First Time Sailing My Boat

Sail The World · #1 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011

I went for my first sail as captain on Sunday. Brought a brave friend with me. we were moving pretty fast out there. The wind was gusting though and a couple of rivets popped... and then we almost capsized.
the good thing about my boat is that right before it went over it turned itself into the wind and stayed upright. (one of the reasons i selected that particular boat to begin with)

anyway, the day was perfect, just too short.

can't wait to do it again

JedNeck · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011

Are all boats desinged to turn into the wind before the sails hit the water?
Like my 1970 Cal21 for example?

WDS123 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2011

Rounding up is a feature of big foresail boats, it generally is not all that controlled pf a situation.

In heavy breeze or puffs try easing the mainsail out, even letting it luff, and sailing with only the foresail powered up.

Easing the mainsail in a puff and sheeting in a lull is known as working the mainsheet

You will go a lot faster forward.

JedNeck · #4 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011

So I have been working the jib sheets to control my heel in a puff...is that bassackward?
Should I be cleating the jib and working the main instead?

CarbonSink62 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011

I always cleat the jib sheet and work the main.

The main is usually the larger of the two (especially on my boat with a 3/4 fractional rig) so it has the most effect.

The Supreme Commander likes it when the boat doesn't heel too much; I like it when she's happy.

Sail The World · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011

yes i had the main cleated. couldnt get to the sheet in time to uncleat and ease the main. gust was stronger than all the rest all day, and came out of nowhere... it was definitely an uncontrolled rounding up, the tiller almost slapped me off the boat!

lesson learned, be careful if you want to cleat the main sheet.

MarkSF · #7 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarbonSink62

I always cleat the jib sheet and work the main.

The main is usually the larger of the two (especially on my boat with a 3/4 fractional rig) so it has the most effect.

The Supreme Commander likes it when the boat doesn't heel too much; I like it when she's happy.

A good reason to keep the jib size down in strong winds. I learnt this in my Wayfarer. Capsizing is strongly associated with use of large genoas in gusty conditions.

CarbonSink62 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkSF

A good reason to keep the jib size down in strong winds. I learnt this in my Wayfarer. Capsizing is strongly associated with use of large genoas in gusty conditions.

I was 'playing' in the lake earlier this season when the wind was up and rounded up 4 or 5 times in a row (I wanted to see if I could 'finesse' the tiller and maintain my heading, I couldn't). As soon as I took in two turns of the roller furler, the boat sat further upright and I could maintain course without a problem.

I'm learning more every time I sail.

CarbonSink62 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-05-2011

Looking at my two posts to this thread, they might seem to contradict each other; I don't think they do.

Work the main when the sustained wind isn't too bad, but the gusts are making you heel too much. Keep the passengers happy.

Reduce the foresail when the sustained wind is too much and the boat is rounding up.

Some one please correct me if I'm wrong.

Barquito · #10 (**permalink**) 10-06-2011

For smaller boats on inland lakes, you may need to sail with the mainsheet in hand to keep her on her feet. You can have the line cleated. You just need to have a hand on the line to pop it out and ease the sheet when needed.

As the boat heels in generates more weather helm (wants to head up to weather). Easing the main first will help to reduce the weather helm by moving the center of effort forward. If you have a traveler you can use that to control heeling too.