Tacking Trouble

I've been sailing with friends for a little more than a month and we still can't tack. We always end up getting stuck in irons and having to do an embarrassing 270 degree jibe. Is there any particular trick to tacking a 16?

Lots of posts on this subject...

Tacking on a Hobie 16 requires back winding the jib to bring the bow around.

Sail close to the wind with some speed.
As you turn ... slowly... into the wind, sheet the main hard.
Keep the jib sheeted and allow it to "back wind" as the boat gets head-to-wind. This pulls the bow across the wind.
Release the main several feet / force the boom out to keep it from weathervaning the boat into the wind.
Turn harder as the boat slows. You may have to reverse the rudders if the boat stalls and backs down.
Allow the bow to go past the desired heading.
Once the main starts to fill on the new tack... release the jib and re-sheet on the new tack.
Then sheet the main slowly.

Other Sailing FAQs: http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewforum.php?f=18

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I don't know if I do a text book tack, but I have almost never failed when tacking. If I am sailing close to the wind, I head off just a little to get up some speed. I then sheet out the main a little and begin turning the rudders to head to wind. Me and crew move across to the other side just before the jib backwinds. Once the jib backwinds, the crew uncleats the jib sheet on the one side and takes up the slack on the other, positions the jib and cleats the jib sheet at the same time I sheet in the main. As I stated, this may not be a perfect example, but I have a high percentage of successful tacks even in light winds. The only other step that may have to be performed is for the crew to pop the jib over if the wind is light and will not carry it past the mast. Just keep trying and you will get it.

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'88 Nationals Blue
Hobie Alter Signature Model
Sail #11

Hobie Mirage Classic

After backwinding the jib I uncleat and feed it over to the other side rather than just releasing it. Seems to keep it winded allowing some forward movement right away. While trying to teach others to tack on my boat there are a couple things everyone does that should be avoided. One is that they push the rudders hard over and stall the boat. You want to push the rudders slowly but firmly and carve a turn. The other is that, while bring the tiller around the block they tend to let go allowing the rudders to straighten out. Hold the crossbar while moving the tiller and changing sides to keep the boat from stalling.

the most important step i have learned is to sheet the main hard when starting the tack... don't cleat it just keep it tight... until the bows come around....

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•Present boat -1998 Hobie 16 Solana Sails furling jib[/size]

Also keep crew weight balanced and time the move of skipper/crew properly, dont all jump over at once, especially with more than two people. Fore/aft should be balanced, not too much weight shifted aft burying the stern of the hulls, this means you are killing speed big time. You can kill your speed and the tack with an uncoordinated scramble for the other side of the boat. Good advice here. Don't jam the tiller over, just use 30-50% rudder. When you move across the boat, keep tiller extension in hand, maintain the rudder angle. Don't sheet in until you feel the wind pressing the sail. A blown tack can be saved by backwinding (reverse rudders, uncleat mainsheet, pull boom out toward you to catch the wind, and back the boat up onto the correct heading).

RP

Boy, I sure do appreciate this FANTASTIC site, full of excellent information and no shortage of folks offering the benefit of their wisdom and experience. But I gotta say, when someone posts an answer to the question about back-winding the jib, and explains it by saying ' you then back-wind the jib'; well, sorry to be rude, but I just wonder how someone figures that taking the question mark off the question provides a lot in the way of an explanation.

Not sure someone asked how to "back wind"... just how to tack. If backwinding is a question, that is simply allowing the sail to fill from the back side... and holding it to weather (up wind).

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

The sequence of sheeting out/in of both main and jib is critical.

Bottom line, jib is absolutely critical to the maneuver, particularly if the water is choppy. Jib needs to be un-sheeted LAST and re-sheeted FIRST. So, overall:

1. ease off mainsheet heading into tack, keep jib tight on "old" tack
2. skipper applies steady rudder, gets the bows through the wind and maybe 10 degrees beyond, to where the wind is blowing on the "back" side of the jib. Mainsheet should be completely slack by now, but jib sheet is still tight on "old" tack.
3. now, crew brings that jib around as fast as humanly possible and gets it sheeted in on the new side. Make sure jib battens are "popped" properly for new tack, make sure jib slot is open. Everything's on the crew for this maneuver. If the wind doesn't blow it around, or the battens get caught up in the halyards, the crew may need to get up, grab a handful of jib and force that damned sail around. Again, speed is of the essence.
4. at the same time, skipper yanks boom to snap mainsail battens to new side... keeps an eye on crew and jib...
5. when jib is sheeted in and drawing wind on new tack, crank in the mainsheet.

On entry into the tack, jib must remain drawing well after the mainsail has gone slack. Once through the wind, the jib must begin drawing well before the mainsail does. If at any time the main draws wind and jib does not -- you will end up in irons.

