26x Calm wind sailing technique survey.

[FittsFly]

New to sailing and my 26X. This Forum has been wonderful with getting me up to speed! My question is: In watching videos on some of the challenges with the Macgregors sailing properties Id like to know yalls opinion on sails, my first sail will be on a small lake (challenge enough) with light winds and so because of the small size of the lake do you find it is better to hoist just jib only? just main only? or both? for maximum maneuverability and Tacking?
I'd like to get everybodys opinion!

[NiceAft]

If the winds are light, a jib, by itself may not be enough. Light winds need more canvas to move the boat. Jib and main. If the winds are light enough, you could use a 150 genoa instead of a jib.

How light are the winds?
How small is this lake?

[dlandersson]

Wait till you get our bill

This Forum has been wonderful with getting me up to speed!

[dlandersson]

Ok, with light winds, you want to think some things through.
You probably will want both main and jib/genoa. Are you single-handing or will there be 2 or more? If you are single handing, then use a bungee cord to hold your wheel and be sure to be wearing a PFD.
You want to get away from everyone. You want to head directly into the wind, then raise your main.
With that done, is jib/genoa hank-on or roller furling (which I recommend), then no longer head directly tino the wind and raise your jib/genoa.
It's a good idea to practice this in your slip (the raising of the sails).
Retrun to the cockpit, pick a point of sail, and marvel at yourself.
The X (all Macs really) is known for being "tender" - which means that it will initally heel a bit then stop healing past 15 degrees or so. It can be a bit alarming the first time you experience it. I got my X from a guy whose Admiral refused to set foot in it - so it sat on the hard until I came along.

... my first sail will be on a small lake (challenge enough) with light winds and so because of the small size of the lake do you find it is better to hoist just jib only? just main only? or both? for maximum maneuverability and Tacking?

[FittsFly]

Don’t have a furling jib unfortunately . lake is definitely small, maybe 3 miles long and a Half a mile wide. Thanks for the advice.! I will definitely make sure everything is smooth going up and down in the driveway and as well in irons before I power them up!

[NiceAft]

One other important point; don’t just point into the wind when you go on deck, release the mainsheet so the main just continually points into the wind. Just as important, stay lower than the swinging boom
Really, stay low. If you have a tether for your PFD, and a line bow to stern to hook it onto, use it. If you don’t, STAY LOW.

See this thread. viewtopic.php?t=30237

[Be Free]

First of all, welcome aboard!

A three mile-long lake is fine for sailing; the half-mile wide part may be a bit challenging though .

If the wind is below 5 knots (or so) you're probably not going to be able to get the boat to move effectively. Plan accordingly.

Whether going upwind or down wind, keep the outhaul loose and the jib cars forward. You want both of your sails to be "baggy" in light wind. You won't be able to "point" (go upwind) as well, but at least you will "go".

Macs are difficult to "tack" (but easy to "gybe") in light air. It's a skill you will gain with time but at first don't worry about using the engine to help with the tack. At some point you will want to raise your outboard out of the water. Most Mac power sailers (X or M) will lose about 1/2 knot with the outboard down.

You will need about 2 knots of forward speed to execute a tack. If you don't have a way to measure your speed just remember that the rudders will begin to get a little noisy around 2 knots. If you don't hear the water flowing over the rudders a tack may be be difficult. It is not a coincidence that two knots of speed is about what you can expect out of 5 knots of wind (see above).

Turn gently into the wind. Leave your main and the jib alone until the wind hits the main from the back side (the jib will already be catching the wind on the "wrong side"). Quickly release the upwind jib sheet, center the rudders, and immediately pull in and position the downwind sheet. You probably won't need to reposition your main sheet; it will just shift to the other side on it's own. If you are concerned about the boom moving across too quickly grab the main sheet near the middle with one hand to slow the boom as it's moving across. This will act like a shock absorber and will work in any amount of wind you should expect to be in.

The boat will have turned too far downwind at this point so you will (again) gently turn into the wind to bring the boat back to the desired course. If you skip the "gently" part in either turn you will probably be in irons (pointed into the wind) so just plan on using your engine to finish the tack. More wind = more forward speed = more forgiving of a too-hard turn.

Going down wind is easier because gybing in light wind is easier and more forgiving (or so I've been told). Where I live, going "downwind" is just a legend. It is never an actual option because the wind is always coming directly from wherever I want to go, it's not blowing at all, or it is a hurricane.

If you make a mistake while gybing you can usually pull (or push) the boom to move the main over to the "correct" side of the boat which will make moving the jib trivial. You can adjust the length of the main sheet as you gybe but using the "grab the main sheet in the middle" trick is usually easier when you gybe. Don't forget to duck.

Even in light wind always have your ballast full. If even one sail is up the ballast is full; never empty, never partially filled.

You can raise your centerboard most of the way when you are going directly down wind. It does not do much on that point of sail and you will go a bit faster. If you do so you will forget to put it back down when it comes time to go upwind and it will take altogether too long to figure out why as you are blown sideways across the lake.

