For me, that someone was Eyeper. I had the very same problems when jibing. Couldn't figure out how to get the main sheet from catching on the transom.Someone told me about this long ago, and since I started doing it, the sheet never sticks on the transom.
For me, that someone was Eyeper. I had the very same problems when jibing. Couldn't figure out how to get the main sheet from catching on the transom.
But then I was watching one of Eyeper's videos and saw what he was doing. And as soon as I started doing what he was, the sheet catching on the transom problem disappeared. Here's that very video where I learned this trick.
Also notice that as he's starting the jibe, he slowly pulls straight up on the main sheet. This reduces some of the slack. Then when he gives the main sheet a little tug as the boom passes overhead, that takes it all out.
Here's video of me imitating the Jibe Master's technique. Below is a screen shot of the moment just before the grab. The boom has started across and I'm about to grab the main sheet just below the block. Notice the tell tales on the window. The wind is blowing from the boom end towards the bow.
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This was the first session that I had ever tried Eyeper's technique. And it was pretty windy as can be seen by my reaching speeds in the video. But the technique worked every time, like a charm.
- Andy
Hi Dennis,Andy, I like where you put your tell tales. I suspect your placement choice stems from being a pilot, too?
Hi Dennis,
Ya, I guess you could say that. I put tell tales all over my new Intensity, just cause I was curious to see what the air was doing on it. But those ones on the window ended up giving me a real benefit in conditions that I didn't expect. That's in really, really, REALLY light wind. As in mirror, glassy water, light wind.
In those conditions, like when I'm sailing through big patches of dead air on my Russian River trips, it's so light you can't really tell where the wind is coming from... unless you wet your finger and hold it up. Also, in those sitting-dead-in-the-water conditions, all the other tell tails are motionless so they are of no use.
So, I pull on just a bit of outhaul to flatten the foil a bit so the air can stay attached easier, heal the boat just a bit to give the sail some belly via gravity then slowly let the main sheet out/in and/or head off/head up then watch the leeward tell tale (the windward one will continue to just hang limp).
Eventually, I'll start to get just a wee bit of flow over the leeward side of the sail and the leeward tell tail will begin to lift. What's cool is, when it's that light, you can put your hand up next to the foot of the windward side of the sail and you really won't feel anything. But if you place your hand in the same spot on the leeward side of the sail, you'll feel the flow.
Then I focus on not moving my body at all to keep from disturbing the delicate flow over the sail and keep the leeward tell tail flowing. And slowly but surely, my apparent will build and as if from out of thin air with no wind, I'll get the boat moving. And all the other tell tails will still be hanging pretty much limp. Funny, huh?
Those on-the-window ones also let me know just as soon as the flow starts to reverse as I transition to by the lee sailing. Again, without having to look up the mast. Oh, and you know how else I can tell that I'm starting to sail by the lee? My Little Hawk apparent wind indicator mounted on the mast starts to spin in circles (from being in the rotor of the mast). Ha!
- Andy
+1 to sailing even if water's cold. I sail all winter here in Ohio until+unless the lakes freeze cuz I love being outside in the middle of the winter like that and it's way cheaper than skiing. Best wind around here is fall winter+ spring. This spring I invested in a drysuit after sailing for years in wetsuits, and layers, etc etc etc, in water down to essentially freezing. I gotta say, I'd have bought the drysuit 15 years ago, if I'd have known how well it works. Game-changer for me here.wearing a wetsuit is worth it...
Do you have one of the Hansen Turbo sails?Oh, heck Cavi... you sail just around the corner from me.
In fact, when I fly cross country in my hang glider, I fly right past Redding and on over the pass to Burney.
I live just west of Santa Rosa.
- Andy
Do you have one of the Hansen Turbo sails?
Hey, Ahab. I spoke with Mike today, and he said he was on his way to ship your Hansen sail!!!