Getting out of irons

Hi guys,

i just started sailing and bought an 18 as my first boat. i am having a blast flying hulls and speeding over the ocean. however, the moment i put a third person on my boat i lose all control!

so let me explain my launch. i have to paddle my boat out of a channel into shallow water where i raise my sails and drop my rudders. i get nervous dropping my dagger boards as i feel its too shallow for them. there are big reef heads that surround the channel that exits into the main bay BUT the channel is directly upwind. with two people i find that i can keep a line high to the wind and shoot out without tacking but with three people i cant and what happens is i end up in irons for half an hour fighting just to catch the wind again. my boat just turns port to starboard on the verge of catching wind but never does and i end up backsteering. i have noticed that with the extra weight the front of my hulls are pulled up out of the water and my rudders seem to have no effect.

what do i have to do? is there just too much weight or is there something different i have to do? should i drop my centerboards a small amount?

thanks for the help,

Justin in hawaii

Yeah drop your centerboards at least 10 inch. Also let the jib pull your bow around. When you start your tack leave the jib alone until you have fully finished the turn. The wind will catch it and push the bow. Once the turn is complete release the jib.

_________________
ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

Hint Hint Hint, practice tacking by yourself with only the main and the jib furled. Once you get the hang of this, you'll discover the secret to getting out of irons quickly with a full boatload.

When you tack, and have crossed head-to-wind, let out your mainsail a good bit until you get all the way around and complete the tack. This will let the wind push on only the jib which will turn the boat better. The wind pushing on the main sail causes weather helm which is the tendency for the boat to turn towards the direction that the wind is coming from which puts you in irons. When you get in the direction that you want to go then you can switch the jib over and trim the main. Also, trimming the mainsheet all the way in while starting your tack will help you, just don't forget to let it all the way out as you cross head-to-wind. Practice makes perfect

I think it is a weight placement issue. You state that the rear of the boat is low and the bows are up, that tells me the three people are in the center or rear of the boat. Does this boat have wings and are the passengers on the wings? Tacking the H18 is not that hard to do. Backwinding the jib will turn the boat every time. I think its the weight improperly positioned. For me with three on board I'm going to be in the back corner and the crew will be at the front crossbar on each side of the mast. By keeping the boat balanced the sails can be kept powered up, if the boat is leaning back the sails cannot be powered up completely. Thats my 2 cents!

2 things I've learned

1. DO NOT BACKWIND YOUR JIB .... if you do the tack right (by letting the main out 2 feet and then cleating it)
you will make the turn ... sail you jib though the turn

2. backup when you get in irons ... push boom to weather ... steer the rudders in the direction that will put you back on proper tack

3. don't get in irons again ...

OK 3

You were not specific but I gather you are in a very confined channel where you are having problems.I assume you arent having this problem in open water by your comments.Put both pass. up on the front crossbar as stated above.If you cant get out of the channel this way I recommend 1 or 2 collapsable paddles that will go in dry bags in your port storage area. This is a pain in the u know what ,but this may be the easiest way to open water.I have similar trouble in the narrow sloughs on the sacramento delta area,if there isnt enough room to to come about in a channel that is dead upwind it can be a challenge.Your dagger boards need to be in the water at least 8-10 in. to have much control of the 18 due to the hull design ,especially with the bows up.Make marks on the boards when they are flush in the wells and drop both of them 8 in. until you get in safer ,deeper water.
shawn
82 H18 #8211
Div 3