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How to tack a multihull

4K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  chucklesR 
#1 ·
With Alex/Giullieta somewhat off watch I thought I'd fill in the gap with a little instructional series that details the difference between Multi and Mono hull handling. Of course, it contains a little tonque in cheek, wouldn't be me if It didn't.
Video will be posted as soon as I construct an adequate disquise.
The first is "how to tack" (I posted a similar walk thru earlier):


Generally tacking a multihull is somewhat different. I leave instructions posted at my helm station in case I forget, the printable part of the step by step instructions is included below for your reading pleasure:

Decide if you really need to tack (try to stay away from hard objects or shallow (2 feet) depths). Check the speed log and or GPS to make sure you are actually moving in the water. Try to remember if you are anchored, if not anchored proceed, if so you probably don't need to tack after all.

Inform the Admiral that the position of the sun and direction of the wind may change momentarily, she might need to adjust her position for optimum suntan and or cooling.

Put down your drink, you may need both hands if something weird happens.

Approach the helm, look up and forward to the jib and determine which way you will tack, (left or right). As a reminder a tack is turning away from the sail, gybing is turning towards the sail. If you need to gybe, turn to the ‘how to gybe page of this book.

Push the appropriate buttons on the Autopilot to start the tack.

Wait – Leer at the Admiral, maybe if she’s moving parts of her bikini might not be yet 

Release the working jib from the self tailing winch, do not unwrap the line.

Wait – now is a good time to refill the Admiral’s foo-foo drink and replace the little umbrella in the glass if she lost it.

Wait – check the compass and make sure it is spinning around.

When (if) the bow crosses the wind the jib will flap louder than the music, this is your clue that you are about to back wind the jib and you should look forward.

At some point the main sail, and the boom will swing over from one side to the other with a loud crash. Don’t be alarmed this is normal.

When the jib is back winded (see glossary if necessary), count to three, or four, slowly (use all the fingers on one hand).

Release the wraps on the winch so the jib sheet runs free.

Walk (do not run) over to the new working winch on the other side of the boat, put three wraps on the winch but do not tail the line.

Wait – now is a good time to replenish your sun screen.

Pull in the jib sheet to remove all slack, do not strain yourself as neither speed nor effort matter.

If the jib remains back winded you are ‘caught in irons’ and are possibly screwed. If anyone is watching, announce loudly that you have decided to take a break and are now 'hove to', release the main sheet a little bit and go back to your drink - it will still be where you left it.

If caught in irons, turn to the 'caught in irons' page of this manual and follow the instructions (Basically call TowboatUS, again).

If the jib is not back winded you are truly fortunate and have completed the hard part of the tack. Winch in the slack until at least one of the tell tales is fluttering in the breeze (sort of horizontal). You can winch until they all are horizontal if you want, doesn't matter too much but will look more sailor like.

Look up at the main and if the tell tales are not hanging limp you are done. If they are hanging limp pull in or let out on the mainsheet and observe the tell tales, play with it until at least one tell tale is fluttering.

Check the speed log and or GPS to make sure you are moving through the water. Give it a minute to settle down and start moving if needed.

Check the autopilot, if it is cycling insanely and beeping you probably can't make what it considers to be a good course, hit the standby button, wait a second and hit the auto button, it will now maintain your current course as the new course. You should probably look up to see if anything is in your way. If so blow the horn three times and flip this page to the 'Collision response directions' side and follow the instructions (basically call insurance company, again)

Go back to where you left your drink, it will still be there.

Admire the Admiral in her new position leeringly (if leeringly is not a word you know what I mean).

Ponder the joy of sailing until your next forced tack. Don’t forget to use sunscreen.
 
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#2 ·
Awesome...BABaahhahhahhaha!

:D :)

Too much sailing stuff in there... How do you keep your drink cold? What is the proper gesture to mono-hullers as you slowly pass them with the sails trimmed to the "in" position? (There are only 2 positions "in" or "out" right?)
 
