Sternboarding and Stern Boring

[Deleted member 36384]

In this thread about leaving a berth, stern first with wind on bow, Post No 26, Jimi introduces the following term: -

2)Stern boring. Boat's stern will naturally seek the wind, use it.

The term was introduced on a course at BOSS Sailing School. The thread includes a number of comments about it being a well understood term, some claiming no one has heard of it and a Google search apparently did not find anything.

Today I came across the term "Sternboarding". This is sailing backwards and apparently 35 ton gaff cutters do it and its also useful when anchoring under sail and in certain situations when departing moorings also under sail.

So I wonder if both terms are in use or if there is some cross definition going on.

The definition of Sternboarding I am referring to can be found in: -

Boat Handling Under Sail and Power, Bill Anderson and Tom Cunliffe, Fernhurst, 1995, Page 16.

I hope you find this nugget of information useful.

 

[Lady Campanula]

'Making a stern board...' A vessel moving astern a short way.

'Seamanship In The Age Of Sail' by John Harland

More readily achieved in square sail.

 

[Seajet]

I always understood the actual phrase is 'making a sternboard', which means actually sailing backwards.

Never heard of sternboring, from the description this seems to be what I'd call letting the bows pay off.

 

[Mariner69]

I seem to recall that sternboarding is using the sails, especially in square rig, to go backwards.

Stern boring is in power vessels where, particularily with a single screw, the stern seeks the wind when going astern. This is why it is easier to pick up a buoy going down wind; since when stopping the vessel the stern holds the wind, whereas if you try it by approaching bow to wind the bow blows off just as you stop.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

... Stern boring is in power vessels where, particularily with a single screw, the stern seeks the wind when going astern. This is why it is easier to pick up a buoy going down wind; since when stopping the vessel the stern holds the wind, whereas if you try it by approaching bow to wind the bow blows off just as you stop.

Thanks for this Mariner69. I have never considered this aspect when approaching a mooring under power; I'll shall take note. My own yacht has a high bow and low stern shape, so she suffers from windage on the bow more than most.

In very strong winds I have approached a pontoon in reverse for exactly this reason. In a similar vein, some consider anchoring in sever wind conditions by the stern to be more secure.

 

[Poignard]

I remember reading somewhere (maybe in one of Hervey Benham's books) that collier brigs sometimes worked up the Thames by making one tack ahead then one astern (stern board).

I'd like to have seen it. I wonder if the captain of the t/s 'Royalist' could be persuaded to try it!

 

[Resolution]

I remember reading somewhere (maybe in one of Hervey Benham's books) that collier brigs sometimes worked up the Thames by making one tack ahead then one astern (stern board).

QUOTE]

This is effectively how the outrigger sailing boats in Paua New Guinea used to work upwind. These were 20 to 30 feet long with a main hull and single bamboo outrigger. Just the one sail on a central mast, and a crew of anything up to ten on windy days. Races used to run along the coast, so mainly reaching in strong sea breezes, and speeds I think of up to 15 to 20 knots. The fun would really start when trying to make ground to windward. At each "tack" they would first bear away, then ease the sheet big time, grab it and re-attach at the other end of the boat. Meanwhile the helmsman had to unhitch his steering oar and with the help of a couple of strong fellows carry it to the opposite end of the boat (over or under the sheet gang doing much the same!) fasten it on again and steer off "backwards". All this in a narrow canoe hull. Marvellous spectacle!

 

[Seajet]

Part of my dinghy training was sailing backwards making a stern board, great fun in an Otter or Bosun, one could go long distances as long as the speed is kept down to avoid flooding over the transom - a crew member simply holds the boom into the wind with the boat pointing roughly into wind, so the main is aback.

Funnily enough, when I've tried this with my Anderson 22, though she has great handling and a lot of rudder authority, she doesn't like it and refuses to play along to actually sail backwards more than a few feet, though of course stopping is easy enough with sails backed.

As for the shore boring reversing upwind under power, I do this happily whenever required, it gets some worried looks from people with long keelers or less controllable boats !

Again, fine and very handy, but speed must be kept down to avoid the rudder slamming over, snatching the tiller from one's hand.

 

[prv]

I remember reading somewhere (maybe in one of Hervey Benham's books) that collier brigs sometimes worked up the Thames by making one tack ahead then one astern (stern board).

I'd like to have seen it. I wonder if the captain of the t/s 'Royalist' could be persuaded to try it!

Might have better luck with Europa - apparently her master likes to sail onto a quayside berth whenever feasible, which must be a sight to behold.

I'm told that making a sternboard for a brief distance is part of the procedure for tacking Stavros S Niarchos, but I wouldn't know about that kind of strategic stuff since my role in such a maneouvre is usually to coordinate and stopper-off three different hauling teams, with little idea where the ship is pointing at any moment.

Pete

 

[Dockhead]

Thanks for this Mariner69. I have never considered this aspect when approaching a mooring under power; I'll shall take note. My own yacht has a high bow and low stern shape, so she suffers from windage on the bow more than most.

In very strong winds I have approached a pontoon in reverse for exactly this reason. In a similar vein, some consider anchoring in sever wind conditions by the stern to be more secure.

Here's the theory about anchoring from the stern:

http://www.jordanseriesdrogue.com/D_14.htm

All of this has to do with the fact that most boats have their centre of aerodynamic pressure (with sails down) ahead of the keel, so that the bow tends to blow off and weathercock around downwind.

So light, low-powered boats in particular benefit from motoring in astern when the wind is up, to avoid the bows being blown off.

And most boats would yaw around less at anchor if they were anchored from the stern, according to the Jordan people, for the same reason.

"Stern-boring" (sounds like an unpleasant sexual practice, doesn't it?) must be a corruption of "stern-boarding". Making way astern. It makes sense.