Heavy Boat/Heavy Air Tacking

DO NOT try and turn fast! If you move your rudders too far and fast, it is like putting on the breaks.

As you are going in to the tack have your crew move to the front center of the tramp uncleat but do not release the jib. As you move through the wind, the jib will start to fill and push the nose of the boat around, after you are ready with the main, have the crew move to the new windward side of the boat and let the jib go and sheet it in as needed.

I was solo'ing, yes... but I'm a heavy guy just over 250. I've pretty much solo'd all summer. My boss gave me 2 lessons and I've been out alone ever since.

The 16 is pretty easy to sail solo... I am not super comfortable in high winds yet... I had one REALLY good day with steady 12-15 mph winds where I lifted a hull for an extended period of time and had an absolute blast.. but the last couple times since then have been in rough water conditions with gusts over 20 and I get a little unsure of my abilities at times... I am afraid to fly a hull for an extended period of time in gusting conditions, so I sheet out when it gusts..

One time I had left a small paddle on the deck of my 14 - got stuck in irons doing a tack so grabbed the paddle and fairly easilly brought the boat around.

Not the most elegant solution (well, pretty ugly) but you could have had one of the crew help you around with a paddle.

I have learned that your greatest ally when sailing a H16 in high winds or rough water is boat speed. Wind and waves that might normally take you over becone a little more tame.

I also use to struggle with tacking the H16. It wasn't the boat! It was me! Aussie halyard, traveler close to the center of the boat, both sails sheeted in. Before I got the jib car controllers, I use to leave the cars in the center of the track for all tacks. Once I got the controllers, I could pull the cars all the way inside during a tack. It made all the difference in the world. The new angle made the jib sail a lot easier to backwind.

With heavy crews, move some of the weight aft during the tack to raise the bows slightly out of the water as there is more resistance in the water than there is in the air.

Happy Sailing . . . .

could someone explain how, specifically, you are supposed to move the traveller when tacking? i assume this is what you guys are referring to when you talk about grabbing the main sheet just below the block? sorry if these questions are too easy, but i only know how to basically sail. i didn't know the traveller was supposed to be moved at all during a tack.

also, if you are moving from 45degrees to 135 degrees during a tack, why would you need to sheet out the jib ever? wouldn't it just blow to the other side at exactly the same 'sheetedness', just on the other side?

if there's somewhere else i should be going for info like this, i apologize. i'll try to get hold of a good, complete book on cat sailing that covers intermediate stuff like this. any recommendations?

Looking at previous posts I think the statement about moving the traveler was in reference to the jib cars. You can set up a barber haul system that allows you to move them from the bar or, if set up properly, from the wire. Take a look at http://www.catsailor.com/forums/showfla ... o=&fpart=1 for a drawing.

You’ll want to grab the main sheets below the blocks when jibing. This keeps the boom under control so it won’t fly across and dent the crews head. Long term, it’ll reduce the wear on the traveler car so it doesn’t explode at an inopportune moment.

Unless you’ve got a self-tacking jib, no. The lazy sheet (the side of the boat opposite of where the jib is currently set) should always be uncleated and free to run. When you tack you want both sides uncleated so the jib can blow across the mast. Once it's across pull it in first so the bows will be pulled off the wind. If the main is pulled tight first you may end up in irons.

Keep asking questions. We’re all here to help and learn. If possible, hook up with your local fleet. You’ll gets lots of help and possibly your boat completely rerigged.

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I also wanted to add.

When you go head to wind, be sure you let off enough main sheet, if you know your going to make a slow tack (IE spend more time head to wind), sheet it out more.

Don't just uncleat the jib on one side when you hear the main pop over. SHEET IT IN ON THE NEW SIDE. The Jib will pull the bows downwind, faster and more efficiently then you can steer at this point. Once jib is in and you are starting to make headway on your new course, then power up the main, and the boat will take off on your new course.

If you pull the main in before the jib, the boat will weathervane into the wind everytime!

The timing on sheeting in the jib seems to be more critical on my new boat, then it was on the old one for some reason. 2005 vs 1975.

Now we have conflicting stories here... you are saying to sheet the jib in prior to the main instead of the other way around?

After having difficulties, I tried leaving the jib cleated until the main was set on the new tack and it seemed to work well. The jib would back fill and help me through the turn instead of getting caught in irons like was happening when I both at the same time..

You leave the jib cleated until the main "Pops" Fills over on the new tack, but leave the main sheet out (IE don't trim it for the new tack) pull in the jib, then trim in the mainsheet.

If you trim the main before the jib, the main will pull the boat back up into the wind, and you will go into irons again. Trimming the jib trimming the main, keeps the bows downwind, and also guides the air flow over the leading edge of the main.

Does this make more sense?

It sounds like you may not be holding the rudders in a turning position. If you let them go back to neutral you'll go into irons.

Think of the process of getting back up to speed as shifting gears. Once you're through the eye of the wind release the jib. As soon as it's across the mast shift into 1st gear by sheeting it in. And do it FAST!! That'll pull the bows farther off the wind and you can bring the rudders to neutral.

Shift to 2nd by sheeting the main in part way and start to head the boat back up to a beat. As boat speed builds shift to 3rd by sheeting the main the rest of the way.

As an option make motor noises. It's fun and your crew will think your nuts.

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Here is the process I use (Single handed)


1) Let the sheet off enough so that I am no longer being heeled over.
2) Come in off the trap, As I am coming in, I use my body momentum to start steering up into wind.
3) As I am now back on the trap, I let the main out, about a foot or more, If it is light wind, or if I feel that it's going to be a slow tack, I let it WAY out (This is just when I am coming head to wind)
4) I pass the tiller around behind mem, while I am doing this I make sure I do not reverse the rudders or straighten them back in.
5) As I have now switched sides, I wait until the main sail "Pops" over (Sail fils and battens flex over, with a WHOMMMMP sound.
6) This is my que to reach forward and uncleat the jib from the now windward side, and pull it in quickly from the leward cleat. This pulls the bows downwind, as the main is still not powered up.
7) Now I Hook my harness to the dog bone.
. Begin powering up the main enough to get the boat moving. I then slide out on the tramp, powering up the main as I am going out, and heading up onto the next beat.

The only thing I do different is pop the jib when the boat is head into the wind. As long as the rudders are held in a turning position the boat will continue the tack. Popping the jib at the head to wind point will get it across faster which means you can sheet it in and pull the bows off the wind earlier. It's always worked for me but ya gotta go with what works for you.

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