Why gybe when tacking?

M

matnoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 Jun 2006
Messages
171
Location
Solihull, W.mids
www.faceparty.com
New to this, understand gybing, and tacking, but why gybe whilst tacking? I was with an experienced skipper last weekend who did it whilst going into fowey harbour...

His reply to my asking 'why are you doing that?' was simply 'because sometimes its best'

Well...
1.You gotta go round pretty much 270 degrees instead of about 90.

2.You travel with the wind for a short while whilst turning, loosing a little of what youve gained on the last tack.

3. It takes longer

4.It whacks the boom across, which puts stress on the mast, and is a danger which can be easily avoided.


So why? The conditions were pretty 'normal' maybe a little gusty and no tide. There must be a good reason, but in any conditions i cant think of a single good reason for doing it??

Are there any reasons?


(Im not trying to discredit someone who knows a lot more than me, I just like to know WHY im doing somthing, as its very important to know.)

Cheers guys!

Mat
 
Ah, yes! I, too, have had a look at the previous thread and see why you've asked the same question again: the last one changed - degenerated? - into an argument about terminology rather than answering your question ... though there were some good points.

Without a bit more information on the type of boat, conditions of wind and tide, and other vessels on the water I don't think it's possible to give a definitive answer. Is there some reason you can't ask your "sailing instructor" (your quotes from the previous thread) at a time when he can give the question his full attention? It's not a silly question and you deserve to know the answer.

That said, some possibilities spring to mind. As noted in the earlier thread, some boats, especially catamarans, can be difficult to tack (mainly because the small foresail doesn't help the bow round enough). Other boats may suffer from the same problem; this can be exacerbated in light winds and at low speeds and trying to turn against a tide. Another possibility is that he may have been keeping out of the way of another boat either, out of politeness, keeping well clear of a boat which was racing or because he was required by the collision regulations to keep out of the way.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It's apparently caused by being ignorant and wearing yellow wellies, and is done to upset motor boaters.

[/ QUOTE ]

Didn't think mobo "drivers" noticed us raggies.

I've had to gybe after two failed attempts to tack in squally conditions where a combination of sea state and wind direction made it impossible. Another scenario is rounding a headland and finding yourself suddenly overcanvassed with loads of weather helm and not much way through the water.

Both of the above situations could be avoided, of course, were I a) a better sailor and b) sailed a boat that tacked on a sixpence.
 
I might be wrong but I thought I detected a connection between this post & the one on Scuttlebut re gybing yachties in Fowey.
 
Methinks the "clever" people were a bit rotten to you last time.

So When sailing we generally try and take the shortest distance we can sail between two points 'cos its normally quicker. When sailing downwind and you need to alter course so the wind comes over the other side of the boat its therefore normally quicker to bear away and Gybe rather than tack the head of the boat through the eye of the wind. Its quicker and you don't tend to loose much speed and you don't loose distance.

It's also worth noting that its impossible to keep a spinnaker flying as you tack but with a little practice it can deliver full power throughout the gybe and thus you do not slow down when changing from one tack to another using a gybe.

That's one of the reasons that racers use it downwind.

OK there are lots of cats that don't like tacking under sail and its normal to gybe instead of tacking.

You may find as you go down a narrow channel that there is sufficient traffic to make trying to tack very hazardous because surrounding boats will simply not expect one to tack instead of gybe - Keping with the herd has its benefits.

The thing to remember is an uncontrolled boom is dangerous. A controlled boom is perfectly OK. Learn to gybe in high winds when there are no other boats in close company so you develop the skills and get your instructor to clue you up on the finer points like kicking strap tensions, halyard and outhaul tension variations between beating and running, scandalising the main to slow down etc.

Fair winds

Ken /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top