[Public-List] Two days sailing...leaving the helm to make adjustments at the mast.

[Gordon Laco]

Heave?






> On Jun 14, 2018, at 10:31 AM, Zachary Smith via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> The A30 will heave 2 ways:
> 
> 1) Jib backed against opposing tiller.
> 
> 2) Main only, tiller free.
> 
> Using method 2 she'll swing from tack to tack. Go out into a bay, round
> into irons & drop the genny, sit back and drink coffee.
> 
> Zach
> 
> On Thursday, June 14, 2018, Michael Connolly via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
>> Zach & Gord,
>> It was news to me that the A 30 will heave to with only the main hoisted
>> and the tiller free? Is that true? What have other owners experienced? I
>> heave to so I can take down the main at my leisure, sail to the dock and
>> douse the jib with a downhaul. In other words, I have heaved to with only
>> the jib but not only the main. I expected that she would sail around in
>> circles with only the main up and the tiller free. What position is the
>> main only in heave to configuration, boom on centerline? Good to learn of
>> new techniques.
>> I thought that Gord while racing and going up to the mast was also
>> attempting to maintain his desired course while making adjustments at the
>> mast. Gord, is that true, or did you alter to a more stable (balanced)
>> point of sail while going to the mast?
>> 
>> I expect that heaving to for the sailor is like hoisting the AP flag for a
>> PRO.
>> 
>> Thanks for all the tips.
>> Michael
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> 
>> From: "Zachary Smith via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>> 
>> Cc: "Zachary Smith" <zacharysmith.us at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2018 11:50:36 PM
>> Subject: [Public-List] Fwd: Two days sailing...leaving the helm to make
>> adjustments at the mast.
>> 
>> I almost exclusively single hand my boats. The routine for me depends on
>> situation, but here are the common cases:
>> 
>> 1) Marina.
>> Exit marina under aux power. Point into wind, adjust engine speed to push
>> the boat forward at 1-2 knots. Bungee tiller to neutral. Go to mast and
>> hoist. Don't forget to keep an eye on watercraft around you.
>> 
>> 2) Switch Jib/Genoa Underway.
>> Maneuver to reach. Balance the sails. Tiller free. Free the jib sheet. Go
>> forward drop genny/jib. Boat will will round up to to heave. Raise the new
>> jenny/jib. Go back and start turning back onto a reach. The boat may not
>> be
>> on the same tack you left her on at this point. Sheet in the jib/jenny
>> before she makes the reach. You can steer the tiller with your butt while
>> you sheet in.
>> 
>> 3). Holy Crap Situation.
>> Turn the boat into the wind. Let the tiller free. Get that jenny/jib down
>> before she bears off. Now you're heaved and you can address the problem. I
>> use hank-ons for a lot of reasons; if you use a furler you can't run a
>> downhaul on the forestay (or could you? never tried). But I run downhauls
>> on my foresails so I can get them down fast without transiting all the way
>> to the foredeck (safe!).
>> 
>> The thing about the A30 is, with just the main up you can leave the tiller
>> free and she'll heave. This is your primary tool in lieu of a complicated
>> mechanism like a tiller pilot or a wench.
>> 
>> Zach
>> 
>> On Tue, Jun 12, 2018 at 9:28 PM, Michael Connolly <crufone at comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Zach,
>>> By hand downwind? Would you explain?
>>> 
>>> I was suggesting how to safely leave the helm for let's say 30 sec to
>> make
>>> an adjustment at the mast and then head back to the helm. All this with
>> out
>>> any sophisticated gadget on board. For someone who single hands this
>> would
>>> be handy information.
>>> 
>>> Let me add that the sea state is reasonable, wind not too heavy or gusty
>>> and no specific current.
>>> Michael
>>> 
>>> ------------------------------
>>> *From: *"Zachary Smith" <zacharysmith.us at gmail.com>
>>> *To: *"Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <
>>> public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>>> *Cc: *"Michael Connolly" <crufone at comcast.net>
>>> *Sent: *Tuesday, June 12, 2018 10:53:41 PM
>>> *Subject: *Re: [Public-List] Two days sailing...
>>> 
>>> Balance the sails on a reach, jib sheet to tiller hard on, by hand
>>> downwind.
>>> 
>>> Zach
>>> 
>>> On Tuesday, June 12, 2018, Michael Connolly via Public-List <
>>> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Gord,
>>>> Now that I know you don't have a tiller. What simple system would you
>> use
>>>> if you had a tiller? What would be simple and reliable to jaunt up to
>> the
>>>> mast loosen the halyard and jaunt back to the cockpit?
