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Lakesailor

Lakesailor

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But I must learn to hold onto the tiller. Much more reactive than a keelboat. Funny that I didn't realise I was letting go of it until I watched the video. I should have cleated the mainsheet instead. It wasn't even windy (at 50 seconds)

I must put a new gasket on the centreboard slot. (Anyway I've found out how the boat fills up with water now.)

I must also learn to watch the main traveller (new cam cleats on the shopping list).

​
 
Lakesailor,

are we about to see the first Solo with an autohelm ?!

See what you mean about the slot gasket; dare I mention perhaps the tiller doesn't require quite so much waggling, though I realise you're getting the feel of the boat - if one watches films of jet fighters landing, watch the horizontal tailplane, the pilot often gently waggles the column fore & aft to get the feel as ground effect approaches...

Incidentally I remember your comments when you got to use a fishfinder for the first time, I had my first trip using one this weekend and am similarly impressed, it's better than a lot of the programmes on Sky !
 
Yes. I don't get on with the tiller extension really. Just a question of getting the feel of it. I did try helming using the tiller itself, which gave more feel, but is not much use if you are sitting out.

However, I am a bit of a waggler.

Interesting reading about Solo sailing (and applies to most dinghies, I should think) - heeling introduces an asymmetric underwater hull shape which creates dynamic sideways lift which you need to counteract using the rudder. Both components conspire to slow you down.
So it's keeping-upright for me now. :D
 
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I've always been surprised how one loses the feel with a tiller extension; as long as there's no slop in the linkage you'd think it the same as the tiller, but it's not.

I have an extension on my Anderson, but it robs all the feel, for anything serious I grab the tiller - of course that's a keel boat so I can ignore sitting out if I want.

As for travellers, I've tried various systems on various racing dinghies & yachts, but have never found a perfect setup.

On my A22 I just have an X section track and car to suit, with a single cheek block & jamming cleat at each end ( those small jobs with a space one side, cam the other ) so simply pull the car along & lock it.

I once saw the Harken catalogue of traveller systems; pure sailing porn, but the complexity let alone the prices were a bit of a turn off...
 
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Solos down south

Solo seems a great choice of boat. I hope you enjoy her. We have a thriving fleet at Spinnaker Club at Ringwood, Hants. It's on a (small) lake so you should feel right at home should you ever fancy trailering her down here for a visit. We had a great Solo Open event a few weeks back.

If as it seems from your posts you are just getting the hang of dinghy trim then in the absence of local expert advice might I point you to Steve Cockerill's "Boat Whisperer" DVD training from Rooster Sailing. Steve explains the finer points of technique and trim and should help you on the way to getting the most enjoyment from your boat. He instructs using a Laser but it applies mostly the same to the Solo.
 
As an ex-dinghy sailor may I recommend that you learn the technique of using your built in third hand/cleat ..... your teeth.:D

There may of course be technical reasons why this might not be practical in individual cases, but they are very useful in a small boat when single handed.

I expect all the dental forumites will rise up in a body and decry this suggestion, but thousands of dinghy sailors can't be wrong.
 
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Leighb said:
As an ex-dinghy sailor may I recommend that you learn the technique of using your built in third hand/cleat ..... your teeth.:D

There may of course be technical reasons why this might not be practical in individual cases, but they are very useful in a small boat when single handed.

I expect all the dental forumites will rise up in a body and decry this suggestion, but thousands of dinghy sailors can't be wrong.
Click to expand...

I carry sail ties on deck in my teeth, but after a few painful experiences decided to sit or step on sheets.
 
Tacking With A Centre Mainsheet

  1. Set the dinghy up on trim and balance.
  2. Helmsman on the windward side, facing forward.
  3. Mainsheet in the forward hand, tiller extension in aft hand.
  4. Do not cleat off main sheet.
  5. Push the tiller away with the aft hand to start the tack.
  6. Facing forward, put the aft leg over to the leeward side to brace.
  7. Pivot your body inwards, facing forwards all the time, to maintain balance.
  8. Mainsheet is still in the forward hand.
  9. As the body passes over the mid point, facing forward of course, bring the mainsheet hand behind your back.
  10. Continue to move the body to the windward side, facing forwards, as the boom comes overhead.
  11. The mainsheet hand should now be sweeping upto the tiller and grasping it.
  12. Grasp the tiller with the old mainsheet hand and also clamp the mainsheet between hand and tiller. Let go of the tiller with the old tiller hand.
  13. Continue to sweep body round and sit on the windward side.
  14. The new forward hand grabs the mainsheet.
  15. You are now sailing away on the next tack, in a composed manner.

It is easy to do but the awkward bit is right at the end when you sit on the new windward side and transfer the old tiller hand. For some reason this last bit gets folks in a knot. However, with practice it becomes a natural movement.

Best of luck,

BlowingOldBoots
 
Leighb said:
As an ex-dinghy sailor may I recommend that you learn the technique of using your built in third hand/cleat ..... your teeth.:D

There may of course be technical reasons why this might not be practical in individual cases, but they are very useful in a small boat when single handed.

