Unable To Tack On Main In Light Winds

[Dido]

We took out new out on an inland lake and got the sails up for the first time, we started with just the main, we noticed that it was very difficult to Tack, most times it got almost round but before the sail moved across the sail depowered and we started to drift, we were forced to bear away and regain speed to try again. Both been dingy sailors we found this very strange.

Jybing was fine and when we got the foresail up we had no problems tacking !

This was the first time we had the boat fully rigged, is this normal for a mac ?

Si and Av

[jschrade]

It is difficult to tack on most sloop rigs without a the Jib/Genoa. It will also balance the boat and make it sail much better.

In light winds, you use the Jib to backwind and pull the nose across before releasing it - problem solved!

Jim

[mastreb]

Ditto. I had a 32 foot Columbia Sabre, one of the easiest sailing keel-boats ever made, and it was damned difficult to complete a tack without the jib up. It could do it because the 6000 lbs. of keel momentum would keep you going around, but it's never even occurred to me to try it on my given how much less inertial moment the boat has. You're looking at normal performance for these boats. If you want to go single sail in light wind, I think you're better off Genoa only.

[NiceAft]

If you have a means of knowing what your speed is, then make certain you are doing at least 1.74 knots. I find that unless I am doing that in my , I do not have enough momentum to complete the tack. In light winds, my 150 Genoa is always deployed.

Ray

[Hamin' X]

As was mentioned earlier, a jib is almost always need for tacking a light, sloop-rigged boat and it is helpful to back-wind the jib briefly, to force the bow across the wind. Also, do not re-sheet at to high of an angle. This is a light boat and it does not carry momentum well. bring your speed back up, before you come back to close hauled. The Mac does not like to pinch. If you have a GPS, set it for VMG to see if you are pinching.

You may find it helpful, when using only the main, to fall off the wind a bit and gain speed. Then commence your tack and do not hesitate. Nor do you want to try and tack too quickly, by tuning the helm hard over, as this will stall the rudders and actually act as a brake. You need to play with it some, as it is easy to stall the rudders on a Mac. I think that it is because of the steering geometry need for the outboard.

Pay attention to your heeling angle. Anything past 20 degrees and your VMG will drop due to slippage. Ease your sheets, or reduce sail. Just some things that I have learned with my

Have fun.

~Rich

[Dido]

Thanks for the help, I think we may have been guilty of turning too quickly trying to maximise our speed but this may have slowed us down by stalling the rudders.
Out on the water in a couple of weeks so we will see how we do.

Si

[ronacarme]

On our 26X, flying the main only, the CB line needs to be only about 3/8 out. Otherwise the sailplan's center of effort is too far aft of the hull/CB/rudder center of lateral resistance, and the boat is very reluctant to tack. Low boat speed (eg due to light winds) makes it worse. The narrow CB chord makes the CB easy to stall. Thus the X demands attention to CB position if you want to maneuver under main alone.
With main and working jib or drifter up, our CB line is out about 7/8 or 8/8 to balance the helm.
See a number of prior posts on the topic.
This CB position adjustment may be similar to what is needed on some CB dinghies, I believe.
Have fun...its all part of a life time of learning the fine points of sailing.
Ron

[Doug W]

Then commence your tack and do not hesitate. Nor do you want to try and tack too quickly, by tuning the helm hard over, as this will stall the rudders and actually act as a brake. You need to play with it some, as it is easy to stall the rudders on a Mac. I think that it is because of the steering geometry need for the outboard.

Ditto, I tend to hold a tack as long as possible, getting too close to the shore on inland lakes where winds get sporatic and then crank the helm and stalling the rudders...

[bscott]

2 X on all the previous posts but if I am too close to shore where the wind will bounce back off a rock ledge, I drop my OB and set the idle to complete the tack. Since the is not a pure bred "yacht" I don't care if others see me motor away from a problem.

Bob

[Trouts Dream]

When tacking with my 96 X I have found that I never release the foresail sheet until the main begins to fill. In good winds this delay in throwing off is maybe 1 second or less but in light winds it may delay by 10-15 seconds. I have found in the light breeze, backwinding the foresail brings the boat fully through the tack and allows the boat to head off wind quicker. By this, I mean that in light winds I have to head almost halfway between a close haul and a beam in order to pick up speed before I can creep back up to a close haul.

Next time your out watch the main sail on a tack and throw off the foresail sheet as the main fills and not before.

[CampCook]

How do you handle this with an autopilot "auto tack". I am a frequent single handed sailor and am thinking about adding a wheel pilot to Gypsea Dream. My understanding of the auto tack is the autopilot steers to a new heading 110 degrees leeward (or more if programmed). Do you use this function in light winds or do you "steer thru" (manually override the auto pilot) until the maneuver is over, or what?
still a lot to learn
Dave

[Trouts Dream]

I would assume you would set the tack angle to the appropriate winds (say 110 degrees in good winds and 150 in light winds and then bring the boat back to as tight as possible as speed increases.

Since I don't have an auto-pilot, I might just be full of sh.....

[c130king]

How do you handle this with an autopilot "auto tack". I am a frequent single handed sailor and am thinking about adding a wheel pilot to Gypsea Dream. My understanding of the auto tack is the autopilot steers to a new heading 110 degrees leeward (or more if programmed). Do you use this function in light winds or do you "steer thru" (manually override the auto pilot) until the maneuver is over, or what?
still a lot to learn
Dave

I have the S1 Wheel Pilot and I sail solo 98.64% of the time. When I am close-hauled I will sometimes use the auto tack just for kicks. But I still let my genoa backwind a little before releasing the sheet and hardening the new sheet.

I have found the auto-tack really only works when you are really close-hauled. If you are at like 60 degrees or so and hit auto-tack you will end up in irons.

Normally I just release the auto-pilot...tack or gybe as necessary...trim the sails...re-engage the auto-pilot. Most of my S1 use is to hold a heading.

Love the S1. Best mod ever.

Cheers,
Jim
Sailing on König
Sailing on König YouTube Channel

[Doug W]

Next time your out watch the main sail on a tack and throw off the foresail sheet as the main fills and not before.

Good tip! Usually, when I warn my wife "prepare to come about" she gets ready immediately and then the moment I say "Hard a Lee" or "coming about" she immediately releases the foresail usually before we've crossed the wind. We'll experiment. I bet that this timing will help us.

Dropping the motor and powering out of a situation definitely helped me once!

An auto-pilot like Jim's S1 isn't in this year's budget. I elected to get stern rail seats this season. Instead, I've picked up a "poor man's autopilot" which is basically a wing bolt on the steering shaft. Should work well since there is already a loose nut behind the wheel....

[CampCook]

"I have found the auto-tack really only works when you are really close-hauled. If you are at like 60 degrees or so and hit auto-tack you will end up in irons.

Normally I just release the auto-pilot...tack or gybe as necessary...trim the sails...re-engage the auto-pilot. Most of my S1 use is to hold a heading.

Love the S1. Best mod ever. "

Thanks, Jim. I can't wait to get one on board. Come on tax refund
Dave