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> 
>>>> From: "Michael Connolly" <crufone at comcast.net>
>>>> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all"
>> <public-list at lists.alberg30.or
>>>> g>
>>>> Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 5:35:47 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Two days sailing...
>>>> 
>>>> Gord,
>>>> What do you use to handle the tiller whilst you go forward to the mast
>> to
>>>> adjust halyards, etc.? Bungee cords? Auto helm? Tiller tamer?
>>>> Michael
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> 
>>>> From: "Gordon Laco via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>>>> To: "public Alberg 30 List -- open to all"
>> <public-list at lists.alberg30.or
>>>> g>
>>>> Cc: "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net>
>>>> Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 9:15:22 AM
>>>> Subject: [Public-List] Two days sailing...
>>>> 
>>>> Hello gang…
>>>> 
>>>> Well I got out on the water both days this past weekend… they were very
>>>> different days sailing…
>>>> 
>>>> On Saturday I had intended to work on my MG, which is undergoing what
>> has
>>>> become a massive rebuild. Well I should say I was going to hold tools
>> and
>>>> watch while my friend did the work, but he had to cancel so I sat here
>>>> wondering what to do with an unexpected day with no obligations… then I
>>>> remembered that Saturday is the day our Club was running its annual
>> Single
>>>> Handed Race. I gulped my coffee and made it to the club just as the
>>>> skipper’s meeting was ending, and got my name on the list. When asked
>> if I
>>>> was wanted to be rated flying sails or white sails, I first said ‘naw,
>>>> white sails only, I don’t feel very energetic.’
>>>> 
>>>> Then I looked out the clubhouse windows at the glassy water, slack
>> flags
>>>> and masthead wind indicators pointing all different directions and
>> thought
>>>> about the misery of the downwind leg back from Flat Point… and said
>> ‘Oh,
>>>> can I change that… flying sails please’. They changed it.
>>>> 
>>>> As usual for a weekend race, the fleet was much diminished, being
>>>> composed of myself in SURPRISE, two Express 30’s, a CS27, three Sharks,
>> the
>>>> deadly fast VOODOO DANCER, a well sailed Viking 28, and my friend and
>> arch
>>>> rival Matt in his Pearson 27. Matt and I chatted bit on the wharf
>> catching
>>>> up… but suddenly I saw the committee boat shooting out of the club…
>> crap,
>>>> we’re late, better get out there for the start.
>>>> 
>>>> So out SURPRISE and I hummed, when out at Midland Shoal buoy I shut
>> down
>>>> the mill and hoisted sail. Looking back over my shoulder I saw Matt in
>>>> SUNDANCER hoisting sail right at the club’s breakwater… hmmm, he’s got
>> a
>>>> long way to beat to get to the start, I thought, and joined in the to
>> and
>>>> fro swinging. Before the start.
>>>> 
>>>> No sooner had I got into the fray but the air started filling in. East
>>>> with a bit of north in it… could this be? Yup… Like a slow motion movie
>>>> being sped up to normal speed, all the yachts began showing bow waves,
>> then
>>>> heeling over as the breeze built. The five minute horn went, I caught
>> it on
>>>> my stopwatch… down came the sequence and as the last seconds counted
>> down
>>>> here comes the herd all on starboard tack jostling each other up to the
>>>> line. Were was I? On port tack of course, reaching along at 5 knots. I
>> let
>>>> them all cross our bow and the line… then hardened up my sheets and
>> crossed
>>>> alone in clear air at speed. The rest of the fleet all ran a few
>> hundred
>>>> meters on starboard then one after the other tacked onto port and
>> started
>>>> down the course.
>>>> 
>>>> I should describe the course… the Single Handed is a ‘distance race’,
>>>> normally running east to Flat Point off Port McNichol, then north and a
>> bit
>>>> west up to Ross Shoal, then back round Midland Point to a finish off
>> the
>>>> Club’s breakwater. Because the air looked so light, the course was
>>>> shortened to just Flat Point and back…. and it was looking like I could
>> lay
>>>> it in one long close reach. Could this be? Oh yes.
>>>> 
>>>> The wind steadily built, and backed a little more to the north so after
>>>> the first fifteen minutes we found ourselves bounding along at 6.4
>> knots
>>>> with sheets cracked a little, heeling about fifteen degrees… in first
>>>> place.
