How to turn my boat, under sail

[simonfraser]

I sail off my mooring at times, but unless it's very high tide / wide, I finish up on the mud.

Why, well the blooming boat won't turn unless it has some, 4+ knots of speed on and the board is down, which is ok if there is loads of room .....

Last time I tried it, falling tide, in the direction I wanted to go, bow facing the wind, genoa out, swinging mooring.

Released strop, fell back, backed the genoa, (no dagger board down) gently sailed 90 to true into the bank, would she turn, no chance.

Only thing I can think of is to tie the stern to the the mooring first and force her round, seems so crude ....

 

[Durcott]

Hmmmm - OK - bit more detail needed methinks.

What type of boat is it?

and - in the example you gave, can you just clarify exactly where the wind, current and desired direction were, and where was the bank in relation to all this? Might as well go for broke and ask for current and wind strength.

And finally - in the example given, was it genny only, or main as well?

4+ knots to get steerage? Really? Or 4 knots minimum to tack?

Like to help!

Jeff

 

[sarabande]

line made fast from the stern of the main hull , round the (future) windward stern towards the bow, thence made fast to the buoy, and hauled in just a little less tight than the main mooring. It must be outboard of everything.

Hoist genny, and allow to flap.

Back it to produce a lateral force near the bow, and release main mooring.

Boat starts to pay off under genoa, and falls backwards on the stern line, and pivots.

As soon as you have the bow pointed nearly fully downstream, and before the genny takes full charge, release the stern line and let it completely free and it remains attached to the mooring, ready to be picked up on return.


In theory, from an ex cat-sailor

 

[Bav34]

I used to just bring the mooring loop back to the centre cleat on a piece of rope. Boat lies beam on ... power up... start sailing... slip line.

 

[simonfraser]

Yeh, tnx, I need to be less lazy and tie her down at the stern.

 

[ProDave]

I sail off my mooring at times, but unless it's very high tide / wide, I finish up on the mud.

Why, well the blooming boat won't turn unless it has some, 4+ knots of speed on and the board is down, which is ok if there is loads of room .....

Last time I tried it, falling tide, in the direction I wanted to go, bow facing the wind, genoa out, swinging mooring.

Released strop, fell back, backed the genoa, (no dagger board down) gently sailed 90 to true into the bank, would she turn, no chance.

Only thing I can think of is to tie the stern to the the mooring first and force her round, seems so crude ....

You don't say what the boat is, but obviously it has a lifting keel or daggerboard.

Well, speaking as a swing keel boat owner, you MUST have the keel down to sail it. We once (by mistake) on an early trip tried hoisting the sails without the keel down, and wondered why it wouldn't steer and heeled a lot.

Even when motoring, you need the keel down.

Now if draft is your problem, we find just putting the keel down a little will enable the boat to hold course and steer under motor, until we get to deeper water to drop the keel all the way and hoist the sails.

I suggest you try motoring off the mooring with as much keel down as you can get, until you reach deeper water the get the keel down all the way before raising the sails.

Likewise when returning to the mooring, approach under motor with at least some of the keel down.

 

[OldBawley]

The yawl is a relict but for handling the boat under sail that small sail at the back is a useful tool. It is in fact a air rudder. By backing the ????? ( What is the correct name of that small sail ? ) one can turn the yacht with no speed trough the water as long as there is a puff of wind.
We have sailed out of narrow rocky bays with our old long keeler where modern yachts would have been better suited. They turn at the spot as long as they have speed. In problem situations ( wind falling or turning near a rocky shore ) a few sweeps with the 12 feet oar turns our boat also

 

[alahol2]

Assuming you have also got the main hoisted, when you come broadside on to the wind with the genoa backed you are virtually in a hove-to state. Without the daggerboard down you will have no 'pivot point', the rudder is unlikely to be big enough to provide one.
I'd agree with others, you need to hang by the stern until you are facing the right direction.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Hanging by the stern, whether by anchor or on mooring to facilitate a departure under sail is proper seamanship if it prevents you from running aground or striking other vessels around you. Backwards sailing, jib backing, kedging can also help you turn tightly.

 

[onesea]

Given that on mono hull...

My solution, prepare sails do not unroll or hoist. Go forward undo mooring strop if boat is not to heavy, its not to wind, the current is not to strong...

Just keep hold of mooring pull and walk quickly to the stern. Once boat has turned enough let go step into cockpit and unroll head'sail for more speed.

Saves agro of ropes in "normal" conditions. Unless you have 35+ or heavy displacement.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Last time I tried it, falling tide, in the direction I wanted to go, bow facing the wind, genoa out, swinging mooring.

Based on your description here, it sounds like you are leaving under genoa (no main?) and you are leaving down tide, is that right?

Forget the genoa, that is more likely to see the bow blow off, making life even more difficult. If you need to be doing 4knts for steerage, then leaving into the tide will help you, you will have maybe 1knt of steerage before you leave the bouy. Let the main flog whilst you release the strop, then sheet in the main once back at the cockpit to get the main driving, sailing into the tide you will get steerage much quicker and with main alone be able to point much better than with a genny. Like others have said, get any dagger board down before you do anything!

 

[KellysEye]

Even backed the genoa will keep the bows offwind. Use the main when leaving the mooring, it should point you up to the angle you normally sail then get the genoa up/unfurled.