Stalling through a tack

[Pye_End]

We have a long keeler and always back the headsail. Can't see how more weight in the bows can help it will just slow you down, can't believe the builder would recommend that.

I suspect the theory is to get the centre of gravity forward.

This was brought firmly home to me many years ago as a teenager, when sailing a dinghy with far too many people in it. It was a fresh breeze and a flat sea. We were steeming rather too quickly towards the beach, and try as I might she would not tack. Having been reading about effects of centre of effort and centre of gravity/buoyancy just a couple of weeks before, I got one of the others in the boat to move forward a couple of feet, and hey presto she was back under control.

 

[Neil]

In my case, the boat is rated to carry 750kg, or 7 people. If I have an extra 55kg of ballast at the front, and my own 86kg + outboard at the rear, I don't think it will make much difference to the speed, but may restore balance. If I ever get a chance to get on the water and try it, I'll let you know!

 

[mjf107]

Neal

I've not read every word on all the posts, so might have missed some thing. Expanding on the weight distribution theories, could it be simply that crew weight is being moved to quickly onto the new windward side, the boat needs to come up vertical through the tack and indeed may need a little encouragement to heel to the new lee side. It may help to read up on the technique of roll tacking, I'm not suggesting that you use this technique entirely, but it does help in understanding how the under water sections effect weather helm and consequently the boats behaviour. Also by heeling the boat to leeward gravity will help to swing the gaff and boom onto the new tack

Michael

 

[Neil]

Thanks, I'll look into it, though my initial reaction would be that if I'm in the boat on my own, I'd have little influence in inhibiting heel to the new windward side, by moving across too early. However, it is another factor that I can think about. So many factors! and most of the time I just push the tiller over, release one jib sheet (though now I'll let it back first!), move across and pull the other jib sheet tight. Why isn't it always so easy!

 

[Lakesailor]

You mentioned one time it happened was in the harbour.
Could there have been a wind shift that stalled you?

 

[fergie_mac66]

backing the jib

Thanks, I'll look into it, though my initial reaction would be that if I'm in the boat on my own, I'd have little influence in inhibiting heel to the new windward side, by moving across too early. However, it is another factor that I can think about. So many factors! and most of the time I just push the tiller over, release one jib sheet (though now I'll let it back first!), move across and pull the other jib sheet tight. Why isn't it always so easy!

you can back the jib but try all the other ways while practising first try to find a natural way it should be the last resort mainly because of all the hard work sheeting it in on the new tack

 

[cliffordpope]

All these theories and combined experience don't help much until you are certain that the fundamental balance is correct.
1) The hull has a natural pivot point, called the Centre of Lateral Resistance. That is, the point at which if you pushed the boat sideways off a quay, it would move parallel to the quay, pivotting neither one way nor the other.
2)The combination of the sails has an effective force application point, the Centre of Effort.

If the CE is in front of the CLR, the boat will tend to turn away from the wind. If the CE is behind, it will tend to turn into the wind. The two should be approximately balanced, ie it takes very little rudder to keep the boat sailing in a straight line.

Having ascertained that the balance is correct, tacking is then a matter of experience and knowing your boat. Characteristics vary, and what works for one boat may be totally wrong for another.
I have a heavy 21 foot wooden longkeeler, gaff rigged. My process for tacking is:

1) Get up some speed. Choose a good puff of wind and not a lull. Ease off the wind a bit if necessary.
2) Make a small rudder movement, aiming to make a gentle turn, not a sudden course alteration.
3) Let go the foresail sheet
4) Keep the main tight in. The main drives the boat round, any drive in the foresail pushes the bow in the wrong way.
5) As the bow swings across the wind, back the foresail a little if it needs help. But no more than necessary - a backed foresail is slowing the boat, not giving driving force.
6) Sheet in the foresail once round.

 

[emsworthy]

Neil,

Just a thought. I presume you are starting your tack from a close hauled position back to a similar point on the other side. As your boat clearly loses momentum quickly, trying to tack from any sort of reach is likely to result in the stalling and inability to get the bow through the wind you are experiencing.

As others have said once you are on a close hauled position, bear away just a touch (5 degrees or so) to get a bit of speed up to continue the momentum through the tack and then push the tiller away smoothly. Don't think about anything else until the bow is through the wind and then tack the jib. (The main would have tacked itself of course.)

Good luck.