missing something, We often make judgement on lead angle and genoa car positions well before the tack, typically noting any changes needed on the loaded side, and copying that to the leeward rail. Once tacked, we just leave it alone for the "next time it is unloaded"? How often are you adjusting the fairleads?

My take is a smooth and fairly slow change in rudder angle helps maintain the boats momentum, AND time to trim in the jib sheet. We do let the jib start to backwind, release the windward sheet and immediately start hauling in the new sheet taking care not to pull it into the shrouds.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Here's the piece I'd add --It's the responsibility of the loaded trimmer to call the BREAK of the sail. At some point just before head to wind the top or bottom of the sail will break or flutter. Depending on which part of the sail breaks first determines which way the unloaded trimmer is going to move the fairlead. This is especially important with pin type fairleads because they are hard to move under load. Even with adjustable fairleads, the unloaded trimmer will have an indication which direction he's going to be moving the fairlleads at the completion of the tack.

Don, can you elaborate on this point please? If the top of the sail breaks first then the unloaded trimmer moves the fairlead...

 

[Don Guillette]

Nom De Guerre: Thank you and I purposely left that out hoping someone would bite so I could prolong the the topic.

Here's the answer, which is also outlined on my SAIL TRIM CHART in the section "TRIM SEQUENCE FOR MAIN & JIB".

If the foot flutters, bottom luffs or bottom telltales break first -- move lead aft.
If the leech flutters, top luffs or top telltales break first -- move lead forward.
If the sail breaks evenly from top to bottom -- setting is perfect.
It takes a few times to SEE this break because it happens very quickly but once you see it and know what you're looking it it becomes second nature.

Apex; On a masthead rig, which I have, the engine is the JIB. I hated the pin type fairleads because they're difficult to deal with and adjust. A person (sailor) will do what's easy and not what's difficult and that's why I see fairleads rusted in place. Like the broken clock, they are right for one point of sail and wind condition and wrong for all others. One of the first mods I made was adding the Garhauer adjustable fairlead system. They make fairlead adjustment a snap. Since the wind is always changing and the jib is my engine I adjust the fairleads when necessary and never wait fro the next tack.

Here's the thing on fairleads-- with the "4 element of sail trim (draft depth, draft position, twist & angle of attack)" as to how they pertain to the mainsail, some controls do one or two things but with the jib the fairleads adjust ALL 4 elements so they are a very important jib sail trim control.

One last point: many times I see the jib trimmer madly trimming in the jib. The correct technique is too take up as much slack as possible, while the jib is backwinding and easily trim in so the jib can power up. If the trimmer trims in too fast, the jib can't power up and it just sits there.

30 to 45 seconds is a life time to tack. Try counting right now at your computer to see what I'm talking about. A friend of mine from So Ca once told me it couldn't be done in that time frame -- I told him to start counting to 45. When he got to 20 I hung up on him -- he's probably still counting!!

 

[Joe]

Just remember "bottom-back" but if you have a system that allows you to move the lead while under tension, you can power up the jib as the boat comes out of the tack... and then ease it back as you get back to full speed.... i.e as the boat moves faster you'd want to ease the lead back a notch or so to flatten the lower part of the sail.

 

[Don Guillette]

Joe: Last month we took a cruise from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal and ended up in San Diego on 4/30. We had lunch at the Fish Market and dinner at Anthony's. It was great looking out over the harbor, seeing all the sail boat and smelling the salt air. Brought back a lot of memories of days sailing out of the Coronado YC.

 

[Joe]

Joe: Last month we took a cruise from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal and ended up in San Diego on 4/30. We had lunch at the Fish Market and dinner at Anthony's. It was great looking out over the harbor, seeing all the sail boat and smelling the salt air. Brought back a lot of memories of days sailing out of the Coronado YC.

Don... you have a standing invitation to join me on my modest C27. I sail out of mission bay... it's a little over a mile from the slip out to open water. No aircraft carriers or tour boats to dodge... just a few crab traps.

 

[Don Guillette]

Joe, thanks for the nice offer. I'd like the opportunity to sail with you. Next time I'm in San Diego I'll give you advance warning and if it fits your schedule we could go for a sail.

 

[RichH]

Sorry for getting into this discussion so late, as Ive been 'tacking' for the past 600 miles up from 'de islans' to the Carolina Capes.

Tacking successfully, including tacking through heavy waves, etc. involves a few key points, characteristics of the boats ability to accelerate, and sail 'set up' (shape and trim) that involve a few fundamentals - ability to accelerate and keep the boat's MOMENTUM as high as possible through the entire turn.
Simplistically if youre not set up with sail shape and trim for a minimum of weather helm, your rudder and use of your rudder, especially holding your rudder 'hard over' will detract from and sometimes prevent a successful tack. A rudder held 'hard over' will do nothing but slow down or stop a boat. Further, if youre dragging your rudder through the water at a sideways angle (compensating for so-called weather helm) your tacking 'optimization' will be at a minimum because your speed and momentum will not be at optimum.
Simple speak - using the rudder stops or slow down the boat - use the minimum amount of rudder needed to turn the boat. The obvious answer then is to use the least amount of rudder possible to accomplish the turn!!!!!!!!

