Single handed tacking

I'm a newby as well but I find it helps to i turn on my motor and have it ticking over with the auto pilot on, adjust the setting so she just passes through the eye of the wind, back the jib before fully letting go of the sheet, then take up the new sheet around the winch by hand first then wind up with the winch handle. Usually if my wife is on the tiller i don't need to use the motor but do when the wind is up and I'm single handed sailing.

..............now I don't like admitting it but early on this summer i made a big mistake that was a good learning opportunity and will probably be a source of great entertainment for most here.......... we where sailing in 25 knots full sail up and did a tack...all well but then the wind was gusting 30 to 35 and we where feeling a bit uncomfortable so we decided to drop the sails. My wife hoped on the tiller with instructions to point into the wind but not let her pass through the eye. I valiantly jumped on deck to take the headsail down. The boat slowed and the genoa backed and we where quickly out of control with the boat on a good lean!!!
I rushed back, started the motor and steered back through the wind giving plenty of revs as we where sliding sideways. Once through the eye, the auto pilot was engaged and it was easy to get the sails down. We spent the next 10 min discussing what went wrong before i realised that of course, heading into the wind we would slow down and loose rudder control, the boat would drift sideways and all hell would break loose!! I had to apologise to my wife for not having the motor on to assist or give instructions to keep sailing forward. I suppose yachts without a motor keep sailing into the wind at a tight angle to maintain forward motion while dropping the headsail, then drop the main on the mooring.
........now I'm fully expecting and hoping someone will tell how to do the job properly because I don't want to give bad advise.

If your wife can steer, I would do it like this.

Let's assume you are tacking from port to starboard;
- Leave 3 turns on the stb genoa sheet winch, pass the tail to your wife (she should be able to hang on with 3 turns) and make sure the tail is free to run and the winch handle is out
- You load up the port winch with 3 turns only, I would start with the winch handle in if it's locking. Tighten the new sheet as much as possible
- Pick a spot on the horizon or compass course that is about 10deg below 'hard on the breeze' on the other tack' and tell your wife that's where she will end up pointing the boat too.
- Start the turn and when half the genoa is back winded your wife releases the sheet, ideally flicking the turns off the winch
- Meanwhile you pull like crazy, ideally if you time things right there won't be too much slack to pull in. Wind the last bit in, put another turn on the winch if needed. Practice putting another turn on the winch with load on it and the handle in, it's a good skill to learn.

Also worth noting, keep in mind bum and foot cleats are bad in this situation. Be mindful of where your bum and feet are in relation to the old sheet and if you feel a tug, lift up quick!!

Hi Sam, like everything we on a boat, planning and preparation is the key.
Here are some ideas:
1. While beating note the direction the boat is travelling, then practice visualizing an imaginary line at right angle to the center line of the boat (Extend the bulkhead line at the companionway or the stern of the boat, whatever is easier) take note where it is pointing on the windward side, this will be roughly the new direction of travel after the tack. Pick a visual mark on that line, this where you will point after the tack.

2. Practice giving instructions (even to yourself) by saying "Ready to Tack" or "Ready About". This is a reminder to make sure the cockpit is clear and all sheets are ready to release and can be pulled in. Move obstacles out of the way.

3. When ready to tack, again give instructions "Tacking" or "Going About". don't worry how it sounds it really works, even the pros do it. Now just concentrate on the new direction established 1. above, and concentrate on the sheets running correctly.

4. Don't rush, turn the boat positively through the wind, releasing the holding sheet and take up pressure on the new sheet, continue the turn pulling on the sheet trying to minimise flapping of the jib, move smartly and positively.

5. Try not to turn beyond the imaginary line established in 1, above. and secure the sheet.

As the boat settles on the new tack adjust the sheet to the correct tension.

The main will have looked after itself.

Here is an example of solo tacking in confined channel with a strong breeze on the nose.


Hope this is of some help.

When I am sailing upwind I don't touch the main sheet when tacking

If they are long tacks I sometimes ajust the main sheet or traveller after the tack is completed to get the best out of the main but otherwise I leave it alone

As others have said I put the tiller between my knees to go about and that leaves 2 hands free to release and trim in the headsail sheets

The other thing you can do Is fit a auto helm with a tack function and let it handle the tiller while you deal with the sheets

If I am sailing with my wife I get her to helm through the tack while I deal with the headsail and tell her to head for something 90 degrees to our present course

The main thing I do is make sure the sheets are not caught around anything (normally the throttle lever) before letting them go

A self tacking headsail would be handy but my no 1 and 2 both overlap so this would not work

Regards Don

this is a good exercise in concise writing . please give me a mark out of ten samsturdy ...............

the following assumes your wife has a seat on each side at the stern of the cockpit , up higher than the tiller , as alot of boats that size do ..


1 inform your wife that you will be tacking soon

2 load the windward winch with 2 or 3 wraps depending on wind strength . put the winch handle on.

3 make sure no winch handle is on leeward winch [ this why only one winch handle should be used ] .

4 take sheet off leeward cleat and hold .

5 ask your wife if she is ready to go about ? .

6 if the answer is yes , steer the boat through the wind , as head-sail starts to back-wind release the now windward sheet very quickly , and pull

in the now leeward sheet in even quicker . at this point you may like to teach your wife or your ass to hang on to the tiller . cleat the sheet .

7 sail the boat .

The best way for an inexperienced sailor is to buy an Auto pilot with a self tacking mode and use that, then you can tack the jib as per normal and not have to worry about the boat sailing all over the ocean. An auto pilot is a great piece of kit to have anyway but don't skimp, buy quality and over size the pilot for the boat. When sailing a boat single handed there are a lot of times the boat will be required to be steered while you have to do other chores eg. Get a beer from the fridge, so an auto pilot is a great investment .

So samsturdy I think your best bet is to practice a lot. I'd go in light winds. You'll get it down in no time and will become so efficient that you'll do it in your sleep. In heavier winds timing is crucial for a successful tack. You don't wanna be wrestling crocodiles. when I first go out for a sail, the first few tacks require me to mentally plan in my head exactly what I'm gonna do, then execute that plan.

SSand you might be better off letting Cisco proof read your post before posting

I kind of hope he was taking just taking the piss and trying to be funny/clever.

HG,
The block C on your sketch needs to be on the centreline of the boat so that the sheet length does not change in a tack. You can see how Hanse take theirs up to a high point on the mast. Alternatively you can lead the sheet foreward to a block near the bow, before turning it back to the cockpit.