tacking problem

[enyacc]

hi,
a couple of weeks ago, i put my mac26m back into water and made a test sailing. It was unpleasure. the boat didn't tack under light wind. well, we went out with other mac26m. they are all fine to tack. and i had strong lee helm. Everytime i try to tack, the boat doesn't cross and would come back and bear away. i was using jib instead of genoa.
anything i should check?

thanks

[vkmaynard]

Don't release your headsail and reset until it passes thru the wind and fills after the tack. Do this for all wind conditions.

Victor

[Crikey]

Victor has probably nailed it, but I would check if your mast was properly rigged to vertical and not biased forward.

Ross

[robbarnes1965]

Just in case the same thing happened to you... Did you have your daggerboard lowered all the way? I have cursed a blue streak more than once to suddenly go, "oops" forgot to lower it. Turns like crap into the wind without the dagger. The previous two comments as well. I would also sat that in very light wind you may want to back off to a beam reach for a few seconds to get a little more speed before the turn.

[CampCook]

I have also had to learn to be careful with the rudder. Too much and it becomes a very effective brake. Rudder angle awareness is one of the hardest things for me to learn in the Mac. Much different than my dinghy.

[robbarnes1965]

BTW, I am jealous you are even in the water right now. I think I can safely speak for all of us north of the border.

[arknoah]

Don't release your headsail and reset until it passes thru the wind and fills after the tack. Do this for all wind conditions.

Victor

And this can be tough sometimes, particularly if you're trying to hold the tiller at the same time. With practice, it gets easier.

Obviously, I tend to single hand a lot....

[Ixneigh]

With the board all the way down, I've seldom had an issue with tacking mine. The exception is in heavy chop in light winds. The boat should not have lee helm. It should be almost neutral. Even with just a main mine will tack reliably.
Next time you sail, try with just the main. If there is enough wind to make lighting a Bic lighter difficult, there is enough for a properly balanced M to come about. Make sure you dont have the sail sheeted in too much. In nice calm waters the boom end should be maybe even with the the lifelines or inboard just a bit if the wind is coming 45 degrees from the centerline. If the boat is moving faster then an average person can overhand swim, she should go about with no problem.

The jib issue has been covered.

Mine was delivered with stock rigging and I have changed nothing. I am very happy with the performance over all.

Ixneigh.

It's worth disconnecting the engine if you don't already.

[c130king]

Everything that has been said is right on. I would just like to add one more technique that I think can help.

Tack slowly at first. If you turn to fast the rudder can act like a brake and slow you down as was mentioned. And you can even try to fall off 5 or 10 degrees for a few seconds before you start your tack to see if you can pick up a 1/2 knot or so.

As you start your tack tighten up the main sheet. But start the tack slowly.

Then as the front sail starts to lose its shape then turn the wheel over all the way.

As mentioned I almost always let the foresail (150 Genoa in my case) fill and start pulling the bow across before I release the Genoa sheet and start sheeting in on the new tack.

Then once the new Genoa sheet is set I will sheet out the main a little. And then trim up the main.

Seems to work for me even in fairly light winds.

Cheers,
Jim

[mastreb]

First time I was out I had exactly the same issue, and got caught numerous times unable to come around. Everything said here is correct, so I'm just going to reiterate with specifics:

1) Complete the tack fully to the new course before bringing the headsail around. The backwinded jib/genoa is what pushes the bow through the tack.
2) Daggerboard all the way down.
3) DO NOT turn the rudders more than 20 degrees--make a larger tacking circle. Going to the stops is certain to kill all forward movement and stop the boat mid tack. This can be difficult with the motor up because it may flop over to the stop and turn for you. If you're having this problem, put in a motor steering disconnect, leave the motor down, or keep a firm hand on the wheel to prevent the motor from moving.
4) Don't be afraid to gybe--it's easier on a mac

[bscott]

Light winds and confused seas in narrow inlets I'm not too proud to lower the E-tec and turn the key.

Bob

[ronacarme]

Strong lee helm and refusal to tack suggests the center of effort (CE) of the sail plan is too far forward and/or the center of lateral resistance (CLR) of the immersed underbody of the boat is too far aft. I assume yourmast rake is more or less correct.
To bring the CE aft, raise the mainsail and sheet it in to draw properly (not too loose), and sheet in the jib to draw properly (not too tight).
To bring the CLR forward, drop the daggerboard fully.

Our lightweight, flat run (low rocker) hulls are reluctant to tack in light winds even with the helm balanced. It may help in light wind tacking to....
-before starting to tack, bear off on a close reach briefly to maximize boat speed (boat won't steer let alone tack while standing still).
-shift crew weight to leeward to increase leeward heel and thus alter underwater hull shape to increase weather helm a bit,
-keep the jib sheeted in thru the tack so it backwinds and helps push the bow thru the wind and onto the new tack, waitng till you are fully onto the new tack before resheeting the jib.
If you cannot maintain boat speed thru the tack and so stop head to wind, you may be blown slowly backwards. If so, loosen the mainsheet and steer the boat as you would in backing up your car, and in a direction so that the bow gets blown onto the new tack and the boat stops.....then sheet in the main and resheet the jib and sail away on your new tack.
If all else fails and you have run out of maneuvering room, fire up the iron genny and motor thru the wind onto the new tack......or you could instead jibe.

Part of the fun of our powersailors is figuring out their quirks. A big one on my X is CE/CLR imbalance sensitivity.

Ron

[enyacc]

hi
thanks all your replies.
This is my second 26m. The 1st one i had no problem at all. I can do any movement as i wish.
this 26m gets strange when it heads into upwind course. strong strong lee helm when it's in upwind course. if i keep rudder balance, then it bears away. from the deck, i can see i low down the daggerboard enough. but i'm not sure the board is still complete or not. i will check since it's out of water now.
will do more tuning as you guys suggest

[ronacarme]

Is the bottom of the board broken off?
Ron