#3 ·
So, really, you need to backwind the jib on your Gemini to tack?

I figured that wasn't necessary on the big cats.

I remember the first time I tried to tack a Hobie 14. Never could do it reliably. Got to about a 75% success rate on the Hobie 16 without backwinding the jib.

Teach me, Obi-Wan
 
#4 ·
Craig,
I keep the ice cold in the refridge/freezer that makes ice. The hand sign I use is a simple 'hi' wave, no need to depress them more than they are.
Sails 'trimmed' ? I don't have a barber on board.

DJ,
I only have to backwind the jib if the wind is light or I'm moving less than 4 knts, that's not often. Gemini's are one of the smallest and lightess production 'cruising' cat's on the market today.
Without the weight, we suffer for momentum to tack in chop.
 
#5 ·
Figured I go with the gybing part as well.

Gybing a Multihull.

If hard pointy objects or silly stuff like reaching a destination force you to maneuver your boat and gybing (turning the sail boat around by turning away from the wind) is required the following steps are germaine:

Inform the Admiral that you find it necessary to maneuver the boat, her sun tan and cooling breezes might be affected.

Put down your drink, two hands might be needed if it gets hairy.

Check the wind speed, if over 10 knots true turn to the ‘dropping the sails’ page after first completing the instructions on the ‘starting the motor’ page.

If the wind speed is safe for the intended operation continue

Check to make sure the Admirals bikini moved with her – if not, stop everything (momentarily). If so, frown and continue.

Note some cap’ns insist you can gybe with both jib and main at the same time. This is a simpler, safer, and more restful method. Let the other guys do the hairy scary stuff on their boats.

The safest way is to furl the jib, or screacher (depending on which you are trying to use) first. If the jib is out (the little sail, with the black UV cover) release the jib sheet from the winch and let it flap, grasp the skinny green and white line to starboard of the helm and after un-cleating both the sheet and the furler (let’s not try THAT again) pull it in hand over hand while watching the jib sail roll itself up.
If the screacher is in use it’s the same but with the red screacher sheet and the black and white furler line. It’s also harder to furl because it is bigger (and therefore only recommended if you have a ‘volunteer’ crew on board to do the work).

Cleat the furling line, no need to go through ‘that’ again either.

Sample the drink, you’ve earned it.

Approach the helm – cursing Raymarine for having a ‘auto tack’ feature by not a ‘auto gybe’ feature disengage the autopilot by putting it in standby and releasing the clutch (the gray lever behind the wheel).

Announce ‘Gybing’ (I don’t know what this does, but all the other guys do it).

Pull the mainsheet (red string at the center of the pulley thingee) all the way tight. The boat will slow down considerably.

Turn the wheel four full turns towards the main sail

The boom and main sail will cross (eventually) to the opposite side of the boat – pulling in the mainsheet means it will do it slower and with less slamming. I recommend it as the crashing noises might interfere with the music playing in the background.

Once the boom has crossed the back of the boat, turn the wheel back to the center, four full turns.

Look up and see where you are going, check the wind direction. Check the speed log and or GPS and see if you are moving. If somehow you are still moving start letting out the main sheet again.

If you have stopped moving turn to the page “starting the motor”.

Assuming you are moving you can now establish a course (direction to sail) – remember the most important part of establishing a course is picking a direction that provides the longest possible time period before you have to move again, this includes trimming the sails (see page ‘making way in the water without the engine”.

Keep turning the boat until the windex (see glossary and or page “your instruments and you” ) says the wind is roughly 100 to 130 degrees off the stern, let the main sail out until it is nice and billowy, cleat that puppy off.

Re-sample drink, the ice may be melted but do not panic or refill just yet, there is more to do.

Check the Admirals 'position' out. Leer appreciably.

Unfurl the jib or screacher – see page “those other sails on the front and how to use them”.

