Tacking

I am sure this topic has been beat to death but I am going beat it some more. I normally sail a 16 and have learned a few tricks to tack it but I am having a heck of time with my new 14. I was constantly getting stuck in Irons. Is it harder to tack these boats in strong winds? Whats the trick. I even tried to roll tack it without much luck.

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Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14

Let me preface by saying that THIS IS WHAT WORKS FOR ME:
Come into your turn slowly, release the main and as you make your turn, pull the boom towards you and let out a ton of line so that there is no pressure on the main at all. Sit on the lee corner for a few more seconds as she crosses the wind. Then scamper to the other side. Grab the boom and pop the battens on the sail and sheet in (not too fast). To get jump started, as I am sheeting in, I plop my ass down towards the front of the tramp (to get a little forward motion going) and then off I go.
That works for me in light/moderate air. In heavy, I try to use the waves to bring the bow around (again, making sure there is NO pressure on the main as I come head to wind or cross the wind) but keep your weight forward a bit, you really don't want to go over backwards as we've seen happen a million times.
Hope that helps.
cw

I have many witnesses that will laughingly tell you that the first time I sailed a 14 which happened to be a 14 only regatta, I absolutely could not tack the boat. It got to the point that I had to gybe 270 degrees to change my upwind course, which in retrospect is still faster when compared to blowing a tack. What I learned from the experts, some of which is covered by Wessels, is this:
As you're starting your tack, do it gently, but firm. Slamming your rudders over makes you stall the boat.
As the boat crosses head to wind, stay on what is now the leeward side of the boat, uncleat the mainsheet and pull the boom towards you. For me, an average sailor, I find that about 3 feet of boom travel is sufficient.
The lighter the wind, the more aft you should position yourself during the tack. This helps twofold; pressuring the rudders which are your pivot points, and raising the bows which helps turn the boat.
Hopefully you are now far enough off of the wind to switch to the windward side and start sheeting in.
As for tacking in strong winds, I find the boat easier to tack. I'm usually pinching in higher winds which means I cross head to wind quicker. I still stay on the leeward side and pull the boom to leeward, but I have to do everything quicker and position myself more forward.
BTW, by definition, the procedure described above, I believe, is considered roll tacking. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.

It's probably a lot harder since you don't have a jib. Get the turbo

had the boat out for the fourth time. Getting pretty good at tacking. Very seldom do I blow one now. The trick is to loosen off on the main sheet. I was reefing it in .

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Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14

Yeah, you have to roll tack the 14, otherwise you wont get anywhere fast. I always found that cranking the sheet all the way in until the main starts to luff, then dumping it was always good. Make sure the battens snap all the way over, and get good at flipping the tiller around fast- less time spent on the stern means less drag/ less slowing. You have to learn to be gentle, but firm when putting the tiller over- if you aren't decisive enough, the boat wont turn enough. If you are to decisive (fast) putting it over, the boat will stop. In short, tacking a 14 is an Art.

Perseverance is key to learning; remember that once you can tack a 14, you can tack just about anything. While you are in irons after a failed attempt, salvage the situation by learning to sail backwards- its a great technique to have available when starting a race.

If you really want to tack fast consistently, buy a turbo, there's no comparison. Being able to use the jib to force the bows over is like night and day compared to standard.
Jon

Yeah, and back winding the jib in 25 kts while being still at the back of the boat will get you into the water faster than anything too! I have always found that the critical issue is weight distribution. It has a big effect on the mast being near vertical, and that affects the centre of things. A 14 without a jib is extremely hard to tack in high winds. Just as catching the jib full of wind can dump you in a turbo.