Aversion to heeling.

[nicho]

Mrs Nicho loves "her" boat, and after many years of motor cruisers, has adapted remarkedly well to a sailing boat. She loves the peace and tranquility of sailing, and does much of the helming. However, one aspect of sailing she hates is the heeling of the boat, so I spend a lot of time trying to ensure we sail as upright as possible. Strangely, by reefing early, and/or spilling the wind from the main, we often seem to be going as fast as those with sheets pinned in, and toerails under the water!! Mrs Nicho reckons that excessive heeling is a male macho thing.

I have spoken to many others who sail with their wives, many of whom seem to suffer from the same aversion. It was interesting to read in the Lesley Black book, "Must I go down to the sea again", that the author has a doctor friend, who states he has never met a woman "who could take with equanimity to a boat heeling". He claims it is something to do with a womans psychological make up which prevent them for coping with the condition. Is this something that other forum members have to take into account when sailing with their better half?

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[Scillypete]

As soon as the boat heeled I used to get the response "get this 'kin boat upright, NOW!!" so I sold that one and bought a cat and the situation resolved itself. No more harsh language from SWMBO, that is until I felt I needed a change and sold it and went back to a mono. Now she will only come out in light winds or if we are likely to motor, looks like we are going back to a cat.


<hr width=100% size=1>Rather a bad day on the water than a good day at the office.

 

[Neraida]

My better half isn't happy unless the toe rail is 6 inches under the water but I have come across this before and have come to the conclusion that it has to do with ladies having a higher centre of gravity.

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[Joe_Cole]

SWMBO...my own personal plumb line.

SWMBO's Law states that......The angle of heel is in direct proportion to the volume of the scream.

Where would we be without them?...Don't answer that!

Joe

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[Talbot]

I bought my cat because of this slight problem after years of mono sailing. I would not even consider going back to a half boat! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif There are a number that have a nice covered wheelhouse suitable for our climate and are a good compromise between your own wish for sailing, and SWMBO's wish that you had bought a caravan and were 100 miles inland.

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[Magic_Sailor]

Hi Nicho

Absolutely. Mrs Magic absolutely hates it. We had a bit of a "todo" going over to Cowes a couple of years back - all my fault - not concentrating. We were healing - SWMBO was perfectly OK. But, we had too much sail up and sheeted in too hard. A gust hit us and she (Magicienne) rounded up and tacked all on her own! One minute we were chatting looking down at the water to leeward. The next we were looking at the bloody sky. Dry mouthed - scared witless - well something like that.

Now, Mrs Magic does mot like it. Especially helming (which she does a lot of) with a bit of weather helm on. However of course - by reefing properly, as you've notice, you go faster anyway.

Like reading your piece on YM.

Magic

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[chippie]

I have to agre with Talbot, a multihull is the answer and you will probably get to sail faster too.
I had done quite a bit of monohull sailing before I bought my trimaran but now find I like to put my coffee down and have it there when I get back to it. Battling hand over hand to go forward just seems like a hassle I prefer to go without.
My Fifteen year old reckons it is because I'm now an old fart. He may be right.;-)

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[jimi]

Absolutely ... most women are complete wusses and cona'nt cope. However there is a plus side ... you can get new sails by promising that they'll be less baggy and thus make the boat heel less. Hope that helps

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..

 

[Sailfree]

