Sailing Up Wind in a Tight Bay

[aj911501]

Hello all!
I am hoping for some advice on how to better handle getting out of this bay somewhat more... Gracefully I guess..?

There is a lake near our house that we enjoy going to, but more often than not, the wind seems to be blowing into the bay where the public landing is (see image and Green arrow.). The bay isn't big enough to really be able to tack back and forth with our limited skill level, and there are several other docks, boats, and weeds that make it even harder.

Our usual solution is my wife manning the tiller while I'm paddling furiously at the front of the boat with the small canoe paddle we have. Thought about finding a small motor at one point, but our boat is a dingy, and that sounds like more trouble than it's worth...

It's usually a frustrating experience that I'd like to avoid if possible... Any advice?

Thank you!

[thomm225]

Are you talking that little boat in the picture?

If so, that boat should tack pretty easily ......as long as you aren't in the very front of it.

[smith8273]

How about an electric trolling motor and a battery? Simple and rather inexpensive.

[Shrew]

BJ's Bait and Tackle looks like they have a ramp. Why not launch from there?? There looks like another ramp north of BJ's bait and tackle. Is it any easier from there?

Otherwise a motor is going to be your next best option. 2HP 4-stroke might be a bit heavy. trolling motor might be your best option.

[psk125]

You’re trying to claw your way off a lee shore, so it isn’t necessarily easy. On Google Satellite, the Clearwater Lake launching ramp looks like it has finger docks on each side. I would walk the boat out to the end of the left finger and point it out on the tack into the wind that would get the boat the furthest out of the embayment. That will give you the most time to get the sails trimmed and have the boat moving enough so that you can tack when you need to. When you are pointing in the right direction, with the sails up, halyard, outhaul & downhaul snug, and centerboard down, trim in the sails and THEN let go of the dock. You can certainly have the paddle ready, too. In any breeze (5 -10 knots) you should be able to get going fast enough to be able to tack after perhaps four boatlengths. Your self-tacking jib should make it easy to tack the boat so long as you are moving. Do wait for other boats to be out of the way, of course. There’s no need to make it more exciting than it has to be.

[seandepagnier]

How wide is the bay? You should be able to tack in the space of 3 boat lengths while dodging obsticles. This might take some practice sometimes luffing up and using momentum.

Another suggestion is to improve your rowing setup. You could put oar locks or install a sculling oar. If you build a sculling oar, it is critical to get some of the dimensions right for decent efficiency.

As a last resort, probably more trouble than it is worth, you could put an old trolling motor, and a laptop battery. This could give you a quarter mile or so of motoring.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by smith8273

How about an electric trolling motor and a battery? Simple and rather inexpensive.

Bingo...this is the best answer.

While it may be technically possible, you will tick off every other boater using the area as you keep cutting them off...or if you are polite about it, you will lose headway as you allow boaters by every other tack.

[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.

[Bill O]

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.

Well said! The small boats are where you really learn how to sail and these sailing skills can be used on other boats as you move up in size. If you can sail, your dependency on a motor is much less/eliminated and you'd have the confidence to bring a larger boat under sail to a dock if your motor failed.
Will say the real art of sailing, is becoming less evident and many treat their sailboat like a motor boat because they don't really know how to sail anymore. People are amazed when we sail off our anchorage, when in fact its NBD.


Bill O.

[aj911501]

Thank you for all the comments!

I agree with you Bill, and that's part of why I don't want to put a motor on it. I feel like I should be able to develop the skills to sail without using one. We've just really only ever had one lesson, so we're learning as we go and trying to pick up as much wisdom as we can.

On the plus side, coming in to the landing is usually pretty smooth [emoji28]

Looking forward to Ice Out so we can practice again!

[billknny]

If you don't have the skills needed, GET THEM. Take sailing lessons. Once you can do it (and you can!) that upwind work up the bay will become a fun part of the day filling you with satisfaction of a job well done. That's kind of what sailing is all about.

[finefurn]

Get a small outboard. we have a Honda 2.3 hp , weighs in at less than 30 lbs. Motor out to open water , raise the motor, raise the sail and off you go. Easy Peasy!

[radsailor]

50 years ago, this was my first real lesson in sailing. I had a 16 foot daysailor in a harbor with at least 100 boats on moorings and many more in slips. The entrance to the harbor was narrow. The first few times I tried getting out of the harbor against wind and current, I just kept going back and forth trying not to hit another boat. Could not get out. After more practice and more study, i finally figured it out and felt pretty proud of my 16 y/o self.

As others have said, practice is what you need. Keep at it and you will feel very good about your accomplishment when you can easily tack out of that harbor. Then on to your next lesson whatever that may be. Sailing is a skill and art. Don't lose the opportunity to learn.

Experience is what you have just after you needed it or experience is what you need just before you get it. (I think Mark Twain said that, but not sure)

[bongo]

I’ve used a 2HP Yamaha 2-stroke. 22#, self-contained, 100:1 fuel/oil ratio. No smoke, light, quiet. I agreee with the sailing skills, but I’ve also been 10+ miles from home late afternoon when the wind suddenly dies.

[roverhi]

For a few millennia before engines, small boats and even large sailing ships used the space age invention called oars. There are going to be times you can't sail and either a set of oars or a sculling oar off the back should do just fine for getting the boat where you want to go.

Becoming more confident in your ability to sail the boat will help but not in all cases.