How much rudder or how much pressure on the helm to accomplish a successful tack? Let your FINGER TIPS do the work !!!!!!!
A successful tack usually has the helmsman imparting CONSTANT pressure against the helm. Constant (fingertip) pressure will ensure a minimum of 'dragging the rudder' for more boat
speed and more momentum. How 'constant helm pressure' works is: as the boat enters the turn apply fingertip pressure to the helm; then note that as the boat begins to slow down that constant pressure will allow more and more turning of the rudder ... until you pass the eye of the turn/wind and the process then reverses itself. As long as you keep constant PRESSURE (concentrate on the amount of helm pressure !!!!!) onto the helm, you will not force the helm over to such a degree that radically begins to STOP the boat. How much pressure into and out of the turn? .... do some trials using a stop watch while watching your gps or SPEEDO value. The minimum time it takes from the beginning of the turn until the boat has accelerated back to the same speed on the 'other side' of the turn ...... remember how much HELM PRESSURE it took to do this !!!!!!!! then practice this helm PRESSURE over and over until it becomes instinctive. Teach your fingertips the correct amount of helm pressure needed to tack in the least amount of time and with the highest speed coming out of the turn on the 'other side' of the tack. Muscle memory of your finger tips will make the 'best' tack. Practice, Practice, Practice until you have the 'right' muscle (pressure) memory in your finger tips

A constant helm pressure turn will have little to no 'turning' at the beginning of the turn, as the boat slows down a bit and with the same constant pressure as before the boat will turn more ... until the boat passes the eye of the wind and the tack is successful. With constant pressure on the helm, the slower the boat the faster the turn, will turn even more at slower speed and greater rudder angle due to the constant pressure against the helm. Coming out of the turn use constant pressure IN REVERSE to gain the course out of the tack.
(For you mathematicians and physicists - this is called a 'railroad curve', a curve determined by constant side force acceleration - the acceleration to the new direction is a CONSTANT; and, thats why when youre riding on a railroad that you hardly ever 'feel' the turns inside the railroad cars at bends, etc. of the track.)
EVEN SIMPLER SPEAK ... dont STOP the boat when tacking by using strong force on the tiller/wheel to make the turn .... it only slows down the boat; and, you need the original speed/momentum to complete the tack.


Other (Sail shaping / trim) issues.
When entering or 'just before' entering a tack consider to 'power pinch' - cupping up the leech of the mainsail by pulling 'hard' on the mainsheet - radically changes the 'angle of attack' and artificially increases the amount of draft in the mainsail - you now develop a bit more of 'weather helm' and the boat will radically improve its pointing ability (and the boat will increase its heel). Power pinching will help to turn the boat through the turn .... and you will need LESS rudder angle - less rudder applied equates to 'faster' boat.
When passing the 'eye of the wind' and with the mainsail leech still 'cupped up' and the boat 'power pinching' .... DROP the traveller a few inches to correct the normal angle of attack as you bear off --- while carrying a deep draft thats advantageous for accelerating from 'SLOW' back to 'fast'; you may also 'push down' on the weather side tell tales for additional acceleration .... and then begin to ease off on 'pushing down on the tell tales' and slightly bearing off as you begin to bring the mainsheet tension back to normal to reduce the amount of 'hooked up' leech as you regain your speed that you had going into the tack. "Pushing down" on the tell tales to help accelerate: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=128753&highlight=footing see post #12, then Item #4 in the tell tales graphic.

Other Other applicable hints and tips for tacking:
learn how ROLL TACK a boat. Hint: involves using the 'cupped-up' leech on the mainsail (power pinching) to heel waaaaaaay over and when you 'release' (when at the 'eye of the wind'), you essentially THROW the jib/genoa over the 'other side' by the action of the mast swinging back up to 'normal'. Do websearch for " roll tack + sailboat" ... not for the 'faint of heart' nor
should be performed while having picnic lunches in cockpit, etc.

 

[Don Guillette]

RichH: Thank you for your complete explanation -- either early or late doesn't matter. You should write a book!! Actually, having done it, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. When I look back on the experience it makes me sick to think about it!!

 

[woodster]

RichH: Thank you for your complete explanation -- either early or late doesn't matter. You should write a book!! Actually, having done it, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. When I look back on the experience it makes me sick to think about it!!

Don this made me think back to my married years....i traveled lot in those year and every time i left to go on the road i would leave my then wife 4 or 5 hundred dollars to have and use ...it got to the point nothing was ever left over so i got a little book with blank pages and gave it to her and told her to write down what the money went for so we could get a handle on house hold expenses ...low and behold the next weekend when i got in I asked her to see the book .........she gave it to me...i opened it up ....she had written SPENT IT ALL

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Don this made me think back to my married years....i traveled lot in those year and every time i left to go on the road i would leave my then wife 4 or 5 hundred dollars to have and use ...it got to the point nothing was ever left over so i got a little book with blank pages and gave it to her and told her to write down what the money went for so we could get a handle on house hold expenses ...low and behold the next weekend when i got in I asked her to see the book .........she gave it to me...i opened it up ....she had written SPENT IT ALL

Lmao!

 

[Don Guillette]

In years gone by, when I was conducting sail trim seminars in So Ca (especially San Diego) my wife would join me. She liked San Diego and would go shopping while I conducted the seminar -- I never made a dime because she spent it all!!