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Old 10-05-2021, 04:44   #16
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Re: Tacking

I tried roll tacking my old Sabre 38 one day. We had 14 aboard. Didn’t work well.
There is a lot to be said for minimizing rudder movement though. A combination of rudder and sail is what you need.
The techniques for a lightweight dinghy and a heavy cruiser are definitely different.
For example on a big boat a slight ease of the jib, slight motion of the wheel, increasing as the boat crosses head to wind, allowing the backwinded jib to carry the bow through, slight ease of the main, release the now windward jib sheet allowing the wind to blow the jib across, trim in the jib, as the jib comes in bring the boat up to the new course while trimming the main, accelerate for another minute or so while final trimming the jib and main.
On a big boat this can take 6 people.
Not a cruising thing.
When I tack my big ketch I don’t touch the mizzen or main. I ease the jib a bit, punch the 10degree button on the autopilot 9 times. Wait a bit till the jib is truly backwinded, then release the jib sheet, and trim in on the new tack. Then steer manually til settled on the new course then hit auto again.
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Old 10-05-2021, 04:55   #17
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Re: Tacking

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Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe View Post
It doesn't sound like roll tacking to me. In a roll tack, regardless of the size of the boat the crew stay to leeward for a moment, main sheet is dumped a bit just at the moment of the tack and then hauled in again on the other tack as the crew rushes over to the new weather side. Having crew centered achieves nothing in particular. Hauling the main in might give you more weather helm, helping you to get through the tack, or it might just stall the sail. Releasing the tiller with lots of way on might bring you through a tack, or it might leave you in irons.

Writing something like that in a book, as though it's a standard technique that can be applied to every boat (and especially in a way that suggests anyone who actually uses their rudder to turn the boat is doing it wrong) is either downright irresponsible or not nearly qualified to be writing a book on the subject.



They are qualified to write the book. Read it.


The section we are discussing is clearly focused on small boats ("Starting Sailing") and dinghies. For example, they talk about the boat heeling when the helmsman moves. They believe strongly that all sailors should learn in small boats, an opinion I agree with. Thus, the focus is on small boat techniques.



Yes, they do mean to tighten the main sheet just a tick as the tack starts on many boats. This increases weather helm and helps start the turn. They are not describing an aggressive roll turn, where the crew stay to leeward, but rather the beginners version of this.


It is a description for beginners. In the next PP it describes how flapping sails can be agitating. So let's not nit pick.



Ideally, the rate of turn is slower at the beginning and increases as the boat slows. With a wheel, it takes a few seconds to move the rudder, so this is often self-regulating. With a tiller, yes, you should take you time moving the tiller, so that the tiller angle matches the rate of turn and the rudder never stalls (always slow). Yes, each boat is different, and the rate of turn varies with boat speed and conditions. At high speed, for example, I move the tiller less than a slow speed turn. There is also little point in turning the boat faster than the crew can get the jib across and sheeted in.
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Old 10-05-2021, 15:34   #18
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Re: Tacking

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We were trying to be nice and pretend not to notice, its a CF forum thing
Thanks, you're so kind
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Old 17-05-2021, 04:32   #19
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Re: Tacking

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The new Glenan's Sailing Manual says when tacking, it is important to gather as much speed as possible close hauled, then let go of the Tiller, and sheet in the main tight, then have crew move to center of boat to wait for things to swing to other tack.
In it, it says one of the mistakes people make is to use the tiller to try to turn the boat, which then acts as a brake, stopping the momentum, and causing the turn to fail. The tiller should be let loose.
Now my Raymarine ST-2000 Tiller Pilot has an AutoTack button on it, to turn the rudder, so which is correct? Is this dependent on boat size?
I would say that you NEVER let go of the tiller.
You just slightly push it over, not too much as it is true that over steering will brake the boat. But you do help the boat to turn into the wind, and when the bow is just crossing the wind you take the tiller back to its 'central' position to keep the boat from overshooting the new close hauled course.
I wrote 'central' because the tiller is usually few degrees out of center when driving upwind as most boats are rigged/tuned with some slight weather helm.
But again - during the whole exercise you keep the tiller under control, just changing hands during the tack.0
And just to brag a little - I have sailed/raced Optimists, Sunfish boats, Lasers, 420, 470, beach cats and various tiller operated yachts.
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