Heaving to with a self tacking jib

[scottie]

Any suggestions how to heave to with a self tacking jib

It would not be too difficult to do if you had time to set it up but what do you do in a MOB situation?

 

[capnsensible]

Any suggestions how to heave to with a self tacking jib

It would not be too difficult to do if you had time to set it up but what do you do in a MOB situation?

For MOB try this???

Tack promptly and get the main pinned in as hard as you can. Sail back downind past the casualty. Get a mayday out if you can and whilst passing 'bob' chuck him something to hold on to....lifering if you got one.

Get engine on, roll up headsail, easy off the wind. Go back upwind, line him up with shrouds, slow down then throttle to stop as you get to him so you dont chop any bits off.

Works in strong winds too, but boat will obviously heel when you turn across the wind, make sure the survivors hold on!

Going slow downwind with the main hard in is really useful in tight spots like anchorages and channels too.

Rumour has it that anyone can learn to sail fast, but the real sailors do it slow!!!

Oh yeah, practice makes perfect.

 

[island163]

Good question. We have a self tacking staysail which is the sail of choice with a well reefed main if things are a bit blowy and bouncy. The only way I can get it to back is to go forward and lead a line from it's clew forward to a cleat. Not something you really want to be doing in nasty conditions.

 

[Boomshanka]

The self-tacking jib on my last boat had a slider you could move over and 'lock' the jib on one tack... which of course means leaving the cockpit so it's ok if you intended to heave to, not so good for emergency

 

[prv]

Going slow downwind with the main hard in is really useful in tight spots like anchorages and channels too.

Sounds like an interesting technique. I've never tried, but I doubt it would work all that well on my boat. When I'm heading downwind and pull the sail hard in for a gybe, I need to let it out again sharpish on the other side or else the wind in it will override the rudder, pull the stern to leeward, and probably end up pointing head to wind (I've never let it get that far).

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

Tried this on lots of different yachts. For MOB, the engine will give you better steerage. Also you end up sailing slow so that plus apparent from astern gives more control. In a real emergency it all goes quieter for a bit to help the uneasy crew.

For slower preplanned manouvers, helps if you chuck in a reef or two first, sailing slow under control is great for practicing technique.

Try it on a school boat in loadsa wind !!!!! (Not an advert)!!!!!

 

[prv]

In a real emergency it all goes quieter for a bit to help the uneasy crew.

If you're still talking about sailing downwind with the main pinned in, again it doesn't match my experience. When hauling the main in ready for a gybe, in any wind the result is to go from relative calm to lots of heel, strain, noise, and general scariness for inexperienced crew.

sailing slow under control is great for practicing technique.

Agreed! But I sail slowly by reducing the number of sails (I have four to play with) and possibly scandalising the main.

Pete

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

The self-tacking jib on my last boat had a slider you could move over and 'lock' the jib on one tack... which of course means leaving the cockpit so it's ok if you intended to heave to, not so good for emergency

My self-tacking jib has a similiar feature. It is a Harken track.

We tried recently to see if you could heave-to by locking the slider on the windward side and on my boat it does not work, and our self-tacking headsail is 88% of foretriangle.

I too would be very interested to hear if anyone has achieved this and how.

It's not just about MOB technique which we could discuss the merits of for ages, its also about lunch-stops, sail adjustments and the need for a quiet time occasionally.

 

[Salty John]

You can add a spare sheet on one side so you can hold the jib up to weather on one tack. You could actually put a sheet on each side but you have more bits of rope flying around with potential for foul ups.

 

[capnsensible]

If you're still talking about sailing downwind with the main pinned in, again it doesn't match my experience. When hauling the main in ready for a gybe, in any wind the result is to go from relative calm to lots of heel, strain, noise, and general scariness for inexperienced crew.



Agreed! But I sail slowly by reducing the number of sails (I have four to play with) and possibly scandalising the main.

Pete

Hence rounding up as though to heave to and indeed tacking for the self tacking headsail, getting the mainhard in and going slow downwind.

I am all for the peaceful life!

A 4 sail manouver sounds a bit of a wheeze too.

 

[prv]

hauling the main in [...], in any wind the result is to go from relative calm to lots of heel, strain, noise, and general scariness for inexperienced crew.

Hence rounding up as though to heave to and indeed tacking for the self tacking headsail, getting the mainhard in and going slow downwind. I am all for the peaceful life!

With " lots of heel, strain, noise, and general scariness " ?

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

See #6.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

You can add a spare sheet on one side so you can hold the jib up to weather on one tack. You could actually put a sheet on each side but you have more bits of rope flying around with potential for foul ups.

Tried that. A sheet is not enough. You Also need some sort of block to pull the clew further outboard as well.

It's a lot of trouble, a lo of string, and I doesn't work well either.

So, the conclusion is therefore that you cannot do it. Anyone disagree?

 

[prv]

See #6.

I did. I even replied to it.

Suspect we are failing to communicate here.

Pete

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Rig A Barber Hauler

Any suggestions how to heave to with a self tacking jib .... It would not be too difficult to do if you had time to set it up but what do you do in a MOB situation?

To heave to you may need to haul the clew out to the gunwale, beyond the track ends. This implies rigging up barber hauler type arrangement. Perhaps it's possible that you could leave this rigged up all the time, including the barber hauler lines tied to the clew.

What are your plans for MOB and heave to? Is it the so called crash tack with a view to placing the boat about a boat length or two upwind of the man, or is to come to a stop and heave to at the MOB or is it the heave to and reverse back under engine?

I am not a fan of the crash tack (but I dont dismiss it either as a valid reaction to a MOB). It should be possible to fast tack the boat and let fly the main and jib sheets and while feathering her into and out of the no sail zone, lose all speed and put the tiller down to adopt the heave to position but with sails flapping. The key is to use fast, large rudder movements to kill forward speed as substitution for the backed jib. A quick reaction by the helmsman may put you near enough to throw a life buoy / rescue line.