beating two-blocked. then roll tack.

JuanCH

Member
Hi all I was wondering how do you manage this situation: here it goes.

you are on a beat two-blocked (medium winds), you need to tack (roll tack), do you let go some of the sheet fisrt so that the blocks are no longer two blocked? I mean, since you need go two block when you are in the process of roll tacking. I´ve seen guys who go two block just before the sail luffs, then release the sheet to get the extra acceleration you need.
Hope you understand the situation.
Thanks!
 
Stay block to block until you pass head to wind, then ease some sheet as the boat heads towards its new close hauled course. I normally ease it just as I start to cross the boat. Then trim it back in as you flatten the boat.

In medium winds (10-15 knots) I wouldn't ease much sheet at all. Maybe a foot or so. In five knots I would ease maybe three feet.
 
Do you trim block to block in 5kts? (I'm new to lasers so my apologies if this is a dumb question ). I was easing a bit in low breeze.
 
In five knots I would normally have about eight inches between the blocks. I'm quite heavy though, lighter sailors might be getting close to block to block by then. It would be different if you're talking Radials.
 
go do a few hundred tacks and get back to us about what works best for you and why.

I ahve ideas of my own but many things I do might not work for a person half my size...or work better for them..dunno.

go think about all your questions while you do a few hundred tacks and there will be a reason for some discussion.

Note: I ahve gone out and tried to tack for hours on end with sailors whose names you would recognize and probably think are pretty good at lasering.... Generally we find ourselves to be disappointed with teh frequency of those we call "good tacks."

it is not uncommon for yours truly to klutz out a tad and take almost a minute to actually finally complete a tack and get back up to sailing at full speed, aware of my surroundings, and fully ready to attempt a full seed tack.

If I saied 8 hours a day seven days a week I think I could complete over 90% of my tacks with my head out of the boat and my boat set up to instantly tack back..

but I don't and I cannot.
 
Tony's method is the one I'm most familiar with as well.
Just to put a little why next to the how:

As you begin your tack (heading up), you don't want to ease the sheet, that will just make the sail start luffing prematurely. You are trying to keep the air flow attached as long as possible.

The reason for the ease after the sail is crossing the boat (about the same time your body is going the opposite way) is because the apparent wind angle will move aft as the boat slows down, as well as when you bring the boat from a heeled position to the upright position. If you stay trimmed in hard thru this part of the tack, the flow becomes stalled on the sail, which delays getting back up to speed again. (More time spent downspeed = distance lost)

In heavy air, the ease helps you get/keep the boat upright/keeps it from staying healed over as you accelerate. (More heel = distance lost to leeward)
 
This is probably NOT the way to do it:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjDbmDe6PwE&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - ‪Funny sailing video at Delta Lloyd Regatta 2011‬‏[/ame]
 

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