While the jib is not necessary for down wind sailing it does make the boat look like a sailboat, failure to expend the effort to deploy it will subject you to more ridicule than you normally get for being a multihull catacondo driver.

Go back to drink, sit, hang out until either someone blows a horn at you or you are forced to move again.
 
#6 ·
Too funny Chuck...
 
#7 ·
Monohull Tacking - A multi-huller's perspective...

So... you're a Multihuller and you want to particpate in a Monohull Tack.

First, let me set-up the situation....

When you arrived at the dock with your life jacket to join this motley crew you proudly showed off your collection of imported beers and top shelf rum and asked where the fridge was. You were immediately labled as a "multi-huller" and given 3 minutes to strip down to your boxers leave everything at the dock (including your priceless collection of Airline stirrers that you've been working on for years) except your Lifejacket. This was the first sign that you may be getting into something over your head....

You're on the water no less than 2 minutes...

You hear the skipper scream "Ready to Tack!!!" Note.. this is NOT a question but an order.

At this point, the boat is violently heeled over, your grasping for dear life with both arms around the windward winch - tossing your cookies overboard... again and again. Your feet are dangling in the cockpit. You are pale and actually find pleasure in the waves that crash over the bow and cleanse the hull (and your face) of your breakfast.

As you struggle to free one hand enough to wrap the sheet around the winch, (which way does it go again?) you notice a Cat "stroll by" whilst the captain is delivering a drink (with umbrella) to his hot wife who is sunning herself on one of the floatie things.. You notice that the front little triangle sail isn't even rolled out... a small tear rolls down your cheek.

The monohull skipper violently throws the wheel over and as the boat swings in the opposite direction you get a bloody lip on the winch, this is immediately followed by a rope burn on your cheek as the front triangle sail (which is *way* to big in your opinion) is pulled violently against the wires which hold the stick up.

There is a bright spot...You've managed to tune out the screaming by the other crew members at this point. It wasn't difficult considering the only words you had to ignore were "TRRIIIIIIIMMMMM" and "%^$&#*@(*#$&CK" it seems that's all you have to know of the English language to crew on a monohull...

The "Tack", -now complete- finds you upside down with your head in a combing compartment on the leeward side. You swear you just saw Jesus. No need to worry about taking the blessed escalator, a winch handle is holding you in the boat right where the guy who screams "TRRIIIMMM!!!'" left it.... in your rib cage.

At this point the skipper assigns the "multi-huller" (no one even asked your name) to what appears to be an extremely important job. Depth Monitoring... As it turns out, mono-hullers panic at anything below 12 feet of water... it becomes your job to constantly scream out the depth (probably because the rest of the crew only knows those two words and not numbers...) so that the skipper can "Tack" again.. and again... to get away from the evil shallow water.

As you swear for the 50th time to yourself that you'll never agree to "crew" on a monohull again you remind yourself with some satisfaction that it took no fewer than 13 glasses of rum punch last week at the party on your cat before you finally "caved" and agreed to join the loud man (friend of a friend) on an afternoon sail on his new Sabre 34...besides it was all an effort to get him to shut-up. He kept trying to pull all the strings and make one of the floatie thingys come out of the water. Doesn't he know that you might spill your drink?

craig
:) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D :)
 
#9 ·
Craig,
Ah, memories of the old days.
In truth catamarans are not that fast - I have a range between 15 and 20 kts where it gets sweet, under 15 I'm running a 8knts or less just like you lead mines, over 15knts on anything but close haul and I can get up and go at 10+ knts. Over 20 and I have to reef. Keep in mind I reef for gusts, you reef for steady. Takes some of the stuffing out of my sails.
If I get my webcam working this weekend I'll make a couple of video's detailing the above procedures. Of course the Admiral won't wear her bikini anywhere near a webcam :( so they will be short video's.

