The hardest thing in sailing I have ever had to do.

[Seajet]

Let the jib blow from the ' wrong ' side for a few seconds to blow the bow into the other tack, then transfer the sheets across.

A tip when sailing something like a Wayfarer singlehanded is to tie the jibsheet ends together with a reef knot, so that you can adjust it while balancing on the windward side.

 

[Kelpie]

Well that's exactly what I'm doing- back the jib for a moment to help the tack, sheet it in, then sheet in the main and power up.
Still means I have to either drop the main, cleat the main, or grow a third arm.

I use a single sheet rather than knotting two together- less chance of a snag.

 

[onesea]

What's the 'official' method for tacking a boat with a headsail, when singlehanded?
Obviously as I mainly sail a Wayfarer I can get away with murder. I drop the mainsheet on the floor, then tend to the genoa sheet as I go through the tack, then pick up the mainsheet again and off we go. If I'm feeling lazy I will cleat the main instead. But I cannot see how one person can tack the boat whilst holding on to two sheets and still maintain a semblance of control.
An SI told me my method was '****' and OK, I won't win any races with it because of the length of time spent with the main depowered- but is it actually unsafe?

Forget official methods it is what works, the RYA teach is a method it is easy to teach that is why they use it.

You should be able to tack without dropping the main sheet. The Art is in learning to control the main sheet whilst holding the tiller in the same hand. You will always loose some drive buy should not loose to mush.


Assuming center sheet. I would, not done this in long time so thinking it through..
Take job Sheet in forward hand with main sheet,
Push tiller (If racing mode lean out a little as you start pushing rolling boat on top of you) away turn round facing forward, at some point dropping the jibsheet as required,
On new side swap hands behind back using aft hand to remove tiller from what is now your forward hand,
Whilst holding main and tiller in aft hand in front of body grab Jib sheet heave in and lean out (extra hard if in racing mode to roll boat upright and accdelerate out of tack).

Your way is probably safer but as soon as you start sailing safety is always a compromise...

Does that make any sense?

 

[westernman]

On a more serious note...keeping a Unicorn's lee bow out of the back of a wave whilst on a broad reach in a force 6 with a large following sea, and not end up swinging round the front of he mast on the trapeze, is the hardest thing I've had to do in sailing.

Ditto - but on a Hobie FX one with the asymetric up. In a F6 it really flies. It is wetter than a windsurfer. Spray goes half way up the mast. But I have never ever worked out how to really completely mastered avoiding digging the lee bow into the back of a big wave - except to slow down (which kind of defeats the object). Actually the best thing seems to be to bear away radically just before the wave (with the side effect of slowing down), and then head up back to course as you come upon the wave - bearing away buries the bows, and then heading up quickly gets the bows well up as the boat squats down on the stern - in theory....). If you head up as you hit the wave you will go over sideways, if you carry on at full speed into the wave, the boat will go arse over tit and you will swing around the front of the mast on the trapeze as the boat comes to a sudden stop.

3 hours sailing like this used you leave me absolutely knackered. And grinning from ear to ear.

 

[pteron]

3 hours sailing like this used you leave me absolutely knackered. And grinning from ear to ear.

That's the reason I go to Wildwind every year - FX1, Tigers, a Tornado and loads of half boats if that's your thing.

 

[fireball]

Let the jib blow from the ' wrong ' side for a few seconds to blow the bow into the other tack, then transfer the sheets across.

Whislt racing crews do this a lot of the time it's not always a good idea for cruising as in stronger winds you'll find yourself over quite quickly - but fine for lighter winds - you just need to be aware of its limitations.

A tip when sailing something like a Wayfarer singlehanded is to tie the jibsheet ends together with a reef knot, so that you can adjust it while balancing on the windward side.

TBH, I wouldn't take a dinghy out without having continuous jib sheets - if the wind is strong enough - having to retrieve the active sheet from the lee side is bad enough for a fully crewed boat let alone a singlehanded one.