Tack in high winds and waves

Hi I'm from Canada and on our lake (lake winnipeg) I was sailing today with winds that where 17 gusting to 20kts. Waves where about 2to 4 feet and growing.

My question is that when I was trying to tack I was useless evey time stuck in irons.

I tried it more than once and it was getting scary as I had a rocky shore 100 feet away from me.

So what it did was Turn downwind and then did a fast jib. But each time I did this the sail goes BANG. I try to use my hand or arm to soften the blow.

Just seeing if there is a better solution. But what I was doing was Working for my 30 min playing and having a great time and fun. So that I don't ruin the sail or rigging

Note we don't have a nice shallow body of water we are dealing with the main body from 40 feet to about 25 feet and then 10 feet near shore. So the wave build and are very close together.



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These boats are a blast in higher wind and waves eh? First time I was in higher wind and waves I thought I was going to sail clear across Lake Huron before I got the boat turned. And like you, I finally gybed. That was exciting.

Here are some tips I got from this forum:
"Sailing close to the wind... feel where the boat is slowing or the sail is starting to luff. Turn away (fall off) a bit to gain some speed.
Sailing as close to the wind as you can without slowing is where you want to start the tack. You need some speed.
Begin your turn into the wind gradually. If you turn to sharply, the rudders act as a brake. Sheet the sail tighter as you head further
into the wind. Move weight aft. As the boat slows, turn harder.
Release the sheet completely as the sail luffs or starts to backwind. Force the sheets out by pulling the sail towards you if you have to.
The sail acts as a weather vane if you leave it sheeted. Slack in the sheet allows the hulls to continue to turn through the wind.
Keep the rudders turned as long as there is any forward progress, then release when the boat is stopped.
Cross over to the new sailing side. Allow the hulls to turn well past your intended new heading before starting to sheet the sail back in.
As you start sheeting in, the boat will try to head up. Hold the rudders firmly now.
Sheet in slowly to gain some forward movement before sheeting harder.

To add detail to tacking in higher winds.
Sailing close hauled. Keep up speed ease the boat into the turn sheet hard and hike out well aft. Turn the helm harder as the boat slows.
Sit up and release the main from the cleat but hold the tension until the main starts to luff. Fully release the main. Duck under the sail
to the new weather side. Still keeping the helm over, but main is fully released and sheeted out the bows continue around to the new tack.
Wait until well past close hauled and closer to a beam reach. Straighten rudders and start sheeting in slowly until the boat starts moving.
Then sheet tighter... off you go.

In waves you have to be aware of the peaks and troughs. Start a tack as you go over a peak. The next peak should help push the bows around
as you pass head to wind. Of course, it depends on the frequency of the waves too, but use the waves to help you tack."

You could also get a jib sail to make it easier.

Thanks will have to read this a couple times.

How is lake Huron to sail. At lake Winnipeg We have that same issue. High winds you can get pushed across the lake.

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How is Lake Huron to sail? Great. They say a picture is worth a thousand words...

Thanks

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