Again, welcome aboard!

[NiceAft]

Excellent post.

One that should be read by all, either as important information for new owners, or, as reenforcing knowledge for those indoors during the long period of non sailing season.

First of all, welcome aboard!

A three mile-long lake is fine for sailing; the half-mile wide part may be a bit challenging though .

If the wind is below 5 knots (or so) you're probably not going to be able to get the boat to move effectively. Plan accordingly.

Whether going upwind or down wind, keep the outhaul loose and the jib cars forward. You want both of your sails to be "baggy" in light wind. You won't be able to "point" (go upwind) as well, but at least you will "go".

Macs are difficult to "tack" (but easy to "gybe") in light air. It's a skill you will gain with time but at first don't worry about using the engine to help with the tack. At some point you will want to raise your outboard out of the water. Most Mac power sailers (X or M) will lose about 1/2 knot with the outboard down.

You will need about 2 knots of forward speed to execute a tack. If you don't have a way to measure your speed just remember that the rudders will begin to get a little noisy around 2 knots. If you don't hear the water flowing over the rudders a tack may be be difficult. It is not a coincidence that two knots of speed is about what you can expect out of 5 knots of wind (see above).

Turn gently into the wind. Leave your main and the jib alone until the wind hits the main from the back side (the jib will already be catching the wind on the "wrong side"). Quickly release the upwind jib sheet, center the rudders, and immediately pull in and position the downwind sheet. You probably won't need to reposition your main sheet; it will just shift to the other side on it's own. If you are concerned about the boom moving across too quickly grab the main sheet near the middle with one hand to slow the boom as it's moving across. This will act like a shock absorber and will work in any amount of wind you should expect to be in.

The boat will have turned too far downwind at this point so you will (again) gently turn into the wind to bring the boat back to the desired course. If you skip the "gently" part in either turn you will probably be in irons (pointed into the wind) so just plan on using your engine to finish the tack. More wind = more forward speed = more forgiving of a too-hard turn.

Going down wind is easier because gybing in light wind is easier and more forgiving (or so I've been told). Where I live, going "downwind" is just a legend. It is never an actual option because the wind is always coming directly from wherever I want to go, it's not blowing at all, or it is a hurricane.

If you make a mistake while gybing you can usually pull (or push) the boom to move the main over to the "correct" side of the boat which will make moving the jib trivial. You can adjust the length of the main sheet as you gybe but using the "grab the main sheet in the middle" trick is usually easier when you gybe. Don't forget to duck.

Even in light wind always have your ballast full. If even one sail is up the ballast is full; never empty, never partially filled.

You can raise your centerboard most of the way when you are going directly down wind. It does not do much on that point of sail and you will go a bit faster. If you do so you will forget to put it back down when it comes time to go upwind and it will take altogether too long to figure out why as you are blown sideways across the lake.

Again, welcome aboard!

Thanks Bill.

[Jimmyt]

A 26M tacking slow in light air, under main alone. Amazing how nimble it seems without an outboard and 12+ gallons of gas. I’m sure the X would behave similarly.

Ignore the roller reefing antics for the purposes of this thread.

[Jimmyt]

Leave your main and the jib alone until the wind hits the main from the back side (the jib will already be catching the wind on the "wrong side"). Quickly release the upwind jib sheet, center the rudders,

When things are light, and I’m having difficulty tacking, I backwind the jib (Genoa) and let it push the nose through the tack. A slight variation of Be Free’s excellent info.

[NiceAft]

Jimmy,

The way that sail filled, it looked like a nice little breeze, and yes, that lack of outboard will make a difference.

[Be Free]

Leave your main and the jib alone until the wind hits the main from the back side (the jib will already be catching the wind on the "wrong side"). Quickly release the upwind jib sheet, center the rudders,

When things are light, and I’m having difficulty tacking, I backwind the jib (Genoa) and let it push the nose through the tack. A slight variation of Be Free’s excellent info.

Now that I'm not speaking "new sailor", the point of what I was describing was to backwind the jib ("catching the wind on the wrong side") to the point where the main just begins to backwind as well. I actually wait until the main "pops" to the other side of the boom before I switch the jib sheets. I've found that the X (and I presume the M) needs to go around a little bit more than a traditional sailboat in order to consistently complete the tack and the "pop" of the main has proven to be a very dependable indicator.

[Be Free]

A 26M tacking slow in light air, under main alone. Amazing how nimble it seems without an outboard and 12+ gallons of gas. I’m sure the X would behave similarly.

Ignore the roller reefing antics for the purposes of this thread.

I'm open to correction but it looks to me like that 26M is gybing. The wind appears to be coming from behind and starboard when they start out and then as they continue to turn to starboard the wind is coming directly on the beam.

I'd also say that in addition to not having an engine or fuel it also has no ballast. Look how high it's riding and how much it is heeling with almost no wind.

[Jimmyt]

You are correct (of course) - that turn was a gybe.