Heeling Safety

[Weasil]

I am a very new sailor. My wife and I bought a Macgregor 26M last year, and we have just started using it as I ran into a lot of hard learned lessons earlier. My question is about heeling. Being new to both the Macgregor and sailing, how "safe" can you go in a heel? I, and probably everyone saw the video where they took the boat all the way over and it comes back up, so is this really not something I have to worry about? I know you have the force of the wind holding you down, but will it eventually come back up?
My first times at only 5 degrees, I found it a little disconcerting, today I went out and was very comfortable at 20 degrees. I did hit 30 degrees a few times, and one time for a few seconds was at 40 degrees, I am not going to lie, it did make me a little uncomfortable at 40. I am sure I can get used to it if I know that this is safe, and the boat is designed for this. I just don't want to do something reckless or irresponsible because of my lack of experience. I am trying to do all the sailing I can, and the more I do, the more confident and proficient I am getting.
Does anyone have any advice specifically in this area or knowledge they can pass along?

I appreciate your commments,

Chris

[pokerrick1]

I, too, was a brand new sailor when I bought my new 2006 M. First time I heeled alone to over 20, I ran to West Marine to buy some kind of system that would tie me to the lifelines inside the boat. Fortunately, the salesman told me "furgetaboudit" you'll get used to it and you will love it - - - and, in short order, that's what happened - - - it soon became a self contest to see how far over I could go. I give you the same advice - - - - you will get used to it soon (wear you PFD just in case).

Rick

[NiceAft]

I am very lucky in that I am married to a woman who gets a kick out of me heeling the boat in excess of forty degrees.

We have had it at over forty-five, and that really gets the attention of others on the water. I tell you this to assure you that the boat can handle it. Keep the mainsheet in your hand at all times, and feel secure. If you get nervous, just give a pull of the mainsheet to release it, and the boat quickly rights itself. You can probably crawl faster than the boat will be moving, but you will believe you are traveling at the speed of light. Exilerating

All on board should be wearing PFD's

Ray

[bscott]

My wife controls the heeling--she has the traveler sheet in hand in heavy weather--good to 30*, 30+ I ease the main because the incline-o-meter becomes the scream-0-meter

Bob

[GaryMayo]

Post 1 deserves a welcome

wElCoMe!

As your experience rises, so will your desire to play in larger and larger winds.

[seahouse]

Hey Chris!

You can safely heel a considerable amount with the ballast in, so make it a priority to check that.

In addition to easing the mainsheets to reduce heel, you can also steer into the wind.

Welcome! - Brian.

[NiceAft]

You can safely heel a considerable amount with the ballast in, so make it a priority to check that

Priority A nessesity

I hope no one tries to heel an or an without the ballast being full.

Ray

[dlymn]

Heeling mostly happens when you'r sailing upwind. If the wind is coming at the boat from 40-70 degress fron the centreline, you need to flatten the mainsail by degrees and flatten the jib by putting the jibsheet fairlead to the back of the runner and pulling the sheet tight. You are progressively depowering the sails when you do this. The reason for doing this is that the force of the wind becomes a force propelling you forward and a force pushing you to the lee. This lee force becomes heeling. The aim is to set the sails for maximum forward force. This causes the boat to heel too. When the heel becomes too great and on my boat that's 25+ degress, start letting out the traveller. You will soon learn to manage the heel by easing it back to 15+ degrees and then pulling up on the traveller to keep the power on, which induces heel etc,etc,etc. If the wind is stable then this proces of powering and depowering tha mainsail is a gentle art. It's not impossible to get the boat up to 5 knots with the wind blowing at 15 knots on the closest reach possible (40 degrees)

Sometimes a gust will really push the boat right over rapidly, or the wind picks up so much that the traveller cannot cope, then quickly let out the mainsheet. This loses your sail shape but it will completely depower the sail and right the boat. When the wind gets above 15 knots, reef the mainsal to the first reef and continue sailing. The Doyle sail is well made and will maintain a lovely shape even when it's reefed.

When you still can't control the heeling, drop the sails and crank up the motor.

[NiceAft]

I thought the object of the original post was to find out how far Chris can safely heel his Mac

The answer is pretty darn far. Have fun.

Ray

[mastreb]

Read up on reefing, and learn to do it. If you got the roller reefing genoa, it will be pretty easy. You want a Mac heeled over between 15 and 20 degrees for best performance, and you should reef to keep it near there. Heeling farther than that doesn't have any practical purpose other than absorbing a sudden blow or scaring noobs. Have people move to the high side so their weight helps to counteract heel.

As long as the ballast water is in, the boat will not blow down, so there's nothing to worry about, although admittedly it can be scary.

[Weasil]

This helps a lot, thanks.. The wind got really strong yesterday when I was sailing back to port, and I found if I eased the main out a little bit the heel was less, and I actually sailed faster, I believe I had the sail too much perpindicular to the wind. My main concern was safety, I just didn't want it to get over too far, and "fall over", even though I knew it should come back up. I know you see sailing pictures and movies, where the rim of the boat is in the water, I just have not personally seen that in a Mac, and wanted to make sure she was designed for that and I wasn't doing something I wasn't supposed to. That also helps knowing she sails well at 15-20, this also helps..
Being new, I just want to learn from experience rather than my own "experience", though they make for better stories...

[c130king]

As your experience builds I think you will also start to recognize and understand how "weather helm" affects (or is it effects???) this situation. On my when I start getting over about 40 degrees of heel the boat starts to "round up" into the wind which results in the boat standing back up. Turn the wheel all the way one way...but the boat will turn the other way...into the wind and stand up.

Also, I find that as the winds pick up and you start heeling over more and more you can only ease the main so far and it starts luffing pretty bad and this is not real good for the sail to allow this happen for too long...and you can "throw" a batten out from the sail whipping back and forth.

Good Luck,
Jim

[NiceAft]

Heeling to extreme degrees is really not a problem. If you are concerned about losing control of the boat in stronger winds, then do as noted earlier, and reef. If you have never done that, you will be amazed at how steady the boat becomes. I suggest that on a calm day you go through the steps to reef your sail. Just so you are prepared when you do the real thing.

Ray

[pokerrick1]

Reef? Reef? I don't need no stinkin reef!

Rick

[arknoah]

I thought the object of the original post was to find out how far Chris can safely heel his Mac

The answer is pretty darn far. Have fun.

Ray

True, though the heeling might not result in going faster, so I'm told. My guess is many people who ask about how much they can heel know they will likely need some heeling to go faster, but you can be heeled over too far and actually lose speed.