Heeling is SCARY!

[Freesail99]

Freesail: look closer. That's a locking winch handle.

It was a joke, errrr he got it ......

[bobmcgov]

Originally Posted by christmasisland

My T22 has a centerboard ... rare but true. I have switched to the working jib ... the pre-reef is a new idea, thanks.

Your Tanzer has a shoal keel/weighted (cast iron) centerboard combination rather than a fixed fin keel; that raises the center of gravity slightly, but Tanzer made up for that by adding 250lbs more lead to the keel, giving it a ballast ratio of 48%.

I dunno how familiar you are with sailboat design but that's a very, very high number. For small keelboats like these, 30% is more common. Our SJ21 has a 420lb swing keel on a 1500lb boat, so it's a bit light in the loafers at 28% ballast ratio. Still feels solid compared to the Bucc! We considered a T22 and used to joke that it had an SJ21 hidden in its bilge for ballast.

When I want a mellow sail or have newbies on board or am taking a boat out alone, I usually start out with a reef in. Has the dual advantages of reducing total sail area AND moving the center of effort lower, so less heeling force. Easy to shake the reef out if you get bored. With a masthead rig, the backstay isn't so useful; but other sail controls can help reduce heeling. Have you played at all with the outhaul, cunningham, and jib cars? Do your sails have telltales on them? And is the mainsail looking baggy or blown out? Sometimes just one of these things (or all of them in concert) can cause excessive heeling.

I really like the T22 -- you have a nice vessel to learn on. One of the few boats that size you could take out in a Great Lakes squall and say, "Bring It."

[wind_magic]

To the OP ..

Hand your wife a sledge hammer and tell her to put it down at her side. Then tell her that it is like the keel of your boat, heavy. Now tell her to raise her other hand above her head, then you push against it like the wind and tell her to try to keep her arms straight, 180 degrees away from each other. So as you push against her free arm like you are the wind on a sail, she has to raise the sledge hammer up to compensate. She'll quickly discover that at a certain point she can't raise the sledge hammer anymore because it gets too heavy, and that's exactly like it is with the keel of your boat. The more the boat heels over, the less it wants to, because the keel gets "heavier" the more the boat leans over, and the wind also has less effect because the sails are showing less area to the wind, so you get to a point where it would pretty much take hurricane wind to make the boat heel any more.

[Andyman]

I'm into my 3rd year sailing an Aquarius 23 and heeling has always been a bit of an issue with me but it's getting better. I'm most comfortable at 10-15 degree but have been working on holding at 15-20 degrees. I sail in a moutain lake with great wind but it can often times be rather flukey. I've been caught in a gust and heeled to 30 and I was a bit alarmed especially because my girlfriend was onboard and it scared her a bit. Trying to adjust the sails, keep a hand on the tiller is sort of like rubbing your stomach and patting your head....takes some practice, that's for sure. Realizing that my boat isn't going to capsize and sink took some doing but I'm gaining more confidence each time I sail.

This has been a great thread for me.

[jjdevo]

I think many poeple keep their sheets too tight in general so start there. I noticed a poster recommending flattening out the sails (but wasn't more specific for people newer to sailing), which is what I would recommend if you don't quite need to reef. Tighten your halyards, outhaul and boom vang and use your traveller in addition to your mainsheet to try to flatten your main thus lessing the power of the sail (the looser the sail the more it acts like a wing). Also either reef your genny or use a smaller one (or try adjusting the traveller).

I have found depowering the sails can flatten the boat out just enough to keep everyone comfortable while getting where you need to go.

Also, the comment about using the motor instead of tacking made me laugh...thanks...reminded me of a friend who used to say "gentleman only sail downwind" when talking about sailing with new dates.

also reminded of another quote" racing is the way to ruin the perfectly good sport of sailing"

[224]

Originally Posted by jjdevo

I think many poeple keep their sheets too tight in general so start there. I noticed a poster recommending flattening out the sails (but wasn't more specific for people newer to sailing), which is what I would recommend if you don't quite need to reef. Tighten your halyards, outhaul and boom vang and use your traveller in addition to your mainsheet to try to flatten your main thus lessing the power of the sail (the looser the sail the more it acts like a wing). Also either reef your genny or use a smaller one (or try adjusting the traveller).

I have found depowering the sails can flatten the boat out just enough to keep everyone comfortable while getting where you need to go."

Welcome JJDevo and thank you for your first and thoughtful contribution.
I can only agree that your advice is a great first step not only to comfortable and efficient sailing but excellent practice for developing sailing skills. While reefing is essential in circumstances of deteriorating weather, from a sailing skill perspective it is a blunt instrument. While the ultimate preservatory need may eventually be no sail, motor and turning into the sea. The subtle changes you suggest will hone sailing skills and if appropriate deserve consideration.


Walk where there is no path but leave a trail for others.

[AdamLein]

Originally Posted by jjdevo

Also either reef your genny or use a smaller one (or try adjusting the traveller).

Whoa whoa, your genoa has a traveler?

[gypsy22]

hey adam,

i race a tanzer 22, and have been sailing all sorts of tanzers for a few years now. these boats handle a 15-20 degree heel very well, and if you trim your sails appropriately you'll learn to love the ride and catch some serious speed while doing so. in 10-15kn wind you should be able to sail it pretty even with the centreboard model, just keep track of where the wind is! if you have any questions about tanzers, let me know.

cheers

[224]

Originally Posted by AdamLein

Whoa whoa, your genoa has a traveler?

If it is self tacking, technically ................Yes

[jjdevo]

I should have specified car block traveller.