>>>> 
>>>> Several miles later, I knew we were nearing the red pin off Flat Point,
>>>> but as usual I couldn’t see it against the trees behind it. I swear
>> it’s
>>>> one of those pins that is mischievously moved by the CCG just to annoy
>>>> people trying to find it… then I saw it… a few degrees to leeward. The
>>>> leaders of the pack were now about even with me but several hundreds of
>>>> yards to windward… and clearly they hadn’t seen it yet and were still
>>>> sailing the higher course. They were VOODOO DANCER and two of the
>> Sharks.
>>>> haha.
>>>> 
>>>> Then the air got softer, SURPRISE slowed dramatically to 4.1 knots. I
>>>> dashed up to the mast and eased my halyards, eased the outhaul, then
>> jumped
>>>> back to the tiller. As I returned I saw my foes had finally seen the
>> mark
>>>> and were coming down, carrying a renewed breeze with them…. They got by
>> me,
>>>> one of the Sharks blanketing me a bit but we all rounded together…
>>>> SURPRISE’s bow nearly overhanging VOODOO’s transom. One of the Sharks,
>>>> VOODOO and SURPRISE started back to Midland… the new breeze making the
>>>> return again a close reach. At first the Shark and VOODOO stayed in
>> close
>>>> company… but as the wind built again I could not only keep up but felt
>> like
>>>> overtaking. The Shark took a shot upwind with tight sheets…. I was in
>> about
>>>> a boat length behind VOODOO. I could see him continually glancing at
>> me… I
>>>> guess he could hear my bow wave and this was annoying him. I feigned a
>> shot
>>>> to windward myself as it I were going to try to drive over him but as
>> soon
>>>> as I saw him tightening his sheets to climb himself in order to block
>> me, I
>>>> eased sheets and dove to leeward. VOODOO didn’t look back for a fatal
>> four
>>>> or five minutes during which I got far enough to leeward that I could
>> drive
>>>> through below him out of his wind shadow… and got by.
>>>> 
>>>> By this time VOODOO was far enough up that he was feeling the nearness
>> of
>>>> the Shark, and for the rest of the race the two of them jostled each
>> other,
>>>> the Shark trying to get by, VOODOO trying to defend his lead. I left
>> them
>>>> to it, and concentrated on getting the most out of the building air. I
>> was
>>>> up to the mast and back several times tuning for the increasing breeze
>> that
>>>> was romping us along at 6.1 knots. We passed Midland Shoal buoy, one
>> mile
>>>> from the finish… when VOODOO saw that we were going to beat him to the
>>>> finish. He finally stopped fighting with the Shark and eased sheets a
>>>> little in order to use his windward position to come down and catch us.
>> It
>>>> didn’t happen.
>>>> 
>>>> So SURPRISE, a full keeled yacht heavily laden with cruising gear that
>> I
>>>> can’t be bothered to unload despite the fact that we race every week…
>> won
>>>> on real time, then was catapulted ahead by our PHRF rating. What a
>> great
>>>> race. I think what saved us was the fact that the shortened course
>> didn’t
>>>> have any hard beating to windward, just close reaching both ways which
>> of
>>>> course is our best point of sail. Wahoo.
>>>> 
>>>> But what happened to Matt in SUNDANCER? He was very late to the start…
>> so
>>>> didn’t do the race. I don’t know what happened to him, but hope nothing
>>>> broke.
>>>> 
>>>> Sunday, I went for a sail out of Toronto with my good friend Janice in
>>>> her A30 LITTLE WINGS. Down in the city it was blowing 20 - 25kts or so,
>>>> whipping white caps in the harbour and sending Albacore dinghies
>> planing
>>>> back and forth as we took the tender over to the island. We tucked a
>> reef
>>>> in the main, but ended up sailing under genny alone all day and that
>> was
>>>> plenty of sail for a pleasure jaunt. Out past the East Headland, the
>> east
>>>> wind was sending waves down the length of Lake Ontario, so the waves
>> were
>>>> nice mature 5-6 footers with an occasional breaking crest. We bounded
>> away
>>>> south for a while, then tacked and bounded back to the city. Wonderful
>>>> sailing in really exhilarating conditions.
>>>> 
>>>> A fellow in a trimaran paced the racers on Saturday and took a series
>> of
>>>> nice photographs of some of the boats in the Single Handed Race on
>> Saturday
>>>> (two of the Sharks, the CS27, an Express 30 and ourselves) I’ll forward
>>>> them if anyone wants to see them.
>>>> 
>>>> Nice weekend.
>>>> 
>>>> Gordon Laco
>>>> www.gordonlaco.com
>>>> #426 Surprise
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
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