Long tacks or short tacks

[bensolomon]

When sailing long distance and the destination is directly upwind, say a hundred fifty miles, do you long tack or short tack your way there?

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

When sailing long distance and the destination is directly upwind, say a hundred fifty miles, do you long tack or short tack your way there?

long tacks

tacking is inefficient

heading on tack toward wind shift (if you have weather info) gets you lifted fastest

[Pete17C]

long tacks at first, then shorten them up as you get close

you don't want to be way off the mark if the wind shifts to your dis-advantage

better description here

[boatman61]

Depends on many factors, currents, favourable searoom etc.. this kind of distance is likely coastal sailing where working with tides and counter currents makes a difference.. timing your tacks to suit.
Maybe a short tack towards shore followed by a long tack out again.
No foolproof answer.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

When sailing long distance and the destination is directly upwind, say a hundred fifty miles, do you long tack or short tack your way there?

1) Gentlemen don't sail to weather.

2) Motor directly upwind, or motor / sail to achieve a closer reach.

[LoudMusic]

The process of tacking causes the boat to lose speed. Not tacking, however, can cause you to be too far off course, or miss out on wind advantages. It's very much circumstance based.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by Montanan

1) Gentlemen don't sail to weather.

2) Motor directly upwind, or motor / sail to achieve a closer reach.

I've always found that comment ridiculous, and motoring because of wind direction to be lazy or a result of poor planning. I guess people who race sailboats are knuckle-draggers.

What if I'm trying to make a passage that is further than my fuel permits?

What if I just don't want to run my engines?

What if I enjoy the experience of sailing a sailboat?

If you're not going to sail, get a motor boat.

[Calif.Ted]

For the reasons Boatman mentioned your VMG is usually better on one tack so you stay on that one as long as possible and short on the other.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

I've always found that comment ridiculous, and motoring because of wind direction to be lazy or a result of poor planning. I guess people who race sailboats are knuckle-draggers.

What if I'm trying to make a passage that is further than my fuel permits?

What if I just don't want to run my engines?

What if I enjoy the experience of sailing a sailboat?

If you're not going to sail, get a motor boat.

FYI. https://www.sailmagazine.com/cruisin...f-motorsailing

"If you keep your main on the boat’s centerline and flatten it as much as you can (by tightening its halyard, outhaul and boomvang and easing off its topping lift), you’ll be surprised how tight an apparent wind angle you can maintain (usually less than 20 degrees) while still keeping the sail filled. Because you’re relying on the engine to create most of the drive, you can get away with a super-flat sail shape, but the sail will still greatly stabilize the boat’s motion and also add some extra speed. In situations where you don’t have to maintain a super-tight angle, you can bear off a little, put more shape in the sail (maybe even roll out the jib, too) and enjoy even more free speed."

[Cheechako]

Generally tacking slows you down. OTOH, A long tack that takes you too far one way can be brutal if the wind shifts to your disadvantage!
Medium tacks!

Big fan of motorsailing here in the right conditions.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

long tacks at first, then shorten them up as you get close

you don't want to be way off the mark if the wind shifts to your dis-advantage

better description here

^^^^This is the one that answers the question. The Hiscock's used the same 20 degree cone in their explanation.


The only thing I would add is that as you get closer, to lay the mark, use both the last mark as a waypoint and use the VMG (when it hits zero) to determine your last tack, (the page 65 info).

[bensolomon]

Thanks, everyone! Heading to Montauk from Chesapeake, and the forecast is winds from NE (which never happens unless I'm sailing in that direction) for the ocean leg. I will most likely just work my way upwind and pick the more favorable tack for VMG.

Thanks again!

[StuM]

How long is long? How short is short?
Does a tack every couple of hours really slow down your average speed to any appreciable intent?


Pete has the answer: stay within a "cone" so your tack become shorter as you approach your destination.


Boatie also has the answer: it depends.

[Montanan]

Make your first tack towards the anticipated later wind-shift and if there is a current or tide to factor use such to aid in lifting towards the destination.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Make your first tack towards the anticipated later wind-shift and if there is a current or tide to factor use such to aid in lifting towards the destination.

6 hours in favour, 6 hours against..
150nm as the crow flies is around 48hrs of tacking more or just a tad less..