windiest sail yet

[Cevin c Taylor]

My 16 yesar old son and I decided to take the boat out yesterday on a small (2 miles by about ½ mile) lake for some practice in sailing in strong winds.  The winds yesterday were about 20 mph, with gusts to around 30 mph.  This is only my seventh sail or so.  Wow!  It took some preparation to sail away from the dock because the wind was so strong right off the bat.  We got out a ways, and were getting things adjusted when a gust hit us that made both of us think we were going over.  One of the rails actually dipped in the water and we got a bit of water over it into the cockpit.  I had the main cleated down, and I soon realized this was a mistake.  We didn't even put the jib up.  After that I just sailed with the main sheet in my hand so I could play it out quickly.  Down on the west end of the lake there were some whitecaps, and it was pretty exciting out there.  I was getting pretty good at just playing out the sheet and turning a bit into the wind whenever we seemed to be getting hit by a gust.  Coming about in strong winds still needs some work.  Twice we were going with the wind behind us and the main sail perpendicular to the boat, and I turned the wrong way and the boom swung all the way across the boat to the other side and jerked the sheet out of my hand.  My son had to grab the boom and pull it back in enough so I could reach the end of the sheet.  We stayed out about three and a half hours or so, and had a great time.  We had brought sandwiches but were too occupied sailing to eat them.

[NateD]

Those are my favorite conditions, exhilarating.

When the boom goes flying across the cockpit, that is called a crash gybe, very dangerous, glad you guys weren't hurt. One thing that might help in getting the main sheet back in hand is to tie a stopper knot (figure eight: http://www.animatedknots.com/fig8_/index.php?Categ=boating&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com) in the end of the main sheet, but unlike in the link, leave a longer tail that gives you enough to grab onto. So if the sheet slips out of your hand, the knot will keep it from running through the block, and the tail will give you something to pull on.

Were you able to make much progress to windward with just the main in those conditions? In my 1981 with original sails and stock rudder I would only be able to make 200-300 yards of progress to windward in 20-30 knots and whitecaps with just the main up in about 2 hours of sailing.

[Cevin c Taylor]

After losing the main sheet the second time, it did occur to me to tie a knot in the end, which helped.  We seemed to actually make decent progress to windward.  Most of the time the wind was from the north, and the long side of the lake is E/W, so most of the time we were sailing on a reach.  But we sail north a bit into a little bay, and it didn't take long. 

[HideAway]

reefing is good - it will help you sail faster and be in better control.  We usually go with a single reefed main and storm jib in those conditions.

[deisher6]

I second HideAway's suggestion.  It is also much easier to reef before leaving the dock.  It is easier to shake the reef out than put it in underway, especially singlehanded or with an inexperienced crew.  I beached my boat in the wind shadow behind a butte and left the motor idling in gear, to reef the main when sailing alone first sail this year.

I bet the accidental gybe was exciting, but be careful.

regards charlie

[Greene]

When B and first started sailing our Com-Pac 16 we didn't realize that it had a rolling reef system built into the boom.  Only after several sails did I finally read the manual completely and find out about the reefing system.   Then I understood why there weren't any reef ties in the mainsail.  Maybe someone who has the manual for a 16 could scan the pages regarding the boom reefing system and post it as a new topic for those who don't have a manual. 

Mike

[deisher6]

Hey Mike:

You are right our first C16 was a late '70's or early '80's and it had roller reefing.  Probably a one reason for not having a mid-boom mainsheet and a boom vang.  Our 1989 still has the same mainsheet arrangement but the gooseneck does not rotate.  The gooseneck has a hook and the boom and sail are both rigged for slab reefing.

This blog brings back many fond memories.

thanks
regards charlie

[Cevin c Taylor]

My boat is an '83.  There are four holes with grommets in the main, and I assumed that those were for reefing.  I'm not sure if the sails are original.   I can't recall if the boom rotates.  I'll have to check it out when I get home.

[NateD]

My boat is an '83.  There are four holes with grommets in the main, and I assumed that those were for reefing.  I'm not sure if the sails are original.   I can't recall if the boom rotates.  I'll have to check it out when I get home.

You have to pull the boom aft first, then twist.

[Cevin c Taylor]

"reefing is good - it will help you sail faster and be in better control.  We usually go with a single reefed main and storm jib in those conditions."

I have never reefed my sail, but I just assumed that it would slow the boat down to have the main reefed, but would give better control.  Does it make you sail faster in windy conditions?  Just trying to learn (the easy way).

[NateD]

Reefing will reduce the amount of sail area, it may or may not slow you down. Intuitively, reducing the amount of sail area would make you slower, but if the boat is overpowered, reefing can actually increase your speed. Last year I was crossing Lake Superior in my CP23 with a single reef (slab reefing) in the main sail and just a little jib rolled out and the boat was heeling and there was strong weather helm, I put a second reef in the main sail, the boat heeled less, the weather helm was a little better, and the boat picked up 0.5 mph. Keeping the boat upright will also allow the stubby little keel to get a better bite and lead to less leeway (slipping sideways, instead of the direction the bow is pointed).

If you reefed in light wind, when reefing isn't needed, the boat would slow down. But in conditions where the boat is already close to hull speed and is being overpowered, reefing can gain you a little speed and reduce stress on the boat and you. One caveat is that sometimes when the wind is blowing strong enough to reef, you'll also get the whitecaps and short steep waves going, which require more power to push through with a small light boat, so it is a balancing act between keeping enough power and forward momentum and keeping the boat from being overpowered.

[Cevin c Taylor]

Thanks.  That makes sense, and is very helpful.

[Beckeresq]

Both of my "new" Compacs have booms that can "roll'. One is a 1980, and the other a 1982.  One of the mainsails has reef points, and other doesn't.  What I found strange is that there's  horn cleat at the end of both boat's booms that appears to used for the outhaul/slab reefing.

Seems to me that this cleat (and small eye strap on the boom-also, apparently for slab reefing) should be removed to "roll" the main without damaging the sail?

Any thoughts on this?

[NateD]

Both of my "new" Compacs have booms that can "roll'. One is a 1980, and the other a 1982.  One of the mainsails has reef points, and other doesn't.  What I found strange is that there's  horn cleat at the end of both boat's booms that appears to used for the outhaul/slab reefing.

Seems to me that this cleat (and small eye strap on the boom-also, apparently for slab reefing) should be removed to "roll" the main without damaging the sail?

Any thoughts on this?

My '81 with roller reefing also had a plastic horn cleat on the boom, it never hurt the sail. One of the problems with roller reefing around the boom is that, as you roll, a larger percentage of the luff (front edge of the sail, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parts_of_a_sail) is rolled up with every turn compared to the leech (back edge of the sail), so that the boom "sags" more on the aft end. I would always have to pull in my topping lift a bit after reefing, but the result is a baggy sail shape. It might not be so bad with newer sails, but it was an issue with 30 year old sails. I contemplated creating some type of cone (out of foam, or wood) that could be attached (either permanently or temporarily) to the boom with the larger end of the cone on the aft end of the boom so that more of the leech would be taken up with each turn when I reefed. Having the outhaul cleat there helps to take up a little extra sail on the aft end of the boom, but not enough to keep everything balanced.

edit: Hah! I did have luff and leech reversed in my post (corrected now). They were correct in my head, but somewhere between there and my fingers things went wrong.

[capras801]

I belive you have the luff and leach reversed.