Huffling

[max_power]

I believe this term is used for making ground along the edges of rivers where the stream is slacker.

The yacht is held head to wind longer, in order to carry way as much as possible before filling on the new tack.

I have tried this tactic over the years but often feel that it is negated by too much leeway when the tack is finally made. I do appreciate that some way has to be held back for the tack and the whole manoeuvre does require finite timing.

I would be intersted to know what others think.


Regards

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[Sybarite]

In the past boats generally were of a heavier displacement and held their way longer; also at the edge of rivers you often get counter currents which help.

John

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[Jacket]

I used to race dinghies on a river. In drifting conditions huffling definately helped. However, once the wind was above about 3 or 4 knots it was nolonger worthwhile.

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[Mirelle]

I've never heard the term used in that context. I've understood the art of huffling to be the business of working a sailing vessel, commonly a Thames barge, up into narrow and difficult rivers and creeks. The tactic you describe would obviously be a part of this, but so would other techniques such as backing and filling a square rigger (it was, reputedly, their ability to back and fill, and thus to progress along a gutway too narrow to tack in, that kept the collier brigs in business up to the turn of the last century).

In the case of my own fairly heavy displacement gaff cutter, I do indeed tend to steady her helm and shoot up a bit when wending at each bank of a river, but I find this only pays when conditions are fairly quiet - it works really well in F2, but not at all in F5. She carries her way for a very long time indeed, by the standards of modern boats, but you have to be a bit careful, when completing the tack, to oversheet the main slightly, then sheet the jib (staysail is on a boom) so as to avoid her head blowing off too far.

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[max_power]

Thanks Mirelle, nice post. Also thanks to Jacket and Sybarite.

I got the word 'Huffling' from a Tom Cuncliffe article I think. Another name is the ' Gravesend Hitch' . Like you say, all this must stem from 'barging' , probably from the East Coast.

How the old timers moved ships without piston technology is worth a book in itself. Unfortunately I have never come across such a book, and only pick up bits and pieces on how they did it.

As an aside, I have a long keeled heavyweight myself. I carry a 11 foot oar which can get me around with surprising ease in calm conditions. If you balance it right, you can row forwards for ages just using you're weight. Over the stern ( with a line round the backstay) you can row the stern from side to side with ease - a boon for my long keel and diddy prop in marinas.



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[AndrewB]

One trick I recalled, when I read this thread, was that of using the backwash from the sides of the river, or more appropriately, a canal or broad with steep sides and little current, when sailing against the wind.

On each tack the yacht is headed close in towards the bank, and when within a few feet the backwash from the sides effectively lee-bows it. With skill, the yacht can be held pinched up in this position for a fair while, slowly making ground to windward, before speed is lost and the tack must be made. This maybe halves the number of tacks required.

Seen it done - looks like a it needs a lot of practice. Don't know what it's called though.

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