Pointing into the wind

[Starscream]

A friday morning sail with a bit less than 10 knots of wind and 1 ft. lake waves. I was single-handing so I couldn't get the main all the way up: another foot would have done it. I hit 6.2 knots (o.k., momentarily) on a reach, and was in the 4's and 5's closehauled. Since I was alone I spend some time experimenting with how close I could get to the wind. I was really surprised by how close it got, I was able to turn about 5 more degrees into the wind after this photo, and hold it there.

The photo makes it look a bit better than it was: it's hard to see its angle in relation to the mast. The boat is kind of traveling to the left and into the screen, not straight across the photo, but I certainly think it was well under 45 degrees to the wind. SO fun. I spent some time at 30 degrees to get a feel for it, and in a gust I actually slipped off the seat (wearing construction safety shoes with NO boat grip).

[mdbrown]

You really want to get the main all the way up. Point into the wind, let the sheet out a bit and pull or winch it up. It will make a difference! Have fun!

[Tomfoolery]

I was single-handing so I couldn't get the main all the way up: another foot would have done it.

Why couldn't you bring it the last foot to tighten the luff? I single-hand all the time, even (and especially) when I have guests, or 'crew'. Never had a problem hoisting the main.

Or am I missing something.

[Starscream]

You really want to get the main all the way up. Point into the wind, let the sheet out a bit and pull or winch it up. It will make a difference! Have fun!

Yeah, I tried. But my main halyard isn't led back to the cockpit so I have to go up on the cabin top to pull the sail up. And no autopilot so the boat does its own thing while I'm up there. I really didn't want to find myself in the water so once it was close I tied it off and let it be.

I probably want to have all my battens in too. And I should have raised and disconnected the motor. And tied down the rudders. And put away the chess set that WAS on the dinette.

Getting the sail down single-handed was less of an adventure than I thought it would be. I furled the jib then stuck myself in irons with the mainsheet in relatively tight, and hoofed it up to the cabin top to try to gather everything in before I fell off the wind. Done. I use three battery straps with plastic clip-buckles to hold the sail to the boom when its down.

It WAS fun!. Didn't have to worry about dumping a family member in to the water. I was the only boat on the water this morning, reminding me once again that it's a good life!!!!

[Tomfoolery]

Yeah, I tried. But my main halyard isn't led back to the cockpit so I have to go up on the cabin top to pull the sail up. And no autopilot so the boat does its own thing while I'm up there. I really didn't want to find myself in the water so once it was close I tied it off and let it be.

Well, that's what I was missing.

If it were me, I'd prep the boat, close the sliding hatch, remove the sail ties, put a fair bit of of slack in the main sheet, motor into the wind, then put the OB in neutral and hoist the main. If you can't bring it up all the way before it falls off, motor into the wind again and finish it.

And then I'd look into running the halyard aft.

[yukonbob]

You can also rig small drogue (steel pot or bucket on a 10" length of rope), or just let your anchor our 8-10 ft and let it drag in the water off teh bow. this will keep the bow pointed into the wind while you raise the main. then pull up your drogue quickly stow then let out your head sail and away you go. Doesn't take much to keep the bow into the wind

[Neo]

You can also rig small drogue (steel pot or bucket on a 10" length of rope), or just let your anchor our 8-10 ft and let it drag in the water off teh bow. this will keep the bow pointed into the wind while you raise the main. then pull up your drogue quickly stow then let out your head sail and away you go. Doesn't take much to keep the bow into the wind

Nice tip ... Thanks

[Starscream]

And then I'd look into running the halyard aft.

Yup, that's the plan. The boat already has two blocks and a nice dual rope clutch on the cabin top. But it came with a 1/2" halyard and the clutch has a maximum line size of 5/16. Not sure what the original plan was, but I'll get around to using those bits soon. Maybe I'll use one block for a new high-strength 5/16 halyard and the other block for a single-line reef? Or do I need a downhaul too?

[Neo]

With the drogue deployed is it best to have the dagger board up

[yukonbob]

Doesn't matter up or down

[Wind Chime]

With the drogue deployed is it best to have the dagger board up

I say definitly Dagger Board down.

I'm fact I say everything down; daggerboard down, rudders down, engine down. The more lateral resistance you can create below the water line the harder it is for the boat to swing in circles- same principle at anchor.

We have a parachute sea anchor on 50' rode that works very well to keep bow to the wind when too deep to anchor, or need the boat to point to windward for any reason.

[Neo]

Is this Drogue big enough? ... 50" (L) x 50" (W)?
The next size up is double the price

[Wind Chime]

Is this Drogue big enough? ... 50" (L) x 50" (W)?
The next size up is double the price

Absolutely big enough. IMO
That's about the size of ours, and it works reasonably well.

It's rated for a 25 foot boat, Mac's are very light for the length.

[Neo]

Thanks Wind Chime

[DaveC426913]

Suddenly everyone's talking about how useful drogues are.

The dat after I passed one up at the local Bilge Sale.