close reach = beating?

[SEMIJim]

Question just occurred to me while out on my post-lunch walk: Is pointing on a close reach regarded as a form of beating, or does the term "beating" only apply when you're sailing close hauled?

[USCGRET1990]

In my wayward book, it means heading into the wind and waves...yukky

[yotphix]

I would think that you would be hard pressed to get a definitive answer on that since the boats being sailed when the term was coined couldn't point as high close hauled as you do on a close reach.
I've always thought the term to mean making your way to weather. If you chose to fall off a little for comfort and sacrfice vmg, I would say that you are still beating.

[sailingdog]

Beating is the act of sailing to windward via a series of tacks, regardless of whether it is via close reaches or sailing close-hauled.

[yotphix]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Beating is the act of sailing to windward via a series of tacks, regardless of whether it is via close reaches or sailing close-hauled.

Nice and concise Dog!

[sailingdog]

BTW, one reason a sailor might choose to sail to windward via a series of close reaches, rather than close hauled, is many boats will pick up a significant amount of speed if you are sailing on a close reach, compared to close hauled, and in many cases, the DMG towards the destination is better on the close reach, since you gain more in increased boat speed than you lose in added distance travelled.

This is also true of many boats when sailing downwind. A broad reach 15-20˚ off of dead down wind often yields significantly higher boat speeds, especially for a mulithull, where hull speed isn't really a limiting factor.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Beating is the act of sailing to windward via a series of tacks, regardless of whether it is via close reaches or sailing close-hauled.

I thought that might be the case. Thanks for clearing that up.

Noted your follow-up comments, as well.

[sailingdog]

Glad to help...

[Culinary411]

"Beating" is the event that took place last Thursday in Lake Michigan on the Chicago coast. Small craft advisory, 6-12 foot seas and winds gusting to 70mph. There I was, 5 miles out and undergoing said process with main double reefed and motor running. Finally made it to Belmont Harbor where I stay the summer. Not a fun experience in the least bit.

[USCGRET1990]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Beating is the act of sailing to windward via a series of tacks, regardless of whether it is via close reaches or sailing close-hauled.

I think that is what I said in alot less words. I don't know of any way to sail windward without being cose hauled, in which I assumed anyone on sailnet would know.