Meanwhile, see you saturday at 10 am. I believe we will be committee boat, or participating. Channel 68 monitored, somewhat :)
 
#12 ·
The Admiral (MMR here on sailnet) intimated last night that my ‘prepare to get underway’ post on another thread was a highly edited, more serious version of what actually goes on. Okay, she down right said that if I didn’t post the real check list she’d blow my cover.
Here goes:

Day Sail and Cruising (over night) underway checklist on my Multihull

Transform body into camel and hump supplies to boat. Swear from now on you will just leave the stuff on the boat.

Multihulls are very sensitive to weight as it adversely affects performance. Attempt (again) to have Admiral reduce day sail luggage to either a top or a bottom for her bikini, but not both.
For multiday cruising a sarong can be added, if desired.

Store all three varieties of Rum (always written and spoken with a capital ‘R’ onboard Patience Two) close to (meaning within reach of) the helm station. Fill Ice bucket and place on top of fridge, next to Rum.

Stick the Admirals Rum wherever it fits best, damn fruity stuff anyway.

Put or ensure at least 6 cans of Coke Zero (per day) in the fridge, on the door where they can be found. Remember one out means one in, warm diet coke sucks warm water is drinkable by others.

Put wallet and keys away, put nerd strap on glasses, no need to give up more than already given to Uncle Chessie (four pairs in the first two years). Remove all items from pockets that you intend to keep, store them wherever you are standing (helps later when you get back in, you can play the ‘where the hell did you put my …’ game).

Put open cigarettes and lighter at helm, put extra’s in away in safe place you can (hopefully) remember later.

Assign (beg) the Admiral to put stuff away below decks, ensure her you are going to be working hard on the hot exterior of the boat.

Take covers off helm instruments, it helps later.

Remove, or at least flip up, the dog house window cover. Look forward from helm and make sure you can see bow. Drop window between helm and salon. Reach through window and make sure you can reach the bottle of Rum on the Fridge top.

Look inside and see if Admiral is doing anything, if not ask for permission to sail, if she’s actually busy ask her to do something using arcane nautical terms and accents. Confuses the heck out of them.

If you have guest(s) onboard that have never been aboard before, give the safety and familiarization tour. Use the book you wrote for that, no need to explain what a ‘sea cock’ is again, especially to your mother. Make sure that in the event of an emergency they know that you are the most important person aboard, it behooves them to retrieve you if you fall overboard.

Make a Gossling and Coke Zero, light a cigarette and sit at the helm with a salty look. Consider the wind and current and how it will affect getting out of the slip. If the wind is abeam at 10 knts or more go below and drop one or both centerboards to prevent drift once untied and ‘oh crap’ moments.

Turn on VHF, Sailing instruments, Stereo and GPS, go back to helm and ensure they actually, really, don’t have covers on still. Plug in IPod and put on sailing tunes. Play enough Buffett and Eileen Quinn and people will ‘know’ you are a sailor.

Take handheld VHF to helm, turn to 16 and monitor for funny conversations and newbies making mistakes.

Remove Mainsail cover, even if you aren’t really going to sail just take it off so when you pull back in or anchor where you are going people will think you actually sailed the boat. For realism, it helps if you knock down any cobwebs, old bird nests etc. from the rigging.

Stuff the cover into the salon in a reasonably folded shape, or just shove it down the nearest hatch. Placate the Admiral, who’s head you probably just dropped it on.

Also while forward look at the bow and make sure the anchor is actually up – no need to go through ‘that’ again while leaving the slip, it wasn’t that much fun the first time.

While up at the center of the boat make sure the Banana colored Kayak laying athwart ships is secured, tidy up the lines and make sure no snags will occur later.

Drop the drive leg, start the motor, check that water is flowing out the exhaust. Bump the boat into forward, then reverse to check transmission. Time it so the Admiral gets a little bump when you hit the end of the dock lines 

While difficult to do, it’s time to turn off the air conditioner and leave the world of comfort behind. Turn off all 110v, remove the plug from the pier, then the boat. Leave the power line where it is, we have more onboard.

