Heavy weather tacking with jib furled?

Is there technic to tack in hight winds 18-20 with the jib furled on a H18? I had to loan out my crew on the water and sail back in up wind on my H18 so I furled the jib to keep from overpowering but I could not tack so I was forced to jibe I made it back in ok I think I did fine but everything I have read says thats just asking for a swim.

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
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I have only tried it a few times on my boat. It was a little more difficult but not too bad. I think the key is to keep the momentum up, don't over turn the rudders.

Yeah I didnt want to get in to trouble so I did not sheet in very hard no way I could right the boat so I took it pretty easy but the jibes were a little exciting.

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

If you do get stuck (in irons) during the tack, you will start drifting backwards due to the wind on the sail and then you can actually steer in reverse and trrn the boat the way you want to go.

Jibes sound a little scary in high wind.

I did not think about that at the time but yeah you could back up right into the correct tack good thinking!!

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

Definitely learn to do a K-turn by backing the boat and steering in reverse. If the wind is really strong you wont be able to do a normal tack with the job furled and the main traveled out. Jibing is definitely risky in high wind conditions.

To do a K-turn, reverse the rudders and physically push the boom away from your body. The boat will start going backwards and swing onto the new tack. Best to practice in moderate conditions.

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Sheet out the mainsail once you are in the middle of your turn - a couple of arms length of sheet let out will allow the bow to bear away enough to start moving on the new tack - once you get flow over your foils then sheet back in and head back onto your close-hulled angle.

The key is to turn with the mainsail tight - but once you are moving across the boat in your tack let out some mainsheet... if you leave it tight the boat 'will' weather vane back into the wind and you will then need to use the backing down technique being described by others...

All cat saliors should know how to do a K-turn, it will save your butt countless times. However, I have found in a real hard blow 30+ you can be so overpowered that you can not round up enough to even get the boat into irons, then you have no choice but to jibe. So far I'm about 50% on surviving such a jibe without a spetacular pitchpole, so before I fall off I make sure the boat is well set for an endo. Let me tell you the acceleration you experence once you do fall off is something else (you take off like a bat out of hell). Make sure you have plenty of room because you will cover a LOT distance quickly.

All good tips a 18' can be a bit to handle in heavy winds & gust when solo but it happens sometimes. I have had to bring a 18' boat in on a blow by myself atleast 3 times and everytime I had a crew to start but someone else needed them for one reason or another.

_________________
Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing