Posted by admin on September 14, 2011 under Crew, Sail Trim, Skipper, Storm Tactics | 
Here is a question from a student regarding letting out the main traveller in a gust.
I referred them to this post
http://www.nauticed.org/blog/sailtrim/stopping-rounding-up-dead-in-it’s-tracks/
which talks about moving the traveller upwind and letting out onthe mainsheet to increase twist at the top of the sail and thus reducing the forces aloft.
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Greetings from Northern Michigan and the Great Lakes-
I have enrolled in your Catamaran Sailing Confidence Course in preparation for my first bareboat charter in the BVI’s on a 47ft Cat. In the section on sailing you state:
When sailing closed hauled on a catamaran in heavier air, move the traveler up wind (on the opposite side of the sail) and let off on the main sheet. This will allow the boom to rise a little and “twist out” the top of the sail. Twisting the sail allows you to let some of the top part of the sail “deflate” in case of slightly stronger winds. In light air, make sure that the top of the mainsail is not “loosing air” meaning, keep the traveler close to the center and tighten the mainsheet pretty good to make sure the main cannot open up at the top.
I am a crew on a 26ft monohull that races and when trying to go upwind we move the traveler to a windward position and try to keep the boom centered with the mainsheet (we also tension the outhaul and backstay). During heavy or gusty winds when weather helm and heel require us to depower the sails we will move the traveler down to center or leeward (rather than simply letting out the mainsheet and having the main luff) and this serves to “spill some air” and depower the mainsail. It certainly has worked to decrease the heel of the boat. This would be followed by reefing as winds increase.
So I have learned that in a close haul to move the traveler down to depower, but your statement is to move it upwind and I am therefore confused. What am I missing?
Thanks for your wisdom-
Josh
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Posted by admin on under Bareboat Charter, Crew, Maneuvering Under Power, Skipper |
Here’s a question from a student regarding docking a sailboat after they took the Maneuvering Under Power Sailing Course
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Hello Grant,
I have a question in reference to the maneuvering under power:
Under the excersice end ties #3, wind from behind, once you have backed the boat to the dock and secured the stern spring line, should the wheel be turned toward the dock and throttle into forward to bring the bow to the dock?
Thanks,
Excellent course!!!
Jose
Happy Sailing.
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Jose,
You’re absolutely correct.
Here is a vector force diagram to match. Actually, as you can see, you could do it with out turning the wheel to the dock but the resultant torque (turning moment) would be reduced. Turning the rudder creates extra turning moment. It doesn’t really matter which direction the wind is coming from with this method. Altho if the wind was high and blowing you off the dock. I would do the front spring first, then drive forward with the wheel turned away from the dock.
Cheers
Grant
Docking a Sailboat
Posted by admin on September 10, 2011 under Skipper |
Here’s a question from a student.
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Grant,
I would like some clarification on the steps taken to reef a main sail on a cat. I’m going out on a 48ft cat and prob want to reef the sail before i go out….
Do i reef it while at the dock or in the water while heading into the wind?
it is best to reef the sail once its all the way up through the lazy jacks and then lower it?
Ben
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Ben,
Reefing a catamaran main sail is exactly the same as reefing a monosail main sail. At the dock, if you can get access to the reefing points, you can tie the forward reefing gromet down and secure the leech reefing lines. However this is sometimes a bit difficult.
So you can also do this as the sail raises up when you’re out on the water, or you can get the sail all the way up and then lower it to the reefing points.
When you’ve got lazy jacks involved, its still not that difficult, but you just have to ensure the battens are not getting caught up in the lazy jack lines. To do this just make sure that the boat is held directly into wind and the main sheet is slightly loose so that the sail blows downwind and in between the lazy jacks – hopefully. It’s not completely easy and you have to keep an eagle eye on the battens – but also don’t forget to maintain lookout ahead.
Thanks for the question – happy to help.
Grant
