Anyone sail with an 80% jib or less?

[sustutt]

Greetings,
I have a Pacific Seacraft Flicka which has a problem with heave to using the 100 jib. She wants to turn in circles with a full main. Thinking the headsail is too large. Would appreciate comments about sailing or heave-to with an 80% jib. Thanks.

[StuM]

What sort of wind speed?

[newhaul]

What's your procedure you are using to heave to your main should not be powered at all infact should be flogging

[model 10]

Do you really think it would go in a full circle? You wanting to go in a full circle is more like it. Not such a bad idea sometimes.

[sustutt]

Thanks for your replies. Thanks for your questions.

I used to have a Contessa 26 and she could heave easily, regardless of winds. I was using an 85 jib.

I have found the Flicka can heave-to in very light winds 5k or less (100 jib plus main), but in the 10-15K range (where I have really tried to do it) she goes in a circle, makes a full 360 deg. turn.

My procedure is to tack to enter. All sheets are tight. The jib is back-winded. Main is at close-hauled or close-reached. Tiller is placed to leeward. Heave-to is to keep boat at approx. 60 degrees to wind, creating a slick to windward. So why is she turning in circles ?

Any further comments or critiques would be appreciated . Thanks.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by sustutt

Thanks for your replies. Thanks for your questions.

I used to have a Contessa 26 and she could heave easily, regardless of winds. I was using an 85 jib.

I have found the Flicka can heave-to in very light winds 5k or less (100 jib plus main), but in the 10-15K range (where I have really tried to do it) she goes in a circle, makes a full 360 deg. turn.

My procedure is to tack to enter. All sheets are tight. The jib is back-winded. Main is at close-hauled or close-reached. Tiller is placed to leeward. Heave-to is to keep boat at approx. 60 degrees to wind, creating a slick to windward. So why is she turning in circles ?

Any further comments or critiques would be appreciated . Thanks.

I'm assuming by saying tiller to leeward you are placing the end of the tiller to Lee which steers to windward. If correct ease the main sheet to stop the turning. Adjust rudder as needed to maintain the heave to position. Which was is it turning to windward or leeward?

[Dockhead]

This problem is not related to the jib size. You have to get the right combination of helm and mainsail trim. Try putting the traveller up above the centerline; try more or less helm. A Flicka with that full hull form must heave to beautifully.

[zeehag]

practice. there are no set rules to this, it is up to your sail pattern and boat . have fun.

[seasick]

I recommend a different approach to heaving-to. With a reefed mainsail as the only sail up, center the helm and let her go. The boat will maintain very little headway. Just enough to protect your rudder and the resultant motion of the vessel will be far less animated.

[roland stockham]

Don't know the boat that well but this sounds like a combination of too little grip on the water forward and too much aft. Certainly worth trying less (or even no) head-sail. The other tactic that may be worth a try is to adjust the main so you get some drive an slowly fore-reach. Anything under 2kn will be OK and can stabilize things.

[Cadence]

Just curious, what are doing with your jib sheets? Seems as though they should both be relaxed and you should be hearing that ugly slapping sound of the jib.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Just curious, what are doing with your jib sheets? Seems as though they should both be relaxed and you should be hearing that ugly slapping sound of the jib.

Actually windward sheet should be taut to allow the jib to be back winded pushing bow to leeward the rudder shifted to steer to windward to counter the Lee helm a bit of power from the main can be applied to assist rudder as needed vessel should sail in a straight line at about a half to one knot just enough to give steerage

[MarkSF]

I suggest reading the Pardey's book, 'Storm Tactics". This goes into techniques of heaving to in a great deal of detail.

Heaving-to is a term that used to cover a variety of techniques, used to stop forward motion, with the boat sliding sideways. These days everyone seems to think that using the jib and main in balance is the only technique. This is not the case, and it doesn't work on many modern boats - they tend to head down and tack, mine included.

What does work (and I should state that this is only what I've read, I haven't tried this yet!) on these boats is use of a sea anchor or drogue from the bow.

My experience is that a smaller jib will only raise the wind speed at which the boat will head down and tack, not eliminate this behaviour altogether.

[s/v Beth]

Many small boats, like the Flicka, will heave to on just the main. Your topsides may provide enough windage to act like the jib. I still don't quite understand your tacking 360 means- do you go off windward or leeward? If it is leeward, then you need less on front and more power to stern- which would cause me to take the jib down, or at least relax the sheets a bit. My boat gets so much momentum that I have to head her into the wind a while before I heave to, otherwise I will 360. If you have to relax the jibsheet to where she's flogging, take her down.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Actually windward sheet should be taut to allow the jib to be back winded pushing bow to leeward the rudder shifted to steer to windward to counter the Lee helm a bit of power from the main can be applied to assist rudder as needed vessel should sail in a straight line at about a half to one knot just enough to give steerage

You are correct technically. On a larger boat it probably works or lowering a center or dagger board makes all the difference in the world. On a smaller boat it can be hairy since wind is seldom constant and sea state is always a consideration. I guess my definition was the same as a power boat or if the CG asks you to hove to, thus the slack sheets. The 360s I have no idea. I doubt the boat is that unbalanced?