[Rhodes22-list] Raven's Spinnaker - Sailing When It's Gusty

Roger Pihlaja rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Mon, 9 Sep 2002 09:29:45 -0400


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Mark,

As long as the wind isn't so light that you are having trouble keeping =
the cruising spinnaker inflated, you should both stay on the windward =
side.  However, in real light air, it helps to have one or more of the =
crew sit on the leeward side so the boat will heel a bit.  A slight =
amount of heeling will allow the weight of the spinnaker's sailcloth & =
sheets to help keep the big headsail inflated & prevent it from slatting =
around.  That way, when a puff of air comes your way, the spinnaker will =
already be fully inflated & ready to extract every possible foot-pound =
of kinetic energy from the wind.  A collapsed spinnaker is almost =
useless.

FYI, if you are sitting on the windward side & the gusts of wind are =
still making you heel this much, then you should change your strategy =
slightly.  You should be scanning the water out to windward looking for =
the telltale dark patches on the water, ripples on the water, or "cat's =
paws" moving toward you.  These are usually the only visible signs that =
a puff of wind is coming your way.  Very often, these puffs of wind will =
have a slightly different direction than the average breeze.  With =
experience, you will learn to estimate whether the puff's wind direction =
will help or hinder your progress to windward by close inspection of the =
pattern of ripples on the water as it closes in on you.  If the new wind =
direction is more on the bow than the average wind direction, then the =
puff will hinder you & it is called a "header".  If the new wind =
direction is away from the bow, the puff will help you & it is called a =
"lift".  You were close reaching in the photos.  So, assuming you are =
trying to make optimium progress to windward:=20

If the puff is a header:

Just before the puff hits you, the helmsman bears off the wind (steers =
slightly to leeward).  If the puff isn't too strong, then the boat will =
continue close reaching right thru the puff.  After the puff passes by, =
the helmsman, returns to the original steering bearing as the wind =
resumes its average strength & direction.  By making this slight course =
change, the maximum possible kinetic energy is extracted from this puff =
of wind & the boat maintains optimum windward progress.

If the puff is too strong to keep the boat on its feet (It's heeling too =
much), then the mainsail's traveller should be let out. (i.e. Let the =
traveller car slide from the midpoint on the track towards the leeward =
end)  At the same time, the spinnaker sheet should be let out enough to =
keep the mainsail from being backwinded.  After the puff has passed, the =
helmsman returns the boat to its original course & the mainsail & =
spinnaker sheets are trimmed in to suit.

If the puff is a lift:

Just before the puff hits you, the helmsman heads up (steers slightly to =
windward).  If the puff isn't too strong, then the boat will continue =
close reaching right thru the puff.  However, because of the course =
change, the boat is making much better progress to windward than would =
be possible given the average wind speed & direction (Lifts are "good" & =
Headers are "bad").  After the puff passes by and the boat starts to =
slow, the helmsman returns to the original course.  Again, by making =
this slight course change, the maximum possible kinetic energy is =
extracted from the puff of wind.

If the puff is too strong to keep the boat upright, then you have a =
choice with a lift.  You can either head up & let out the traveller & =
spinnaker sheet as before with a strong header.  Or, you can maintain =
your original course & let out the traveller & spinnaker sheets.  In =
this second option, when the lift hits you, the point of sail will =
change from a close reach to a beam reach or perhaps even a broad reach =
if the wind is really flucky.  If the sails are pretrimmed for the new =
point of sail, the boat will instantly accelerate. (WARNING: HIGHLY =
ADDICTIVE!!!)  Quite often, this is the better option in light air.

If you are just out sailing to no place in particular & want to exploit =
the puff to the maximum extent on a light air day:

The fastest point of sail with a spinnaker is a broad reach. (Apparent =
wind coming from behind at an angle over the transom)  So, when you see =
the puff coming, the helmsman should bear off or head up as appropriate =
for the expected new wind direction.  The sails should be trimmed for =
broad reaching just before the puff reaches you .  Quite often, this =
technique will enable the boat to surf for several boat lengths even =
after the puff passes by.  It's good to have ol Mo (the boat's momentum) =
on your side!

The key is to always have the boat on the proper heading with the sails =
pretrimmed before the puff gets to you.  You want to sail in preactive, =
not reactive mode.   =20

Spinnakers are really fun aren't they?

