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Controlling speed down wind
http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=40584		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Wingnutt [ Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Controlling speed down wind
I went out today and had A BLAST :P the wind was blowing 15-20 and I got to really push the wave for the first time since I got her.

The only issue I had is when headed down wind, I really didn't feel much in control of the speed, I had a few gusts that spooked me a bit. I got the feeling that I could not slow the boat down. I tried bringing the sail in but it seemed to have very minimal effect. I wasn't headed DIRECTLY down wind, had it more or less at my 4 o clock. I have yet to figure out how to "kill it" if I need to when headed down wind. When I'm headed upwind I can just let some sail our or if need be just turn into irons. But downwind seems a bit trickier..

So if the wind is at your back and things start to get out of hand, and you don't feel like being hurled like a Frisbee and swimming, what do ya do?
Author:  mmiller [ Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Contrilling speed down wind
Head down deeper, but beyond DDW... Not much more you can do but sheet out and head back up. You can sometimes de-power by sheeting in while on a down wind heading, but ultimately... the wind will get you and if sheeted-in... the boat pivots and bam.
Author:  Wingnutt [ Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Contrilling speed down wind
mmiller wrote:
Head down deeper, but beyond DDW... Not much more you can do but sheet out and head back up. You can sometimes de-power by sheeting in while on a down wind heading, but ultimately... the wind will get you and if sheeted-in... the boat pivots and bam.


"bam" is right.. I got to know "bam" very well last weekend :lol:

so let the sail out and turn upwind.

Another quick question, will raking the mast forward some (I'm in the top adjuster hole) help upwind performance much?
Author:  surfslammer [ Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Contrilling speed down wind
Sounds like the downwind experience you’re talking about is something that happens when your still kind of in a medium reach but still heading semi broad reach, but want to go downwind, I guess. If that direction is still pushing you to the point that you feel you may pitch and if you have the sailing room try gybing around to more of a with the wind broad reach. It seems to me that’s how I set up for a faster run across the water, one direction or the other is a slower run with the swell direction. But this could just be the way I sail or the body of water that I am familiar with. :)
Author:  mmiller [ Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contrilling speed down wind
Quote:
will raking the mast forward some (I'm in the top adjuster hole) help upwind performance much?


Typically, raking aft helps upwind performance.
Author:  choctaw60 [ Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contrilling speed down wind
man you guys are technical. After about 40 years of cat sailing here's my two cents. Just push her as hard as you can and be ready to ease your body out or your hand off the main sheet. Don't think about it too much. Try there is no try - just do.
Author:  Wingnutt [ Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Contrilling speed down wind
choctaw60 wrote:
man you guys are technical. After about 40 years of cat sailing here's my two cents. Just push her as hard as you can and be ready to ease your body out or your hand off the main sheet. Don't think about it too much. Try there is no try - just do.



If it was summer time and the water was warm, I could spend the entire day flying through the air and splashing around. But under current conditions I would prefer to be a little more timid.
Author:  JJ [ Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Controlling speed down wind
I've sailed for a while and I still don't like the wild gybe. You have to watch the tell tales like a hawk. (This is why I like the video tape on the shrouds.) If the wind changes while going downwind, you have to adjust your course fast or the sail is coming over like a shotgun blast. I was goofing around once and gybed in light air, thinking it was no problem, and didn't move to other side of the tramp because I wanted to untangle a rope. I ended up in the drink capsized.

You can round up into the wind if you want to temporarily stop but there's no depowering downwind. Unless someone can enlighten me. Above all you don't want to "paint yourself in a corner" course-wise -- meaning leave yourself enough room to swing out of going downwind if you have to...
Author:  stuart-melbourne [ Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Controlling speed down wind
If you have a jib another option, if the wind really picks up, is to drop the main altogether. Earlier this year I got pitchpoled in 30-35 knots running dead downwind; I dropped the main and had a (reasonably) controlled sail back to shore under jib alone. Next time the wind starts to climb above my comfort zone, if the beach is downwind, I'm going to drop the main *before* I take a swim ;p

stuart
Author:  Bart [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Controlling speed down wind
If I feel the danger of a pitchpole when sailing downwind (run) I sheet the sail in as much as I can to flatten the sail. I also try to keep the boat direction to prevent the sail to come over. This way I can feel much less power in the sails as I would with the sail let out a little bit.
Author:  gorgar [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Controlling speed down wind
How about a drift sock?
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