Too Much, Too Soon?

[TerralTheSeeker]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

My only comment is that Jimmy Buffet is a complete dork.

And it was just announced that dork is coming to Pensacola! I'm gettin' my tickets when they go on sale Dec 07 and camping out to be the first in line come February 5th, 2013 - loud, obnoxiously flowered Hawaiian shirt, flip flops, beer in hand, and sailboat moored just down the street from the civic center.

Dorks unite!

[MITBeta]

Originally Posted by TerralTheSeeker

Practicing my heave-to over and over again, I tried letting the boat slow way down after letting out the main, then turn the tiller to leeward. From appearances, it seems that even with the main let out there's still enough forward speed to cause the boat to turn into wind when I go leeward with the tiller. I waited and waited and could still see the boat moving at what seems a good pace with the main let "all the way out" (the sail pressing up against (and stopped by) the shrouds).

You need to STOP the boat to heave to (or nearly so). make a slow tack leaving the jib alone so that it becomes back winded. When you are head to wind, keep the boat pointed here until you are almost stopped, and then just barely let the back winded jib fill and then work the tiller to leeward.

[TerralTheSeeker]

Originally Posted by MITBeta

You need to STOP the boat to heave to (or nearly so). make a slow tack leaving the jib alone so that it becomes back winded. When you are head to wind, keep the boat pointed here until you are almost stopped, and then just barely let the back winded jib fill and then work the tiller to leeward.

I'll give that a shot on Friday when I go out for the day. That and man overboard are the last things I need to master to the point where I don't have to think about how to do it.

T

[TerralTheSeeker]

Originally Posted by MITBeta

You need to STOP the boat to heave to (or nearly so). make a slow tack leaving the jib alone so that it becomes back winded. When you are head to wind, keep the boat pointed here until you are almost stopped, and then just barely let the back winded jib fill and then work the tiller to leeward.

Y'know, something seemed interesting about this suggestion, so I just went to YouTube and viewed a couple of proper instructionals on heaving to and now understand that, apparently, I was smoking weed in my Basic Keelboat 101 Class and didn't realize it, because I TOTALLY had the wrong concept of how to do the maneuver. Totally.

Thanks for the reminder. In my next class, I'll make sure not to daydream.

T

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by TerralTheSeeker

I'll give that a shot on Friday when I go out for the day. That and man overboard are the last things I need to master to the point where I don't have to think about how to do it.

T

I actually prefer the "quick stop/heave-to" method of MOB. We've practiced it several times - and if you're quick enough, you can heave-to within 5'-20' of the MOB, then drift right back down to them. It's much, much faster and easier than the old "figure 8".

[MarkSF]

You'd have to be quick... at 7 knots you're doing 12 feet per second. So you just heaved to and stopped in 0.4s?

My Bristol ain't stopping in less than 100ft at which point heaving to will have you moving in a direction that won't take you closer than maybe 50 ft from the victim.

[smackdaddy]

I guess you're doing it wrong. Heh-heh.

I don't know how fast we were going - and we're in our Catalina 27 (which ain't no Bristol). I do know that we stopped fast enough on one try that we could use the boat hook to snag our MOB dummy in less than 30 seconds. It seemed like about 5' - but it was probably more. Who knows.

In any case, it's a pretty amazing tactic. Your dummies may vary.

[TerralTheSeeker]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

I actually prefer the "quick stop/heave-to" method of MOB. We've practiced it several times - and if you're quick enough, you can heave-to within 5'-20' of the MOB, then drift right back down to them. It's much, much faster and easier than the old "figure 8".

This forum is frikkin' awesome - I've never even heard of a quick-stop/heave-to MOB maneuver.

I'm going to get me a milk jug and marker some eyeballs on it and call it Bob. I'll see how many times I run over it with the boat before I get it right lol

[MarkofSeaLife]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

I actually prefer the "quick stop/heave-to" method of MOB. We've practiced it several times - and if you're quick enough, you can heave-to within 5'-20' of the MOB, then drift right back down to them. It's much, much faster and easier than the old "figure 8".

Just stop the boat!

That's all. Just stop it. That damn figure of 8 or gybing, or big circles, and all the rest is total and utter nonsense. Just stop the boat: sail into the wind, or if engine on full astern. If no engine on stop the boat, get the engine on, get the sails down.

Chances are the MOB will have swum up to you before you've opened the swim platform.

[L124C]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

I actually prefer the "quick stop/heave-to" method of MOB. We've practiced it several times - and if you're quick enough, you can heave-to within 5'-20' of the MOB, then drift right back down to them. It's much, much faster and easier than the old "figure 8".

Great! However, he would need to know how to Heave To. He doesn't, and for some reason, can't seem to grasp it. (may have something to do with a Bong!). IMO, mastering MOB techniques in all conditions provides awareness of boat performance and speed control that may be lacking in his execution of Heaving To. In any case, it certainly doesn't hurt to have the skills!