Tacking under mainsail alone

[knockabout]

we don't have an inboard motor on our monohull / seas above 2.5 metres cause problems for the outboard / after much porpoising and sideways backwards sailing we learnt to jibe 360 in those conditions / not much wind but plenty of short roll / we cop a bit of flak from thoroughbred private school racing sailors but no doubt they probably have never sailed as slow as we do / you have learnt a valuable sailing tool for your repertoire of skills and your mates enjoyed the foredeck as well

[roberthowell]

it was just a day sail right then just jibe problem solved

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by roberthowell

it was just a day sail right then just jibe problem solved

Unless the winds are above 25 knots, then you got a dicey situation.

[44'cruisingcat]

Not really. In +25 knots you'd have two or three reefs in and gybing would be much the same is in lighter winds.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Not really. In +25 knots you'd have two or three reefs in and gybing would be much the same is in lighter winds.

Three reefs? So what would happen if the sailor did not reef at all and did a jibe in 25 knot winds?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by contrail

At 40 degrees or less, we are definitely slower, no question. But at 42 to 45 we are right up to speed. Racing, when the sails were new, my target AWA upwind was 42 degrees in most conditions. Now it's more like 43 or 44. And yes, we are trucking, but as you say, every boat is different.

Mine was a TPI Lagoon 42, 4'5" draft. I had a huge increase in speed by cracking off 10 degrees or so. It just seemed to get me there better than trying to pinch up. Especially in light air of course. I could be down to 3.5- 4 knots and crack off and be doing like 5.5-6 in lighter air.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Three reefs? So what would happen if the sailor did not reef at all and did a jibe in 25 knot winds?

Why wouldn't they be reefed. Going upwind in 25 knots the boat would be more stable and faster with a couple of reefs in.

[mark_morwood]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Three reefs? So what would happen if the sailor did not reef at all and did a jibe in 25 knot winds?

Depends on the boat and the sailor. In our previous boat (Catana 48) nothing exciting would happen. The apparent wind would only be about 15 and we'd just center the main, then let it out while gybing.

However we'd normally have a reef or two in at that wind speed going upwind. Going downwind we'd have the main down and just use headsails.

Mark.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Three reefs? So what would happen if the sailor did not reef at all and did a jibe in 25 knot winds?

I note you've reduced the wind speed from over 25 knots to now just 25 knots.....

You'd have to be more careful to control the gybe. 99/100 times there would be no problem. But an uncontrolled gybe with full main in +25 knots has the potential to do damage in any boat.

[AD28]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

turn wheel hard over,

Was hoping for tips from experienced multi sailors on how to tack with main alone.

well, i had a NACRA 5.5 uni, and then a custom 18-Square meter, both unirigs. Does that count?

Don't turn the wheel hard over; make a big U-turn.

Sail thru the tack: as you come closer to head to wind, trim in, and as you cross the wind, ease.

Think of it this way: the jib controls the bows, and the main controls the sterns. Since you don't have the jib running to push your bows, as it were, you have to ease the main to keep it from vaning the boat back head to wind.

Initially, head further off when on the new tack, and as you begin to sail, then come up to the new course.

I guess it's more like an S course in a way. Weight aft would help, you can kind of roll tack, but I don't think that works so much on a big cruising boat lol

[roygee]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Three reefs? So what would happen if the sailor did not reef at all and did a jibe in 25 knot winds?

when I jibed in excess of 25 kt.s with a Prindle 18', [blue norther in lake Sam Raeburn, Tx with my buddy rapidly disappearing, fell off the boat] the boat whipped around,and I successfully picked him up. The only choice I had! The temp dropped below 32 @ 9 A., this was at 11A, nobody on the lake. If I would have tacked, I would have been over-powered. He would have been dead, and I would have been very uncomfortable.