How do you make Sailing Easier?

[liveaboardL]

I finally went sailing today. It's some hard work! If I leave the tiller for a few seconds, it seems like there's no telling what could happen. The wind could change directions, or get a sudden gust & send the boat heeling.

There always seemed to be someone passing me, so that I could not head into the wind when the wind picked up and the boat started to heel. Much of the time, the wind had the boat going 2.5 knots.

Sailing in a channel or a busy harbor with a bunch of boats around & lee shores is not fun, but I'm sure it would have been smarter to not have had the end of the boom tied down to one of the corners of the stern. I think the function of that is the prevention of an accidental gybe. I plan on removing that next time while in the harbor or channel. I want to learn how to steer with the sails.

Even if I lashed down the ruder to do something up front just for a minute, next thing I know the boat has changed directions & there's always a passing boat to run into.

The tiller is beast too! The boat either wants to heel or head off the desired direction too much. It was real tricky to keep it at a reasonable direct. Oh, & it seems one has to look up almost constantly to see what the boat's doing next. As slow as those things are, they sure get in a mess quick. I had to gybe a few times, cause I wasn't paying attention, & I mean, the boat did a 360.

At the end of my little trip, the shroud at the end of the spreader popped off. It looks like there was no wire holding it on, like there should be. It just had a rag over the end. I thought it looked funny the way it flapped up there. Looked like it was velcroed up there!

Oh man does this atomic four stink up the cabin too! I can still smell gas & fumes hours later. I don't even know where these fumes are coming from. Possibly blowby, but, I can't find the source. I see no drips. The engine is reliable but I hate using it. I need to learn how to steer w/ the sails. I don't know. Sailing just seems like a great deal of hard work, but maybe it gets easier? LOL

[Cheechako]

Sailing is hard work sometimes. The more orgainized you get your systems and the more you use them the easier they become. Things that make life easier:
1) A tillerpilot. My auto pilot is working probably 90% of the time. I dont need to steer manually to feel like a sailor.
2) If you are sailing for the joy of it, then you deal with what wind you have. If you need to get from point A to Point B; turn on the engine when you reach your lower speed threshold. I just like being on the water, sometimes sailing, sometimes hearing the putt putt of the diesel is just as good.
3) Furling headsail; not becasue they are as good as hank on, but because they can be put away in one minute! No cover, No folding etc.
4) A stack pak cover for the main would make life easier possibly.
Too many things to mention really ,but yes, sailing can be a lot of work.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by liveaboardL

I finally went sailing today. It's some hard work! If I leave the tiller for a few seconds, it seems like there's no telling what could happen. The wind could change directions, or get a sudden gust & send the boat heeling.

There always seemed to be someone passing me, so that I could not head into the wind when the wind picked up and the boat started to heel. Much of the time, the wind had the boat going 2.5 knots.

Sailing in a channel or a busy harbor with a bunch of boats around & lee shores is not fun, but I'm sure it would have been smarter to not have had the end of the boom tied down to one of the corners of the stern. I think the function of that is the prevention of an accidental gybe. I plan on removing that next time while in the harbor or channel. I want to learn how to steer with the sails. ........................

The easiest sailing will be without a destination; without a concern for speed; without other vessels nearby; without a deadline; without lines other that your sheets trimming your sails; and definitely steering by controlling your rudder position.

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by liveaboardL

I'm sure it would have been smarter to not have had the end of the boom tied down to one of the corners of the stern. I think the function of that is the prevention of an accidental gybe. I plan on removing that next time while in the harbor or channel.

If the boom end is genuinely tied down, you weren't setting your sails properly, which can lead to excessive healing.

HOWEVER, it depends on the set up to your rigging. Does your mainsheet attach at the end of your boom or the middle of your boom? Your mainsheet itself should be attached to your boat *somewhere*, so you don't want to undo that. You are right that the attachment point is not usually at a corner, but rather either on the centerline or somewhere along a traveller.

And yes, your shroud should be attached to the spreader.

Once you have your rigging set up, and possibly a tiller tamer, you may find that sailing is much easier.

[oceannavigator]

Everyone has to start somewhere, but I'm a little scared here. lol

Make sure you get a handle on the below decks gasoline leak.

Get an intro book to saling and read through the whole thing before your next outing. It wil! help tremendously.

[MarkJ]

This is either the funniest post ever, or you need to learn lots, fast

If you are not making a joke post, and all this is for real, then..... You need to relax and only make one F-up per outing

First: relax.

Second: the tiller needs a hand on it all the time. You cant just let it go. Thats not the way they work.

Third: get away from other boats before you start sailing. They are buggers to be around when learning so just run with the engine till you are safe and clear

Fourth: the engine shouldnt stink. Something is wrong.


So, just one step at a time and relax.... Because when you are comfortable you begin to enjoy yourself. After a bit it gets fun

[Kevin84]

Louie, there should be a Raymarine 1000 tiller pilot in the cabin. Invaluable for single handing. The rope tying the boom off is there as a preventer. I only used it while docked. As for the shroud coming off the spreader, sounds like it wasn't tight enough. Was it the starboard shroud? I'd had problems with those turnbuckles loosening up. They should probably be replaced and the rig tuned. Glad you got Angel out. Once you figure out how to trim her, she can be fun to sail, but as you noticed today, the Alberg 35 has some wicked weather helm. Good luck!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[StuM]

> The rope tying the boom off is there as a preventer. I only used it while docked.

You owe me a new keyboard - the current one is covered in coffee :0

[Kevin84]

Originally Posted by StuM

> The rope tying the boom off is there as a preventer. I only used it while docked.

You owe me a new keyboard - the current one is covered in coffee :0

Put it on my tab. Lol.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[eyschulman]

You make sailing easier by learning and practicing like every other skill. Those who don't do it generally don't get it. Yes it can be physical at times and even intense, or flat out laid back.

[markpierce]

If you don't like sailing (assuming you learned how) but enjoy being on the water, perhaps you need a motorboat.

[markpierce]

Or get a boat with a single sail.

[Badsanta]

Check for exhaust leaks. Get an autopilot and don't sail in channels. Get a radio and towing insurance.

[valhalla360]

Assuming this isn't a joke thread:

Learning to sail on a cruising boat single handed in a crowded channel/harbor is probalby not a good idea.

[Mycroft]

OP, I highly, HIGHLY recommend signing up for an ASA 101 sailing class or comparable as soon as possible!!! With the knowledge you appear to have, you could easily lose your new boat and possibly cause the loss of someone else's too.