Downwind cruising is easy id done right. Downwind cruising can offer some of the most relaxing sailing of the season. Just ease the mainsheet, pole out the genoa, give autopilot and let the miles tick away as a cooling breeze rolls across the boat.
You might start thinking, if progress is a little slow. There are several questions that might come such as:
There are some ways to find it out.
Each boat would have a different downwind rig and sail in the similar wind on a similar day to settle the issue. The criteria used to select the optimum downwind rig were speed, comfort, and hassle.
The plan was to check the wind direction on a relevant day and set a particular distant waypoint dead downwind. The boats would have to start in a line, and the distance to waypoint has to be noted. After sailing downwind for a set amount of period, the distance to waypoint has to be noted again to measure that how far down the track the boats had got.
One of the easiest ways is to note start position, finish position, and any course changes, and simply sail downwind until the answer becomes obvious.
You might start thinking, if progress is a little slow. There are several questions that might come such as:
- Whether you will be better off digging the spinnaker out of its home in the forepeak?
- Would the bothersome cat’s cradle in putting it up and the tricky business of gybing, pay off in time saved?
- Or rolling might make life too uncomfortable?
- Perhaps you have a cruising chute?
- Would sailing with the angles downwind be quicker than a spinnaker running dead downwind, even if it does involve more activity?
- If you stick with your poled-out genoa, how much longer, if at all, will the trip take?
Each boat would have a different downwind rig and sail in the similar wind on a similar day to settle the issue. The criteria used to select the optimum downwind rig were speed, comfort, and hassle.
The plan was to check the wind direction on a relevant day and set a particular distant waypoint dead downwind. The boats would have to start in a line, and the distance to waypoint has to be noted. After sailing downwind for a set amount of period, the distance to waypoint has to be noted again to measure that how far down the track the boats had got.
One of the easiest ways is to note start position, finish position, and any course changes, and simply sail downwind until the answer becomes obvious.
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How to avoid the spinnaker death roll
You can reduce roll but, just release the spinnaker halyard if you find yourself in this situation
The main problem of sailing downwind in a breeze is rolling. It may start mildly but within seconds you can be rolling from far away and a moment later she rolls too far, the rudder might lose grip and the boat will lay down beam on under a tattoo of angry nylon.
There are a few key ingredients to rolling
- Conditions have to be gusty, and there’ll likely be too much wind
- Waves are probably a concerning factor too
- too much twist in the main can generate a side force at the top of the mast that can begin the roll
- As the boat rolls, the spinnaker rolls from side to side and its center of effort moves much further outboard, aggravating the situation.
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- You can control the situation by using a lot of effort to flatten the mainsail’s leech
- Top stop the spinnaker rolling, ease the pole forward touch. It will move its center of effort closer the center-line
- After that strap it down by lowering the pole and hauling the tweakers down to deck level, effectively moving the spinnaker sheet’s ‘car’ position forward.Without a doubt, a pre-rigged tack release line should defuse the situation quickly sail
Champion Yachts,
Marina Plaza,
Suite # 2906, 81 I,
Dubai Marina,
Dubai, UAE
+971 58 580 1481
info@championyachts.ae
www.championyachts.ae
Marina Plaza,
Suite # 2906, 81 I,
Dubai Marina,
Dubai, UAE
+971 58 580 1481
info@championyachts.ae
www.championyachts.ae
