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Hello seadoggers. Last week, Ann and I had a lovely sail in the sheltered waters of the Swale (Thames estuary, Kent). There were sustained squalls of about F6 . I had reefed main, mizzen and genoa (boat has taller rig} and I found that I couldn't get her (the boat), to tack in the squalls even when I picked up speed. I had the feeling I needed to back wind the mizzen to help her round but it only has central sheeting. I mentioned it to two of my friends who have cruised more miles than columbus in their colvic and westerly, and they said "what's tacking" havn't you got an engine?" She has the enlarged rudder and bilge keels.
Can you teach a seadog new tricks. Thames barges have their mizzen sheet attached to the rudder so that if the mizzen is sheeted in , when they tack, it pushes the stern round. I think I must have been sailing very badly I feel. Looking forward to seeing some of you at Elstead. Martin.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) kittijay
John
Oct 24, 2012 - 12:36PM
Re: tacking
I have to confess a similar experience on Michciko II, but am sorry in having no advice to offer. It must be admitted that idea of using the motor in those circumstances seems very much like cheating (but the thought still occurred to me). In my case the motor was out of order. I dropped anchor.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Michciko II
Robert Peebles
Oct 29, 2012 - 6:44PM
Re: tacking
A trick we used to use on dinghies was to keep the genoa sheeted in until on the new tack. This pushes the bow round once it backs.
I've found the technique quite useful on Jacarah, although admittedly usually sail with full genoa plus full mizzen in heavy-ish weather, not bothering with the mainsail at all: this could affect the balance and make this trick more effective.
Robert
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Jacarah
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Chris & Phil
Oct 30, 2012 - 11:17PM
Re: tacking
We used to sail a light racing cat, this was very reluctant to tack. The cat as soon as you depower as you go into the eye of the wind can stop dead on a wave, the rudders loose grip and she won't tack (goes into stays). We developed the technique -
before the tack - crack of a few degrees to reach max speed, slightly ease the jibsheet (causes windward helm) allow the boat to round up using as little helm as possible. Ease the main slightly.
As soon as the jib backs pull the sheet tighter ! and hold untill the boat is almost round on the new tack. Pull the jib across sheet and cleat in. Centralise the helm, build up speed and trim main and jib.
The above works well in the Seadog except if the mizzen is up let it off as the bow goes through the eye of the wind and trim it back in only when back "in the groove" on the new tack.
The other important factor is waves - start the tack near or on the top of a wave and get the bow through the wind before the next wave so that the next wave helps push the bow through the tack.
If a failure to tack would leave you in an unsafe possition use the engine as well.
Good luck
Phil
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Soyakaze
martin waterman
Nov 1, 2012 - 11:41PM
Re: tacking
Thanks for your replies to my tacking message. I realise that what has happened is that for many years I have been on cruises in company with several boats, and almost inevitably we are motoring or motor sailing to make use of the tides and I think this is the first time I have sailed the boat seriously in strong winds. Thats my excuse anyway. I was definitely doing several things wrong. Pinching her up too much, and so losing speed. Having the reefed main in too tight. (which I notice tends to backwind the lower luff of the mizzen). Having the genoa reefed too much and so losing drive. I was also putting the helm over too hard perhaps rather than sailing her round.
I was talking to Richard Courts Milton Lass this afternoon and he pointed out all these things and assured me that his Seadog tacks perfectly well and in fact will beat into strong winds with the sheets eased a bit to make best speed. Lee rail under too!! Also, you are right about letting the mizzen sheet go as you come through the wind to avoid her weathercocking back into wind and getting in irons. Thanks again. Once I joined a sailing club and was asked to crew for the Commodore in a racing catamaran. I got off to a bad start as at the first mark. and in the lead, I whipped the jib across smartly as we tacked (as I would in my Merlin Rocket) and promptly put us in irons. Whoops. Martin.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) kittijay
Brian Cooper
Nov 6, 2012 - 10:50PM
Re: tacking
Having spent most of last week laying up our SeaDog I found myself browsing the website this evening and spotted the article about heavy weather tacking.
It reminded me of my early days of learning to sail a Westerly ketch in heavy weather on the Solent. We were off Lymington and realisd the spring tidal ebb was setting and threatening to take us off towards Hurst Narrows.
Try as I might the boat would not go through the wind-despite my lengthy experience in tight corners as a successful dinghy racer. So,in desperation, I used the engine to get out of impending trouble.
Analysing the problem later I realised the cause was almost certainly due to the mizzen being sheeted in from the previous windward beat. It was a case of "out of site-out of mind" because the mizzen was tacking itself behind my back but remaining sheeted in ready for the next beat. Effectively the mizzen, having performed a limited tack, was then tying to push the boat back into the wind-and hence into irons.
At the next available heavy weather opportunity I released the mizzen as I performed the tack and-guess what-the boat tacked like a dream! This tactic has proved to be successful with "Lady Pamela J". Obvously sailing slightly low to gain speed and drive, before tacking, will also help, but the real key is to be aware of the sheeted mizzen "out of sight"!
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Lady Pamela J
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