Sailing Up Wind in a Tight Bay

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Suijin

It's a dinghy. Practice tacking a bunch and you'll be fine. Most novice sailors don't know how to get the boat back up to speed quickly and so in narrow channels just end up going back and forth, sideways.

Tack, bear off a touch, and as the boat accelerates ease and trim up to close hauled.

Sail more paddle less. Little kids in Optis do it and you can too. Practice makes perfect.

After you have the skills so you won't impede other boaters while tacking up a narrow channel...go for it.

But while learning, get motor and do your practice in open water.

[Yellowtulip]

You're probably making the mistake that all novices make: trying to point too high. The trick is to get the boat sailing well and fast before you tack. As someone said, 3 boat lengths should be enough. If you're sailing well your momentum will carry you through the tack with little loss of speed and you'll pick up on the other tack quickly. The right amount to 'point up' comes with experience. Don't give up on this. The skill you learn doing this will always stay with you.
Having said that, oars are good!

[leboyd]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

After you have the skills so you won't impede other boaters while tacking up a narrow channel...go for it.

But while learning, get motor and do your practice in open water.

Good points on learning and tips, but the fact is until you can do it, you can't.

We have a 17' with a trolling motor. On days when it looks easy (wind is right or fewer boats in the bay, for example), leave the motor in the car/truck. On days when it's crowded or just want to get out there, mount the trolling motor and go.

[Spot]

+1 on rowing oars and locks in the cockpit, a way to tie off the tiller, and a flashlight or two. I got becalmed around sunset last year and my primary flashlight failed, causing me to have a slightly anxious row back to the landing in the sailing dinghy. I had a second light but it was not much.
At my local lake, the unmotorized vessel launch is acting most of the time like a lee shore as winds tend to funnel into it. Getting out is exciting, getting home is easy.