Tacking faster

[PeterPurple]

I'm must be doing something wrong when tacking. I was sailing in 15-20 knots yesterday and for some reason, the boat (sometimes) remains still (and flat) for 1 or 2 seconds once on the new reach. Also when this happened the acceleration on the new tack was very slow? Could my outhaul have been too tight? Is it possible for the outhaul to be too tight in this kind of wind?

Note: Waves were around 3-4 feet.

 

[macwas16]

You could try roll tacking your boat. This will enable your tacks to be smoother and with much greater acceleration once on the new tack. Your outhaul is probobly not on too tight. In those winds, described by Dick Tillman in The Complete Book of Laser Sailing as heavy wind, your outhaul should be as tight as it can go.

 

[49208]

Roll tacking in 15-20 with big waves - not for the inexpierenced ! I think the avg sailor stops roll tacking in those conditions too, it's best left to the folks with very fast reflexes who can throw themselves out into a full hike off one leg. I've watched Marc Jacobi do it, he does it well, others I have watched end up sliding to leeward because they don't get the boat flat quick enough.... You can make up for the lack of roll by turning faster with a little more rudder.

PP - are you easing/dumping your main sheet out during the tack (once the bow is head to wind) - you need to release about 2', so the bow is able to turn down onto the new tack. You also need to be looking for the smoothest section of water, tacking right into a big set of waves will get you into the situation you are talking about.