Tacking through X Degrees

[YAYoHamble]

Every now and then my curiosity overwhelms my natural instinct to avoid displays of ignorance. But I'm fed up of reading descriptions of boats that will "tack through x degrees"; what does it mean?

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[Talbot]

This means the difference between hard on the wind on one tack to hard on the wind on another tack. The actual figure will depend on both boat and conditions, and doesnt tell the whole story unless you include leeway (which nobody does!) Racing boats will tack through abt 70 degrees Old gaff riggers are happy to tack through abt 100 (as am I).

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[mirabriani]

Yes. Good answer Talbot
couldn't have put it better
Briani

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[William_H]

Just to add to advice already given. It can be very informative if in reasonably steady wind direction and tide conditions you note the compass reading on one tack then after tacking note the reading on the other tack. take a little time to average out your headings before noting the number. Work out the difference between the two headings this is your number of degrees you tack through. Divide by 2 gives the degrees off the wind you can sail. The lower the better of course. regards will

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[Birdseye]

catalac - 100 degrees - including leeway? /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.

 

[ex-Gladys]

"lower the better"....

Sorry I disagree. There is an optimum angle to the wind which is not as tight as you can get which gives you better boat speed and therefore better VMG. Case in point last weekend, a Woods Strider Cat was pointing 5 deg higher than us. We sailed through him quickly to leeward. If you stuff the boat as high as possible it is self defeating.

My years in dinghies and cats taught this lesson. Higher performance boats (505 etc) go better slightly eased off the wind compared with the older GP, Enterprise etc.

<hr width=100% size=1>Larry Botheras

Anderson 26 "Amber"

 

[Talbot]

did say that I wasnt includiing leeway! - however if the wind is abt 10 knots and the sea is smooth, then yes including leeway!

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[Talbot]

Your response is totally supported, pinching will always reduce VMG. Cats without daggerboards in particular respond better to being freeer on the wind, as it is their speed through the water that reduces the leeway.

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[dralex]

What I want to know is why my boat always seems to go better on one tack than the other, despite as near as possible identical sail trim. I even tried emptying my rather stuffed cockpit locker to see if it was the weight on one side making the boat heel less- didn't work. Any suggestions?

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[LORDNELSON]

Does your mast lean a bit to one side?

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[dralex]

Not sure- I'll check next time. Thanks.

Alex

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Birdseye]

grp boats are made from a mould which in turn is made from a hand built boat. as a consequence, they are never symmetrical - only the degree of out of symmetry varies. then add in the fittings such as keels bolted on afterwards. how true are these? then in some cases (eg sadler 29) the rig itself is not along the centre line since the forestay is placed a bit to one side. finally, is your mast really vertical and straight?. and in many boats the log is on one side of the hull and not always lined up for and aft so with leeway, this can register slightly different speeds on either tackfor the same gps speed

all boats sail differently on each tack. just that sometimes the difference is small and un-noticed. sometimes its bigger

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.