[Rhodes22-list] How to Handle Gusty Winds

[Brad Haslett]

David,

Isn't the magic number 31 knots?

Brad

On 4/21/07, David Culp <daculp at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> John:
>
> I am no expert, relatively new to the boat and had the same experiences as
> you in the beginning learning how the boat behaves.  Stan has a very good
> discussion in the owner's manual concerning light vs. heavy air which you
> may have already read but you might want to go over it again.   He also
> recommends 10 knots max wind until you get some experience in the boat.
> That's very good advice since I'm sure he knew we would all go right out
> and
> roll out all the sails on the first day.  As you said "all hell can break
> loose" in short order with the lapper hanging out; been there and done it.
> At any rate, what happened to you was a good experience to have not
> withstanding your wife being tossed around.  The reason I say that is that
> the rail was in the water, but remember... you weren't.  This means that
> unless things are really bad, you can worry a little less about going for
> a
> swim and concentrate more on watching the changing conditions around you
> which others have pointed out and either plan ahead and/or react more
> quickly.  The Rhodes tends to heel faster then I was used to on my
> previous
> boat, but once I experienced how stiff she'll get once over, now I'm more
> proactive then reactive with far better results.  In other words, a little
> less apprehension and standing on the opposite coaming can be fun once you
> get a little experience in the boat and confidence in your abilities
> handling it; because the design of this boat will protect you from most
> acts
> of stupidity.  I know because I'm guilty of putting on too much sail from
> time to time and other things.
>
> My advice to you is to at least get jiffy reefing installed on your main
> as
> soon as possible (with lazy jacks even better) and forget roller reefing
> unless you roll it up before you leave the dock.  I had the same system on
> a
> previous boat and it is really tough to roll it up once you are out in the
> wind and need to.  It is somewhat easier to drop the main and jiffy reef
> but
> that still doesn't beat reefing to begin with.  Remember, if somebody
> forecasts 0 to 20 knots with your roller setup,  then unfortunately, you
> have to plan on 20 and reef accordingly in the beginning.  You can always
> let it out if you are confident based on the conditions you actually see
> that the forecast was way off.  Also, if there is a way to use a boom-vang
> with roller reefing, I would like to hear about it.  Jiffy reefing makes a
> vang possible.  If you have a vang and can tighten down a smaller sail,
> the
> results will be better.  Also jib cars on the inside tracks and back to
> take
> the draft out of the jib helps.  Positioning the traveler properly helps
> too, I tend to be lazy and tie it up centered most of the time but it is
> another good tool in the kit.
>
> My method in 20 kts steady or gusty single-handed is about 1/2 main on the
> IMF, lowered boom and a working jib only (inside the main mast) enough to
> balance the rig if possible-no matter how tempted I am to let it out in
> the
> lulls.  It's conservative but heck, the boat is still plenty fast with
> those
> sails in that rate of wind and I'm not out to prove anything, just here to
> have fun.  If you have a deck hand, you can make quick changes but with no
> help, better to be planning for the worst.  I keep the centerboard up, the
> traveler free to tighten the main on some points as necessary since I have
> no vang and try to sail as flat as possible.   If the wind quits and I
> just
> have to be somewhere, then I use the motor otherwise... it's Miller time
> or
> Mt. Gay time.   A forecast above 20 knots, I don't go because that
> probably
> means 25 or worse.  I single-hand mostly and I just don't believe I should
> be out without any other live ballast or deck hands in that kind of wind.
> In high wind, things can happen fast and go wrong faster.  Nice to have
> another experienced hand to handle the jib, go forward and untangle
> something which invariably will tangle (don't forget Murphy) or to handle
> the tiller and/or motor while I go forward.  Asking my wife to go forward
> on
> a heeled or pitching deck or taking over the tiller in my absence ain't
> going to happen.   I haven't had the opportunity to put a lot of ballast
> on
> the boat yet.  I am betting that if you put 3 experienced people on the
> rails with you that the boat is safely capable of much more then I should
> try by myself.  The more experienced Rhodies can address that and I would
> like to know as well.  This is a good time of year to talk about wind
> techniques as some of us are not as experienced as others or been sailing
> the Rhodes for that long a time.  I told you what I do, I'm not saying
> it's
> best, but so far the results speak for themselves... The rails have been
> wet
> on occasion, but I haven't been and I haven't shipped any water in the
> cockpit yet.
>
> Have fun!
>
> David Culp
>
>
>
> From: John Lock <jlock at relevantarts.com>
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] How to handle gusty winds?
> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> Message-ID: <200704201824.l3KIO8mk059089 at relevantarts.com>
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>
> Hi folks,
>
> Had another (mostly) good sail in Pandion yesterday.  Weather report
> said winds would be NW at 10-20.  What I experienced was more like
> 0-20.  At this stage in my learning experience I found it very
> difficult to judge how much sail to have up.  The wind speed varied
> so widely and quickly, that I got caught at one end of the extreme or
> the other at various times.
>
> At first the wind was very light, so I pulled out most of the
> genoa.  The main was always fully set because I haven't mastered
> roller reefing it yet.  As the wind picked up everything would work
> quite nicely.  My course put me on a close- or beam-reach depending
> on what direction the wind was coming from.  Got zipping along at
> 6.2kts at one point.  A new record for us!  :-)
>
> Then the wind would suddenly gust into the 15-20 range and all hell
> broke loose.  We heeled over hard putting the rail in the
> water.  Stuff was flying everywhere (including my wife, who did not
> wish to be flying anywhere).  I thought we were going to lay it right
> down on the side, but I managed to let the main sheet go and the gust
> passed as quickly as it had arrived.
>
> Whew!  We sorted things out and got back on course.  I left the main
> hanging out wide just to catch less air.  Pulled the genoa back to
> about 1/3 and got things back under control.  Then the wind died to
> less than 5.  Barely a puff.  <sigh> Our speed reduce to about
> 0.5.  Crap, not even enough to maintain my heading.
>
> So, I pulled the genoa back out most of the way and started trimming
> the main back in until the wind decided to pick up again in a few
> minutes.  Got nicely under way again for a little while until I could
> see/feel another gust coming.  This time I just released the main
> sheet quickly and let it go.  We still grabbed a lot of air in the
> genoa and heeled over pretty hard again, but more in control this
> time and with less hysterics.
>
> And of course, the breeze died away again after that gust and we were
> back to just floating.
>
> Needless to say this was getting frustrating.  We were either
> becalmed or bepanicked!  So... how does one cope with winds that
> variable?  Especially you Hartwell sailors, you're probably
> experiencing much the same thing right now.
>
> Cheers!
>
> John Lock
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> s/v Pandion - '79 Rhodes 22
> Lake Sinclair, GA
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