Tacking with the Admiral
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:09 am
So, yesterday, on my 1990 Mac 26s we went out in 2-7 knot winds for the day. Around 11:00 am, I gave my wife the helm. She didn't want it, but she got it. Her first time on the helm and we are "beating" home in not very much wind. This post is to cover 3 points.
1. Someone on the forum suggested, sailing through the tack, to bring the bow around, backwind the jib and then, while keeping even pressure on the jib, bring it across the boat last. Since my wife was at the helm, I decided to attempt this technique while she was learning that pushing the stick to port makes the boat go to starboard. By the 3rd tack we were in quite a rhythm and the technique not only shaves about 10 seconds off the total time it takes to tack, the boat is being steered more by the sails, there is less of a chance for the rudder to stall the boat in light air, and I felt I stayed a few degrees closer to the wind and didn't have to correct my track as dramatically when finished.
2. Always set yourself up for success. We were going to reverse our roles on the boat. I chose to do it when we didn't have to be anywhere. I chose a day when there was no way the wind would overpower us. And, if we made a mistake nothing catastrophic would happen. We are both more confident and competent, and we both had a blast.
3. It is always good to spread around the experience on the crew. If someone has a heart attack or gets knocked out by the boom in a jibe, the rest of the crew needs to know how to get home. An emergency is no time to learn.
Thank you for the tacking advice. The boat feels a little less like an old pig and a little more like, well, a sailboat. Thank you for the great advice.
Fair winds everyone.
1. Someone on the forum suggested, sailing through the tack, to bring the bow around, backwind the jib and then, while keeping even pressure on the jib, bring it across the boat last. Since my wife was at the helm, I decided to attempt this technique while she was learning that pushing the stick to port makes the boat go to starboard. By the 3rd tack we were in quite a rhythm and the technique not only shaves about 10 seconds off the total time it takes to tack, the boat is being steered more by the sails, there is less of a chance for the rudder to stall the boat in light air, and I felt I stayed a few degrees closer to the wind and didn't have to correct my track as dramatically when finished.
2. Always set yourself up for success. We were going to reverse our roles on the boat. I chose to do it when we didn't have to be anywhere. I chose a day when there was no way the wind would overpower us. And, if we made a mistake nothing catastrophic would happen. We are both more confident and competent, and we both had a blast.
3. It is always good to spread around the experience on the crew. If someone has a heart attack or gets knocked out by the boom in a jibe, the rest of the crew needs to know how to get home. An emergency is no time to learn.
Thank you for the tacking advice. The boat feels a little less like an old pig and a little more like, well, a sailboat. Thank you for the great advice.
Fair winds everyone.
Looking at the GPS breadcrumbs after she's been on watch is like looking at the old cartoon trails of a bee flying.
Also if you have a compass tell her to keep on the heading. Otherwise I have no advice accept for experience. Have her take the tiller for a long stretch on open water and she will improve. When we used to go to Catalina I would take a nap and Penny would steer a perfect course. "There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats" Toad, Wind in the Willows. Fair Winds and Full Sails....