I expect all the dental forumites will rise up in a body and decry this suggestion, but thousands of dinghy sailors can't be wrong.
Click to expand...
I've watched vids of Solo sailors and sheeting-in seems the problem area. There are too many components in the mainsheet so you are pulling yards of line. I took one fall out of the mainsheet, but found out that was a mistake as the loads were too much to maintain.

I do have a better mainsheet jammer block in the garage which has a simple pull-down-to-lock cleat built in. I may fit that as it means you can cleat the main without actually looking at it. Another pull up releases it.
 
Lakesailor,

is the main jammer you describe a 'Mubir' by any chance ? I used one on my Scorpion in the 1980's and thought it great, but they didn't seem to catch on.

I'm a great believer in ball bearing blocks to get the sheet in & out quickly, of course in low load situations one can just grab the whole sheeted out lot of falls and pull in / let go instantly.

Sorry as I'm sure you know a great deal about dinghy sailing and can do without lectures on trimming hull or sails !
 
That's the one. The sheet leads out between the two pins on the right. When you pull it up the red cam on the right lifts up and teeth trap the sheet against the sheave. pull down and it drops.
Perhaps they didn't catch on because it's the opposite to what most people are used to.

I don't have any experience with "flighty" dinghies. Mine have been slugs. I have also never sailed a una-rigged boat before. I assumed that having no headsail would make handling simpler. Perhaps not.
However gybing is much easier as the boat's stern seems to pass through the wind quicker than the boom.


mainsheetjammer.jpg
 
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Lakesailor said:
That's the one. The sheet leads out between the two pins on the right. When you pull it up the red cam on the right lifts up and teeth trap the sheet against the sheave. pull down and it drops.
Perhaps they didn't catch on because it's opposite to hat most people are used to.

I don't have any experience with "flighty" dinghies. Mine have been slugs. I have also never sailed a una-rigged boat before. I assumed that having no headsail would make handling simpler. Perhaps not.
However gybing is much easier as the boat's stern seems to pass through the wind quicker than the boom.


mainsheetjammer.jpg
Click to expand...

I think the Mubir may well be worth trying.

As far as hull trim goes I'd say you have it right already by instinct, it pays to be well forward of the tiller especially going to windward.

I found Una rigged boats a pain to tack as well, when a bit younger and a lot lighter I tried a Topper in a F6 and made a right hash of it, having to make a sternboard and reverse into tacks !

The Contender was a bit mushy and unrewarding tacking in light winds too.

I suspect this is why some of the more rewarding high performance singlehanders like the International Canoe & MX-Ray still have jibs ( well on the MX it's an asymmetric / genneker) given the gubbins like trapezes, asymmetric kites and racks or sliding seats I'd think a tiny jib to get the nose round a positive boon...
 
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The trim seems to suggest itself. As you move forward the bow drops and the boatspeed seems to rise. Must get my GPS Ram-mount on the boat.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
  1. Set the dinghy up on trim and balance.
  2. Helmsman on the windward side, facing forward.
  3. Mainsheet in the forward hand, tiller extension in aft hand.
  4. Do not cleat off main sheet.
  5. Push the tiller away with the aft hand to start the tack.
  6. Facing forward, put the aft leg over to the leeward side to brace.
  7. Pivot your body inwards, facing forwards all the time, to maintain balance.
  8. Mainsheet is still in the forward hand.
  9. As the body passes over the mid point, facing forward of course, bring the mainsheet hand behind your back.
  10. Continue to move the body to the windward side, facing forwards, as the boom comes overhead.
  11. The mainsheet hand should now be sweeping upto the tiller and grasping it.
  12. Grasp the tiller with the old mainsheet hand and also clamp the mainsheet between hand and tiller. Let go of the tiller with the old tiller hand.
  13. Continue to sweep body round and sit on the windward side.
  14. The new forward hand grabs the mainsheet.
  15. You are now sailing away on the next tack, in a composed manner.

It is easy to do but the awkward bit is right at the end when you sit on the new windward side and transfer the old tiller hand. For some reason this last bit gets folks in a knot. However, with practice it becomes a natural movement.

Best of luck,

BlowingOldBoots
Click to expand...

Yep. It's the swap over that needs a bit of work. I also find it odd that dinghies complete their tack so quickly and by the time I sit down the tiller needs to be straight ahead. On keel boats they seem to need steering onto the new tack by that point.

Got the footwork and stuff sorted, just need to sort the hand-over and speed up a tad :D

​
 
I always do it the other way, facing aft and changing hands as I tack fast dinghies; it's easier than it sounds, and the wake, self bailers and transom flaps give a very clear sign of what one's doing.

It's quite possible to have the main - or in this case 'the sail' cleated while tacking, as if too much wind is gathered one just luffs a bit.

Gybing, especially on the plane, I face forward and am very careful about shifting my weight, also centreboard position, despite theories about it bringing the CLR aft I find about one third board a good rough figure.
 
With a centre mainsheet boat you might find things easier if you hold the tiller extension in front of you. That will allow you to use both hands on the sheet without letting go of the tiller.

Nice boat! Enjoy!
 
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