[Rhodes22-list] Sailing Backwards

[Bill Effros]

Bill,

I've tried it.  Couldn't make it work.  The limit on being able to sail 
the Rhodes in any direction you select is somewhere between 30-35 kts. 
of wind.  At that point the side of the boat picks up so much wind that 
there are directions you just can't go.  With that much wind everything 
happens fast.  If you heave-to you will have trouble holding the boat 
speed under 3 kts--which means you are on a lee shore much sooner than 
you expected.  The boat will also easily plane, and you can do 7-9 kts 
in many directions.  Where I sail, on Long Island Sound, which has a 
strong current that changes direction every 6 hours, the wind can 
produce very choppy seas.  I generally head back for my mooring when the 
wind is in the true 30-35kt range.  It's not a time for fooling around.

Bill Effros

William E. Wickman wrote:

>Bill,
>Good ideas.  I used to own a Hobie Cat and the only way to tack it in any
>wind was to backwind the jib.  The backwards sailing is a good idea too.
>It seems like doing a combination of backwinding to push the boat backwards
>(probably with the mainsail) and steering backwards might be enough to even
>overcome 35 kt. wind; that is, if the waves were not too bad.  Has anyone
>tried this?
>
>And to Rummy...if I had started drinking rum when it was blowing 35 my wife
>would have divorced me. :)
>
>Bill W.
>
>
>
>
>|---------+---------------------------------->
>|         |           Bill Effros            |
>|         |           <bill at effros.com>      |
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>  |       To:       The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>                                                         |
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>  |       Subject:  [Rhodes22-list] Sailing Backwards                                                                            |
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>
>
>
>
>Bill,
>
>Another great tacking technique is sailing backwards.
>
>If you almost cross the wind, but don't quite make it, instead of
>reversing everything you've done, hold your ground as the wind starts to
>push you backwards.  Steer with the tiller to keep your bow pointed into
>the wind until you build some backward momentum.  Remember, everything
>on the tiller now works backwards, too -- a great mental challenge.
>When you've got some weigh on, sharply turn the tiller so that the bow
>is forced to cross the wind.  Then reset the sails, shift into forward,
>and sail off.
>
>It's really neat, and you can hear people on other boats saying "how'd
>he do that?"
>
>Practice in 10-15 kt. winds.  You need enough wind so you can be pushed
>backwards.
>
>Bill Effros
>
>William E. Wickman wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I was out on Ft. Loudon lake yesterday and it was wild.  Wind was blowing
>>15-20 with gusts near 30.  I was furled to storm sized jib and just a
>>    
>>
>small
>  
>
>>triangle for the main and still got slammed by the gusts.  I was amazed
>>that the boat  heeled even while I was motoring back to my slip with no
>>sails at all!
>>
>>I had trouble tacking in this wind so here is a question for the group.
>>What is the best strategy for tacking in high winds when you are reefed to
>>the max?  I know that you need good boat speed, but even then the boat
>>    
>>
>just
>  
>
>>seemed to stall out.
>>
>>Bill W.
>>--------------------------
>>
>>
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>>
>>    
>>
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