|
don't know that I can add anything new to the sage advice but maybe I can make the points a little differently. I sail on Lake Michigan single handed quite a bit. I actually find it easier to tack alone than with crew most of the time. At 20mph, I'll be coming off the water or getting a crew, though. At 15, I'll try to build and keep momentum then roll-tack through the waves as best I can. And I'm not afraid to reverse rudders and back up in a Y tack if I have to, but first what I try are little S-curves, falling off a bit to gain speed, sheet in hard as I start to round up (jib banged in tight), and a little trick I learned: get a feel for the right motion of turning the rudders. Don't throw them over hard but don't hesitate either. I kind of push them over slow at first then with increasing pressure to about 45-60 degrees so I can keep as much momentum as possible to get the bows through the waves. If the wind is stronger, I don't backwind the jib I just uncleat it as I push the rudder over and worry about momentum. As I start to push the tiller I uncleat or slack the jib to make it easier to uncleat in a minute. Then as I start to slow in the turn I dump a foot or more of main so it doesn't weathervane into the wind, maybe just leave it uncleated until I get to the other side if it's heavy. I stay back in the rear corner as long as I can, preferably until I feel wind in my face before jumping over (as much as an old guy 'jumps') and swinging the tiller around the back or throwing it in the water and retrieving it. In bigger waves I try to start the turn in the flattest area I can so that the bows can get around as far as possible before the next wave hits. If you can get them into the wind the waves can actually push the bows the rest of the way. I try to sit back so the bows are a little higher to help roll it around, but the trim depends on the wind and waves and how comfortable I feel.
Sounds like a lot of things going on, but it's all muscle memory at some point. Sometimes though, nothing works that well and I end up gybing for home.
sc
_________________
1989 H16
2009 H16 squaretop
|
Login
Register
FAQ