Don’t forget to tell the Admiral that you have to cut off the A/C now. Lessen the blow by complimenting her on the sarong (or monokini) if she’s wearing one.

Check that the engine instruments indicate normal conditions (no smoke, no loud metal tearing sounds, certainly no fire, at least some fuel in at least one tank, temperature below 160, oil at 40 – 50psi, alternator putting out 14v or so).

Announce to Admiral the boat will momentarily depart the pier. Make sure she understands that means she may lose her internet connection to buyeverything.com.

Walk calmly around the boat from aft port to fwd port, stbd fwd, stbd aft releasing lines, toss lines back unto the hook on the piling so you can find them later.

Walk forward to helm, bump boat into forward for 1 second, then walk to port and release spring line, laying it on pier so you can find it later. Walk back to stbd helm and drive boat out of slip (yes it really is that easy, even in 10-15 knots on the beam).

Announce to Admiral we are underway on fossil fuel, and she may now relax in the cockpit – and if she could, you could use a refill.

Wave at the boat ramp, other boaters and such, dodge the ducks.

Sadly, you must not use the autopilot until well underway and out of the creek.


Anyone know how to anchor a multihull?
 
#17 ·
Anyone know how to anchor a multihull?
Consult chart to find shallowest water in anchorage. One of the pleasures of a multihull is to be able to have a secluded anchorage. Entertain self watching boats run aground as they try to approach your anchorage.

A corollary is to cut on the wrong side of markers and chuckle as boats following you run aground.

If in a crowded anchorage with wind and current in counter directions, anchor close to other boats. Raise your arms and scream like you're on an amusement park ride as you do 360s around your anchor.

Scott
Gemini Catamaran Split Decision
Captain's Blog
 
#14 · (Edited)
Still a boring day at work. Here with


Using the Mainsail
Or
What to do when out of fuel

Every once in a while it becomes necessary to ‘raise the main’, for example when out of fuel and TowboatUS refuses to tow you to your dock again.

If you did the pre-underway checklist properly the main sail cover has already been removed. If not, remove it now and stuff it below decks somewhere.

Loosen the main sheet (red rope, in the cockpit threaded through all the pulley things at the back of the cockpit). It’s a 4 in 1 arrangement, let two or three feet of rope go through the pulleys.
Make sure you do this especially if you didn’t have Wheaties this morning or haven’t eaten your Popeye brand spinach today - it makes raising the main easier.

Point the boat into the wind, if the engine is dead (and why else would you be doing this) do the best you can.

Turn on the autopilot and set it to windvane mode, watch it cycle helplessly with no steerage, then ignore it.

Go to the mast. If you aren’t wearing a PFD you will fall overboard, if you are it’s just possible, not certain.

Take off the sail ties, it was not fun the last time you forgot them.
(these are the blue bandy strap things wrapped around the mainsail, note how they are tied so you can tie them back on later).

Loosen the topping lift (red and white rope) it should lower the boom about four inches until it rests on the coach roof. Make sure it’s not bouncing around and knocking off things like the horn, the GPS antenna etc. If it is, hurry so maybe it will not break too much.

Loosen the lazy jacks on both sides of the mast (gold and white ropes cleated on the uppermost cleat) loosen them at with least two feet of play, re-cleat the lazy jack ropes when done, again, wasn’t fun fixing that last time.

For reefing instructions see page titled “oh crap the wind is over 10 knts, now what”

Unwrap the blue and white rope, that is the main halyard, halyard is a corruption of the English for ‘haul hard ya’ll’, because that’s what you are going to do. Put three wraps on the winch, no, the one on the same side of the mast that the halyard is hanging on.

When the boom is centered in its wild swinging around, pull like heck and get as much sail up as you can before it snags a lazy jack. If it snags a lazy jack, time the boom till it’s centered again and haul away again.

