[Rhodes22-list] Sailing Backwards

[Chris Geankoplis]

A word of caution on backwards sailing, something I'v done and it does work
well.  In heavy winds with a relative light boat  you can get a lot of
headway and if you flip the tiller too fast you can loose the whole rudder!
Not something you want to do in 35kn winds.  So be careful with this
maneuver!
Chris G.
Oregon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William E. Wickman" <wewickman at duke-energy.com>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Sailing Backwards


>
> 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            |
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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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