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Hi all, a point of sailing that does worry me is when running before the wind with sail(s) let well out. While serenely cruising along, you haven't noticed that the following wind has freshened. You're approaching your destination and need to drop the sails to motor in. This of course requires you to turn into the wind to take the pressure off the sails. Around you go, and the next minute, even with the mainsheet loose, you're just about capsized. Any clues on how to avoid or handle this potentially dangerous situation without permanently scaring off the admiral?

Drop or furl the headsail before coming about, throw the traveler to leeward, let the main out before you make the turn to reduce speed (not too much) then turn. Nothing's going to stop it completely, but the slower your speed and the least amount of sail and sail power will help.

This is my method when I have been running for home and the afternoon seabreeze has picked up Leave the jib poled out enough to keep you moving dead down wind or use the motor if you have no headsail up. Centre the main with the sheet and drop as if you were heading into the wind with the main 180 to the wind it will have no pressure on it and still be easy to drop as if it were 0 to the wind. You may need to assist the main down by pulling on the luff a bit but no big deal. Then furl headsail while motoring to your destination.

Cheers Yukon Bob and Kadet - the idea of centring the main under power (or jib) and then dropping did occur to me shortly after posting - telepathy or wot! Sounds exactly what's required - thanks heaps

Watch that method ingusty conditions. Can end up with main hung up on the spreaders. Or a handful on deck.

Or a handful on deck.

Only if you put it on the deck I don't have that problem with full battens and lazy jacks, but others would be wise to be cautious.

Then next time I'm out with someone who's afraid of heeling I will go to the nearest flat, have them get off and "pull the boat over for me while I scrub the bottom"
Maybe that will cure them of it.
"No just keep pulling. Pull harder! No I've almost got it. Just a bit more!"
Ix

This works for me when changing from running with wind to heading into the wind):
1. Start motor and put in forward, rpm depending on conditions
2. Take in foresail
3. Turn slowly into the wind (direction opposite of main sail position; i.e. main sail to port, turn to starboard)
4. Slowly bring in main sail while turning into the wind, keeping as little wind in the sail as possible.

Greetings,

Harry

This one confuses me.

If your sailing down wind the boom should be way out over the water.

As you make your turn you should turn INTO THE WIND - I can't see how that would make the boat go any faster or make it lean over - as you turn into the wind the boom should swing to the center of the boat and the sails should be flapping. Why would the boat lean over? I don't understand?

What am I missing here?

Unless you are pulling in the main before making the turn into the wind......

If you are going DDW the sail is just a flat board catching the wind. As you come up the sail will start to become a wing again and create more lift until you start to flogg it. That will cause you to heel more I never thought it was a lot but everyone has their angle of oh sh!t we are going to die!!!! Not sure where you sail but another good idea is to find shelter when putting the sail away. In the lee of the shore, other boats in the marina ect.

grady wrote:If you are going DDW the sail is just a flat board catching the wind. As you come up the sail will start to become a wing again and create more lift until you start to flogg it. That will cause you to heel more I never thought it was a lot but everyone has their angle of oh sh!t we are going to die!!!! Not sure where you sail but another good idea is to find shelter when putting the sail away. In the lee of the shore, other boats in the marina ect.

I'm totally lost here - your going down wind - your boom should be over the water - the mainsheet is OUT quite a bit - right?

I have no idea what "As you come up the sail " means - I am not so good on nautical terms and this one I am un-familiar with.

He said he wanted to turn into the wind - I think his quote was:

"This of course requires you to turn into the wind to take the pressure off the sails"

Okay, if the boom is on the correct side of the boat, you will be turning AWAY from the boom to head into the wind - as the boat turns into the wind the boom should return to the center of the boat all by itself - no need to haul in the mainsheet -

It almost sounds to me like he is making a jibe?

If the original poster would please tell us what side of the boat his boom is on BEFORE he turns AND what way he is turning (port or starboard) - I think I can fix his problem very easily.

Yes Boat he is making a gybe, a 180 gybe in fact so he is passing through every point of sail from a run, to broad reach, to a beam reach, to close hauled and then into irons.

Even having the main sail all the way out, the traveller out, at some point through the turn it can result in the boat being over powered by the wind. Generally around close hauled she will layover and round up especially with a full main up in 20 knots of wind. You can heal easily to 45+ degrees scaring the cr@p out of some passengers

Also forgot if, you don't time it well you will wear a nice wave or two on the beam which is also fun

If you have sail slugs on the main you have a fighting chance getting the main down under load. With a bolt rope (which I do not have) I presume getting a loaded main down under load would be very difficult. I have a down haul on the head sail and will most likely add a down haul on the main for exactly the situation previously presented. Even with sail slugs there is enough resistance under load to prevent the main from dropping. For comparison when the my main is pointed into the wind releasing the main sheet the main will drop to the deck. At least with a down haul and slugs you have a fighting chance of applying load to the head sail from the top down.

Ixneigh wrote:Then next time I'm out with someone who's afraid of heeling I will go to the nearest flat, have them get off and "pull the boat over for me while I scrub the bottom"
Maybe that will cure them of it.

Man do I like this idea