Into the wind

I went out yesterday on Lake Michigan outside Milwaukee. Winds were great (15 knots with 18 knot gusts) and once I got out of the marina, we flew fast and and it was a lot of fun.

That said, I had a real hard time getting under way. The winds were blowing right into the launch and so I could only launch into the wind. In this kind of wind, I found myself getting blown backwards quite a bit. We had little room to manuver and though I was finally able to shift us around for a reach (by being blown into a breakwater wall and then pushing off), it was a rather silly spectacle.

Any advice on launching into the wind?

I agree it can be difficult. I launch mine in a very small bay, where there's very little room to tack and the wind is almost always blowing straight into the launch.

As a person obviously cannot sail straight upwind without a motor, I usually work out in my head the "plan" (spot to launch, first couple of tacks), depending on the wind's direction. The "plan" of course goes completely out the window when the wind shifts midway through it!

There's some good advice on this site for how to tack in heavy wind. I still find it difficult at times - you blow the tack and at the same time have no more room to try again. Fortunately, I just run into weeds, nothing solid like a breakwater!

If I had to navigate through a marina, I would pick up a cheata motor mount, a small battery and an electric trolling motor.

Have you tried tacking out with the jib? It is quicker than the main for transitions and may be enough to get you out in the clear to get close hauled on the main.

I use a 27lb. 2hp Honda motor with the gas tank built in. I highly recommend it if you go with a motor.

???? Sailing upwind under jib only is extremly difficult if not impossible. The boat will constantly want to bear away from the wind. Tacking will be impossible. You need the mainsail to go upwind and to tack.

Sailing upwind efficiently takes skill that only comes from experience and practice. I would recommend spending some time working on sailng as close hauled as possible and work on tacking to get the timing down so you can do them fast and on a dime.

One last thing, be very careful drifting backwards if you're near shore. If your rudders are locked down and hit the bottom moving backwards you could break the rudder or rudder housing, or rip the gugeons out of the transom.

sm

Thanks. I won't put a motor on it. It just doesn't seem right, and I usually have no problem once I have a little room to manuvre in. its just that first launch area. Well, I'll keep practicing.

jeffrdrew,

What speed does the Honda give you and how long does it last on a tank?

I have a small Minkota and 32 AmpHour battery.

In dead calm I can only get around 3mph (measured on GPS)

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2007 Getaway

I don't have a GPS, but the 2hp definitely goes faster than 3 mph. My guess is about 7 mph - like a slow jog. It can go about an hour on a tank of gas.

I read a lot of posts about the comparative value of electric vs gas before purchasing. The Honda 2hp was viewed as providing more power which could help in strong currents. I didn't want a separate battery.

I really like it.

Does anyone claw off a lee shore by backwinding the main when you start to go backward to get on the other tack? I can only do this by instinct and can't explain it, but with the tiller on one side I grab the clew and force the sail to backwind, when the boat is turned I harden up and go forward. I've had to do this several times to launch between docks when it's blowing hard right at me. If anyone does know how to explain it I'd like to get it in my head how to do it instead of trusting blind instinct.

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+++amamama