Continue hauling, pull really hard. Use both hands you idiot. Ignore the blisters forming and popping and pull. Wrap the line around your waist and turn like a top, do whatever it takes to keep pulling. It’s okay to cry and whimper if no one can see you.

When the main sail is almost all the way up, about 12” (that inches you wimp, not feet) from the top slide your left hand forward on the rope and take ahold of the winch handle with the right.

Now crank on the winch handle while pulling with the left hand (this is a non-self tailing winch, stupidest thing I can imagine on a main halyard). Grind grind grind, grind. It might take all of five seconds, put if you try really hard you can make it.

Ideally the main should be all the way up with just a slight vertical wrinkle about 6 inches back from the forward edge (luff). Ideally you had a crew on board to do the work, if not, good enough is good enough.

Oh, secure the halyard to the cleat, don’t just let go; that was seriously not funny the last couple of times.

Wipe the tears from your eyes and ignore the pain in your back, arms and bleeding palms and without getting blood on the pretty white boat make your way back to the cockpit. Drink some Rum and smoke a cigarette once you can breathe again.

Depending on which way the wind was coming you may already be ‘sailing’. Check the GPS and see if you are moving at faster than 1 knot. If not you are ‘drifting’. Turn off the autopilot and steer the boat around from left to right, observe if the boat actually sails and whether or not the sail has wind in it.

If you are sailing, and not heading for some hard pointy object or shallow water (check the chart plotter and this time believe what it says) you may establish a course. A course is the direction you want to go to get home of ‘course’ (get it?) – see Navigation, under ‘where I am’ on the page entitled ‘I wanna go home’.

If ‘home’ is downwind you are in luck, point the bow (front of the boat) towards where the GPS says is home, let the sail out some more (mainsheet looser) and continue. If home is not downwind you might want to consider moving.

If you must go upwind, go below and drop the centerboard on the side the wind will be coming from 3 turns on the winch. For additional speed (if Rum or cigarettes are in short supply) it may help to raise the drive leg and reduce drag, although being out of Rum is already a drag.

Trim the mainsail in using the mainsheet, pull some rope in, if your hands are too sore still use your teeth or toes to pull. The tell tales (flappy garbage bag looking things on the back of the mainsail) should be flapping in the wind, not hanging lose. It’s easier sometimes to change course as you only have to turn the wheel, but if you have to go in the same direction you have to trim the sail, suck it up and pull on the rope until the flappy things and actually flapping, all of them.

Finer sail trim might be required, for that you use the Traveller, so named because it helps you travel. I can’t remember enough about it and how to use it so just go below and get the book “sailing for dummies” and look up “what’s this tracky thing at the back of my boat”.
 
#18 ·
One advantage of anchoring in shallow water is that the monohulls that drag down on you usually get stuck before they get to you.:)
 
#19 ·
Generally speaking I just hit the down switch on my anchor windlass whenever I get tired of sailing. If I stop it's good enough, if not I turn off the motor and try again.

If I see a beach I point the boat at it, drop my stern anchor and run up on the beach. When I want to leave I get a power boat to pull me off.
 
#20 ·
Next week's episode: Down the Mine -- Jibes Gone Horribly Wrong.:D

Fun reading, Chuckles. Butbutbut ... if you ain't hiked to below the knees, how ya supposed to know you are sailing? I want a boat that feels like it's working hard.
 
#21 ·
Bob,
If you want to 'feel' it's working hard just wrap your hand around a jib sheet and feel it vibrating, then look outboard at the waves rushing by, the whole point of a multi is that instead of wasteing the force of the wind in heeling forces it changes it to forward motion :)

If you really need to feel the boat working, I suppose you could catch your ankles on the swim ladder on fall off head first, doing a situp wih 10kts of water rushing up you nose is a great way of understanding how hard the boat is working.
I tell you, I will NOT be doing that again, there are easier ways to wash hair.
 
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