It's even worse if SWMBO started by helming dinghys. Keep them flat for best speed is ground in!
I have noticed that many AWB's sail like dinghys. Reef early, keep them reasonably flat and they cream past those equivalent AWBs that have more sail up but with their toerails in the water.
Our problem is for SWMBO to overcome the feeling of loss of control when the main cannot be dumped from the helm position. Like most AWBs our has the mainsail traveller on the coachroof unreachable from the helm in that sudden gust.
I paid a sailing school to supply a yachtmaster to give confidence as I obviously knew as little as SWMBO. He said this boat sails fine, put toe rail in the water to prove his point and madam spent the rest of the weekend refusing to come out of the cabin!!
I am not sure how much it helps but with absolute beginners I now do a pre sail briefing showing them the different underwater shapes of boats on the hard but emphasising that the lead weight 1.6m down is the same as two family cars hanging there and asking them to reflect how hard it would be to turn the boat over when in the water. I then explain that a boat beats by heeling. Within my limited experience of taking completely new people sailing it seems to prepare them to expect the boat to heel and yet still feel confident. Good results with both female & male beginners last year.
With SWMBO its still an uphill(upwind!) battle but I have found that proving the stability by turning broadside to the wind and even trying to do a 360degrees turn without altering the sails seems to inspire confidence that the boat will heel but not go over completely (spinnakers are excluded!). With SWMBO's agreement I repeat this every few months to reconfirm that the boat will heel but not go over (like our dinghy).
I noticed a similar thread on a Sailnet discussion page.
I know its a generalisation but I think the female of the species is often more cautious.
Has anyone found a way to inspire confidence in SWMBO when the boat heels?

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[claymore]

I wonder if that

will help Para in his quest to get rid of those awfy baggy things he currently hoists

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[Bejasus]

NC

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[ParaHandy]

Re: I wonder if that

ooohhh .... ye're a wee genius, sae ye are ...

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[zephyrsailor]

there are some of us who arn't wusses jimi! in my current experience it is the men who have been wussy!!!

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[Twister_Ken]

Certainly I regard Madame as an excellent reef indication device.

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[BlueSkyNick]

In an attempt to be more serious about this subject (unlike me, I know), your point about the boat going faster if she is more upright is generally true for cruising boats, IMHO.

We certainly have the same problem as yourselves, made worse by SWMBO's legs not being able to reach the leeward cockpit bench, so she finds it difficult to brace herself when the boat is healing (and at other times too, BTW).

We tend to put a couple of rolls on the genoa quite early on, followed by the main, in order to keep the boat more upright. I am sure that she sails faster like this, instead of full canvas and lee gunwale under water, although I haven't measured it scientifically.

For me, a cat is definitely not the answer - too many other disadvantages, eg finding a parking space.

<hr width=100% size=1>OK - Get Fell In you 'orrible lot! There's wine to be drunk!<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by BIGNICK on 19/01/2004 10:33 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Chris_Robb]

When madame is not aboard (ie she's bunked off and taken the ferry home) we reef when the basil pot plant falls over - absolutely infalible indicator.



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[FullCircle]

A little more extreme perhaps, but....
Take any Crew or SWMBO out racing in a dead run with the kite up in a 5 or 6. Explain the term Death Roll, and then watch the boat oscillate from side to side untilll......
Huge Broach, it all comes up into wind and you all survived as did the boat. Messy.The shock of that experience will make them grateful to have a boat that heels once and stays there.
Those who dip toerails cant be sailing correctly, as I dont know of any Chandleeers who sell hydrodynamically efficient stanchions.


Glad I 've stopped racing to any degree.

Jim


<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love. I still need a 7m Luff Spinnaker & Pole for 22 footer!! Help!

 

[ruthhobson]

QUOTE: We certainly have the same problem as yourselves, made worse by SWMBO's legs not being able to reach the leeward cockpit bench, so she finds it difficult to brace herself when the boat is healing


Yep I have the same problem so HWMBO knows we are heeling a little to far if I go sliding/flying across the cockpit. Probably not quite as accurate as pots of basil - sometimes I hang on longer/better ...... if you know what I mean. And then he wonders how I pick up so many bruises when we're sailing!!

Ruth


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[Cornishman]

You will probably find that you make a lot less leeway when sailing upright, too.

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[Skyva_2]

A rule of thumb for dinghies is that each 5 degrees of heel equals 1 degree extra of leeway, I expect this applies reasonably well to yachts. Sail 'em flat for less weather helm, and more speed and comfort, unless you have a Contessa.


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