Tacking solo is a little more involved. I usually slacken the mainsheet a little before I start to turn so the traveler will slide easier during the tack and so that I can partially overshoot the turn. As the boat turns and the mainsheet becomes slack, I move over to the otherside while pushing the boom over and then put my foot on the tiller crossbar to maintain the rudders while I swing the tiller extension around to the otherside. When I have the main sail full, I then release the backwinded jib. After the jib pops over I sheet it in and then start heading more upwind.

Without a crew member, you have only one hand to work the jib since you have to keep the other on the tiller. Some of the reasons I overshoot the turn a little bit is so I can make sure the jib will not get hung up as it crosses over and it makes it less likely for the boat to stall since you still can pull in the mainsheet to get forward momentum from the mainsail.

This may not be the fastest or easiest way to tack but it works for me, if anyone has some ideas on how I can improve this I would be glad to try them.

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Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL

This has all been incredibly valuable to me, thanks to you ALL for sharing and especially for the DETAIL.

I can't tack to save my life, yet, I get maybe 3 out of 10. So I jibe all the time and that's a little rough, too, and boring. I just want to know the skill at this point so that I'm reasonably efficient, then I'll work on getting better.

What I didn't know was about not filling the main before the jib or you'd go into irons, been there, nor the steps to use with the tiller and to keep it in place during the scramble.

I need to make some kind of waterproof cheat sheet to take with me, seriously!

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

This has been a great thread as I too have had problems getting a successful tack. I found that the timing of the skipper/crew is crucial and we were moving to the other side too quickly and the boat would just stall. I won't even go out unless it's blowing 10-20 and always thought the wind would help me but it makes no difference. It's all technique and knowing what to do and when to do it. Now, we never move to the other side until the tack is complete. It's the only variable I was able to figure out which yields success every time. At least now I have confidence that I can tack successfully.

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"Liquid Plumber's Edition Wave" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z78PozP9dc0

As a newbie here a couple years ago - I know what it's like to read the experience members posts. (like another language) It's only due to my 2 years of experience now that I understand what they are saying. But I suspect youo or other new folks may not. So let me try and explain a bit in laymans terms.

I quickly learned how to tack from trying to do it. At first I'd get in irons just like your original post... the key is to keep the jib locked! As you're making your line you have the main and jib flowing away from you - down wind. As you start to tack you must keep the jib AS IS. OR better yet - even tighten it some. Now turn the rudders... so you're turning into the wind. As you do this. "THINK" a bit logically - the wind is from where? The bow now aimed into the wind.... the angle of the jib DOES WHAT? as the wind at the bow blows at the mast, the angle of the jib does what to the bow as the wind hits it? With a little thought... it's quickly evident to see that the wind at the bow hits the jib and PUSHES the bow through the turn! So the key is When starting the tack DO NOT release the jib. If anything - tighten it. (the more angle on the jib the better) so if you have your jib cars adjusted (outward) the jib will offer "more angle" and will help you turn that much more easily.

AFTER you are sure you are through the turn, (past the wind direction) I then resheet the main, (now on the other side of the boat) and then release the cleated jib and pull it to the other side of the boat (Where the main is now).
In doing this, when you release the cleated jib line the wind will be adding a lot of pressure on the jib sail and the jib will FLIP to the other side of the boat quickly and easily and won't hang up on the mast or jib/main lines that run down the mast.

The JIB is the key to tacking and with only a little pause and thought... (wind is at the bow... the angle of the jib? is? which when the wind hits the jib at this angle - the bow has to go where? This makes it all become clear!

To sum it up - the HEAD wind at the bow... strikes the mast... (front) of the boat. Think what the jib angle does ? now if the jib was at the other angle?

Releasing/uncleating the jib to early in a tack will surely foul the turn.
HOLD the JIB (keep it cleated hard and tight) until you're sure you've turned past the head wind direction. Then uncleat and it will PoP over to the other side - fill with wind and you'll take off once again on the new course.

Hello again Rojoyinc! Thanks for the detail, again.

Can you - and others - provide the same excellent cheat-sheet type instructions for the jibe?

I read and read and watch the stock Hobie video and I understand what they are saying and what the overall point is, but, specific move-by-move instructions seem evasive.

I had a bad jibe that went, well, bad (Coast Guard rescue with wife and kiddies). I suspect we didn't move scramble correctly, and, I didn't let the main out in time.

Can anyone give me simple Step 1, Step, 2, Step 3 instructions of their favorite and most affective technique, similar to the ones for tacking above?

BTW, my tacks are MUCH improved and I get it every time now. All my crew (wife) and I have to do is get more efficient and time things better, but at least we're getting around now.

Thanks in advance for anything and everything!

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Great thread.

One more quick thing. Make sure your jib halyard is tight.

Happy sailing!

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Sail Revolution
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