Tacking

[Scuppers Stu]

Prepare your crew by stating, "Ready to come about".
Crew replies, "Ready". Crew loosens active jib sheet.
Helmsperson turns the tiller to the lee side and states, "Helm's alee".
Crew holds jib sheet until bow has turned through the wind. Then crew very quickly pulls in lee side jib sheet and fastens it off.
Benefit of holding back on jib sheet is to insure you won't go into 'irons'.
Benefit of hauling in new active jib sheet quickly is that you can get it set before it is 'loaded', makes winch handle optional.

[CaptK]

Spot on, Stu. I learned the "backwind it a bit" trick during my Hobie 16 days. Those lil cats can be recalcitrant about tacking in a blow. Letting the wind help push you around like that can make the difference between success and failure.

One question: At what point during the tack do you replug the scuppers?



Hehe, just funnin'...

Thanks!

Kurt

[Gil Weiss]

In an effort to be economical and efficient, you can use a single scupper plug. This also provides a safety margin since one scupper is always clear to drain the cockpit if necessary.

During the tack, just after calling out "helms a lee",  the helmsman bends down, holds the tiller in one hand and removes the one scupper plug from the new windward side of the boat and plugs the new leeward side after which they yell "plugs a lee". This works well for reaching and beating, but while running with a strong following sea you may need a second scupper plug unless you shift your passengers forward.

This procedure reminds me of a fortune cookie I saw recently in a Chinese restaurant . . .It said, "He who sail with plugged scuppers need good bailing bucket".

Aso . . . Gil