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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Completely Overpowering Winds?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 08:09:38

I can't argue that... Only two hands--although I guess the tiller was sometimes between my legs... I pulled the jib over while momentarily on the broad reach--almost a run--hauled in in about half way, and then completed the gybe, playing the mainsheet. My reason was that the main generally had more heeling force but less drive in a blow than the jib had, so I wanted to keep it in hand. Just a personal preference--if I were double-reefed, maybe I'd have felt differently (or maybe I wouldn't have needed to do a chicken-tack).

Thinking back some more, some of my chicken-tacks were probably under genny alone, in which case I guess I did it your way.

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Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 09:36:31

Steve, the only downside I see to your hardened main is this: Once you come around and the main goes to the new side, as you continue to turn the main will be tight but exposed to the full force of the wind. You'd be sailing on a broad then a bean reach with the main all the way in. I believe that even with a really, really, really fast turn, one could get into serious trouble and a potential knockdown. So I'd recommend a bit of both yours and Dave's suggestions. Keep the main tight before the gybe, but let it out as you turn. The jib generally takes care of itself, backwinding as if heaving to, and is easy to redeploy once you get the main either out on the broad reach or further in as you head up.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 11:00:46

Stu, I agree that the hardened main would be a problem if you haven't reefed the main deeply enough. My thinking is that you should always stay ahead of the weather. We should reduce sail area more than is absolutely necessary, because we're most likely to get into trouble when we get more wind and waves than we're ready for. The mainsail should be reefed deeply enough so that you can do a chicken tack with a hardened mainsail, especially if you're singlehanding. Everything becomes much more difficult when it's being done on a small boat in 45 kt winds and 5-7' seas, and it's to our advantage to figure out how to do everything with the fewest motions and the least amount of physical exertion. If we haven't reefed deeply enough to do it with a hardened main, then we will likely have to ease the main as we make the turn, but that means we have to not only steer the boat, and adjust the mainsheet, but we also will have to grind in the jib for the new closehauled course under circumstances when the pressure on the jib will make it most difficult. That's alot for one person to do, especially if it can be avoided by reducing sail area a little more.

This discussion is really not very applicable to Catalina 25-250s, because they shouldn't be caught out in those conditions in the first place, but the reality is that they certainly could be. Moreover, while they might have to do a chicken tack in less than 45 kt winds, they shouldn't consider doing one in 45 kt winds and big seas. Many of them have only a single reef in their mainsail, some have a double reef, but few have a triple reef. Likewise, most don't have storm jibs, and many don't have roller furling. Therefore they aren't rigged for sailing in that much wind.

If the average C25-250 was caught in that much wind, my suggestion would be to take down all their sails, start the engine, head downwind under bare poles, aided by the engine, and try to get into the lee of land somewhere, and anchor, if you can. Last year, I was crewing on a small sailboat that was on a parallel course with, and about 75' off the port beam of an outboard-powered Cal 25 in 50+ kt winds, and both of us used that approach, motoring downwind under bare poles, and both made it OK, although that outcome wasn't certain at the time. It's very difficult to sail any size or type of sailboat in those conditions, no matter how big or sophisticated the boat, or how well-rigged, but it's much easier to run downwind under bare poles, with the aid of the engine, and, if you can get into the lee of land somewhere, all of a sudden the seas become much smaller and you realize the worst is over.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 10/03/2009 13:03:33

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5381 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2009 : 18:02:36

The chicken tack works well downwind, but Gary Jobson in his book "Sailing Fundamentals" talks about an S-Jibe.

In it, the sailor hardens the sheets, and heads downwind, then with the sail on the lee side, steers a figure "S" downwind and hands the boom across the boat. During the procedure, it is imperative to physically hold on to the boom to prevent an accidental gybe until the figure S is complete and you are on the new tack.

Once on the new tack, you can then let out the mainsheet and either do a dead downwind run or put the boat on a broad reach.

This is to allow a gybe without the slamming and crashing of a hard gybe in heavy air. With a little practice, you'll find it is very easy to master, and well worth the effort!

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2009 : 19:07:59

Bruce, that's an important technique for a controlled gybe downwind. Steve's 270-degree "chicken tack" is for tacking upwind when, for whatever reason (like wind and waves), you can't get cleanly through the wind for a normal tack. The principle of the hardened mainsheet is the same, but the S-curve isn't needed because you're not turning back downwind--you're circling around to a new beat. Thus, no grip is needed on the multiple parts of the mainsheet (which, for your S-curve gybe, I'd recommend over trying to hold the boom).

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/05/2009 19:41:09

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