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mark,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As long as the wind isn't so light that =
you are=20
having trouble keeping the cruising spinnaker inflated, you should=20
both&nbsp;stay on the windward side.&nbsp; However, in real light air, =
it helps=20
to have one or more of the crew&nbsp;sit on the leeward side so the boat =
will=20
heel a bit.&nbsp;&nbsp;A slight amount of heeling&nbsp;will allow the =
weight of=20
the spinnaker's sailcloth &amp; sheets&nbsp;to help keep&nbsp;the big=20
headsail&nbsp;inflated &amp; prevent it from slatting around.&nbsp; That =
way,=20
when a puff of air comes your way, the spinnaker will already be fully =
inflated=20
&amp; ready to extract every possible foot-pound of kinetic energy from =
the=20
wind.&nbsp; A collapsed spinnaker is almost useless.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>FYI, if you are sitting on the windward =
side &amp;=20
the gusts of wind are still making you heel this much, then you should =
change=20
your strategy slightly.&nbsp; You should be scanning the water out to =
windward=20
looking for the telltale dark patches on the water, ripples on the =
water, or=20
"cat's paws" moving toward you.&nbsp; These are usually&nbsp;the only =
visible=20
signs that a puff of wind is coming your way.&nbsp; Very often, these =
puffs of=20
wind will have a slightly different direction than the average =
breeze.&nbsp;=20
With experience, you will learn to estimate whether the puff's wind =
direction=20
will help or hinder your progress to windward by close inspection of the =
pattern=20
of ripples on the water as it closes in on you.&nbsp; If the new wind =
direction=20
is more on the bow than the average wind direction, then the puff will =
hinder=20
you &amp; it is called a "header".&nbsp; If the new wind direction is =
away from=20
the bow, the puff will help you &amp; it is called a "lift".&nbsp; You =
were=20
close reaching in the photos.&nbsp; So, assuming you are trying to make =
optimium=20
progress to windward: </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>If the puff is a=20
header:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Just before the puff hits you, the =
helmsman bears=20
off the wind (steers slightly to leeward).&nbsp; If the puff isn't too =
strong,=20
then the boat will continue close reaching right thru the puff.&nbsp; =
After the=20
puff passes by, the helmsman, returns to the original steering bearing =
as the=20
wind resumes its average strength &amp; direction.&nbsp; By making this =
slight=20
course change, the maximum possible kinetic energy is extracted from =
this puff=20
of wind &amp; the boat maintains optimum windward progress.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If the puff is too strong to keep the =
boat on its=20
feet (It's heeling too much), then the mainsail's traveller should be =
let out.=20
(i.e. Let the traveller car slide from the midpoint on the track towards =
the=20
leeward end)&nbsp; At the same time, the&nbsp;spinnaker sheet should be =
let out=20
enough to keep the mainsail from being backwinded.&nbsp; After the puff =
has=20
passed, the helmsman returns the boat to its original course &amp; the =
mainsail=20
&amp; spinnaker sheets are trimmed in to suit.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>If the puff is a=20
lift:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Just before the puff hits you, the =
helmsman heads=20
up (steers slightly to windward).&nbsp; If the puff isn't too strong, =
then the=20
boat will continue close reaching right thru the puff.&nbsp; However, =
because of=20
the course change, the boat is making much better progress to windward =
than=20
would be possible given the average wind speed &amp; direction (Lifts =
are "good"=20
&amp; Headers are "bad").&nbsp; After the puff passes by and the boat =
starts to=20
slow, the helmsman returns to the original course.&nbsp; Again, by =
making this=20
slight course change, the maximum possible kinetic energy is extracted =
from the=20
puff of wind.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If the puff is too strong to keep the =
boat upright,=20
then you have a choice with a lift.&nbsp; You can either head up &amp; =
let out=20
the traveller &amp; spinnaker sheet as before with a strong =
header.&nbsp; Or,=20
you can maintain your original course &amp; let out the traveller &amp;=20
spinnaker sheets.&nbsp; In this second option, when the lift hits you, =
the point=20
of sail will change from a close reach to a beam reach or perhaps even a =
broad=20
reach if the wind is really flucky.&nbsp; If the sails are pretrimmed =
for the=20
new point of sail, the boat will instantly accelerate. (WARNING: HIGHLY=20
ADDICTIVE!!!)&nbsp; Quite often, this is the better option in light=20
air.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>If you are just out sailing to =
no place in=20
particular&nbsp;&amp; want to exploit the puff to the&nbsp;maximum =
extent on a=20
light air day:</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The fastest point of sail with a =
spinnaker is a=20
broad reach. (Apparent wind coming from behind at an angle over the=20
transom)&nbsp; So, when you see the puff coming, the helmsman should =
bear off or=20
head up as appropriate for the expected new wind direction.&nbsp; The =
sails=20
should be trimmed&nbsp;for broad reaching just before the puff reaches=20
you&nbsp;.&nbsp; Quite often, this technique will enable the boat to =
surf for=20
several boat lengths even after the puff passes by.&nbsp; It's good to =
have ol=20
Mo (the boat's momentum) on your side!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The key is to always have the boat on =
the proper=20
heading with the sails pretrimmed before the puff gets to you.&nbsp; You =
want to=20
sail in preactive, not reactive mode.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Spinnakers are really fun aren't =
they?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Roger Pihlaja</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>S/V Dynamic =
Equilibrium</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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