To lower sails in a calm or not...

[oldmansailingdotcom]

In a flat calm on an ocean passage, the sails do seem to dampen the rolling - and in fact they may even propel the boat a little. The trouble is that all that banging and slatting makes me wonder about the wear on the gear and the sails themselves. Should I stow them and just hang on 'til it's all over?

 

[SV Kittiwake]

A cruising chute is the way forward for that situation. It has to be very very calm for ours not to be filled. One lightweight sheet helps that too.

 

[Kelpie]

The best way to ensure the return of a breeze is pack away your sails.

I hate the slatting of sails in a calm. It might be less maddening, and damaging, to just sheet the jib hard in, and drop the main? Assuming all you are trying to do it dampen the rolling a bit.

 

[sarabande]

Try heeling the boat by moving weight to one side. This helps the sails retain a half decent shape and provide a bit of drive.

Without sails, the boat will just pendulum. Dead calm is the most sick-making type of sailing.

 

[GHA]

Becalmed offshore is a rare time the 3rd reef has been used in anger...

Much less slatting for a day or 3 waiting for the wind to come back but still helps with rolling & easier to raise again.

Preventer & topping lift help as well as with those and the mainsheet you can put the boom wherever seems to work best.

 

[Seajet]

Another point is that even mid-ocean, the sails make the boat a great deal more visible to the ship homing in as soon as your guard is down.

I like Kelpies' idea of lowering the main and sheeting the jib tight for visibility, anti - roll and anti slatting main.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Mainsheet and kicker (vang to some) pulled on hard and our main doesn’t really slat too much. Traveller to one side and a handy billy to triangulate if necessary.

The full main damps rolling significantly.

I usually roll or drop the Genoa.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I too always drop the Genoa and keep the main well tight ,
the only time it all comes drop is when its we motoring into it and the seas are flat other wise we try and have a little wind in the main even if it means a little tack here and there

 

[sailaboutvic]

Try heeling the boat by moving weight to one side. This helps the sails retain a half decent shape and provide a bit of drive.

Without sails, the boat will just pendulum. Dead calm is the most sick-making type of sailing.

I understand what you say and in a dinghy or a small boat that would work but say in our over 10 ton boat moving our weight would do nothing .

 

[lw395]

I'd always roll the jib (or drop it) if motoring in no wind. Other wise it will be backed against the mast.
And hiding the motoring cone.....

 

[jwilson]

Have had sails down deep-sea for almost 24 hours: racing so not motoring. After first half hour of slatting and banging and zero progress took them down. Not good for sails to be used as flopper-stoppers.

 

[johnalison]

I'd always roll the jib (or drop it) if motoring in no wind. Other wise it will be backed against the mast.
And hiding the motoring cone.....

I've no experience of ocean sailing but will normally leave the main up when motoring offshore to make myself more visible.

 

[lw395]

I've no experience of ocean sailing but will normally leave the main up when motoring offshore to make myself more visible.

I'm not that obsessed with being visible. I still need to keep a lookout in no wind and if needs be motor to get out of the way.
I'd only be worrying about being seen from great range if sailing in a shipping lane or channel, which I'd try to avoid in light air.

Maybe deep ocean you get serious periods of nil wind, but I've never experienced that.
Coastal and Channel sailing, it's more a case of light. fickle changing winds which one always hopes will increase to a useful level before very long. So IMHO it's mostly good to have the main up ready to attempt to get some drive from it at a minute's notice. Once it's down, it tends to stay down, until you're sure you'll get a few hours' proper sailing from it.

 

[Genoa]

I understand what you say and in a dinghy or a small boat that would work but say in our over 10 ton boat moving our weight would do nothing .

Even then,
Sails in bags, spare fuel, anchor chain etc all adds up very quickly to 1/4 ton ... and helps the :sleeping::sleeping::sleeping: crew if they lie on the sail bags!

 

[Frank Holden]

I've been seriously 'glassed out' a couple of times mid ocean ( in the roaring 40's.... yes it happens.... ) with the swell making life a misery....

All sails down or furled.... boom 'runner and guy'.....

and the motor on.... then 'slow steaming'.... until the wind comes back....

 

[sailaboutvic]

Even then,
Sails in bags, spare fuel, anchor chain etc all adds up very quickly to 1/4 ton ... and helps the :sleeping::sleeping::sleeping: crew if they lie on the sail bags!

you forgotten our sailrite machine weigh nearly as much as me .
oh yes we could also empty one of the water tank as we have one on each side ,
the only problem would be if the wind picks up having to transfer it to the other tank .
then there the problem of move 90 mts of 10mm chain alone a GRP deck
Mmmm I think I give it a miss , sound like very hard work .

 

[Keen_Ed]

In the days of the IOR rating rule, boats would have a windseeker jib for ultralight conditions. No overlap, so not chafing against the shrouds, made of ultra light nylon spinnaker cloth and set flying.

 

[johnalison]

I'm not that obsessed with being visible. I still need to keep a lookout in no wind and if needs be motor to get out of the way.
I'd only be worrying about being seen from great range if sailing in a shipping lane or channel, which I'd try to avoid in light air..

I think we are going to have to disagree about this. Although I carry a SeaMe and Class B AIS, I still think that making one's vessel conspicuous is a necessary precaution when crossing the North Sea or Channel, where crossing in light airs is a regular event to those of us who do not carry a strong enough crew to cope with a stressful crossing.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Often end up dropping the main when the apparent wind moves to dead ahead as the engine is used and I am not yet in the market for a new mainsail

 

[Kukri]

I've been seriously 'glassed out' a couple of times mid ocean ( in the roaring 40's.... yes it happens.... ) with the swell making life a misery....

All sails down or furled.... boom 'runner and guy'.....

and the motor on.... then 'slow steaming'.... until the wind comes back....

+1. I thought everybody did this.