New forum member--what went wrong today?

B

barnmom

Member
Hello. This summer I made a dream come true and bought a new sunfish to sail on Peconic Bay, Long Island. I should tell you that I'm 67 and have scant experience except for light sails on a Maine Lake. I took lessons with two instructors at a sailing school here and think I have the basics down pretty well. I can sail but learning about the nuances of the wind and tides is challenging. Today I went out in 8 mph winds with some gusting and zipped into the bay swiftly. Coming back took an hour though and I hope to understand what went wrong. I was sailing pretty near into the wind so I close hauled and tacked. However the wind pushed me off tacking 8 out of 10 times. It was low tide so I had to pull daggerboard up because I kept on hitting sand. I thought I was going to have to get out and walk boat back in. By the way, it was early in the morning and nobody around except my darling husband who watches from shore to make sure I'm ok. I'm wondering what else I could have done in this circumstance? Also, the daggerboard stop fell off and sank and so did the daggerboard bungee cord. I've ordered new ones but would appreciate any tips. So excited to be part of the forum!
 
Barnmom,

It sounds like you experienced what is called "getting caught in irons." It occurs when you go from one tack to another but don't get through the eye of the wind and get "pushed back" as you described. Here is a proven way to avoid it: Just before you tack, ease the sail a little, turn a little more away from the wind, gain a little more speed and then turn the tiller smartly to make sure you go through the eye of the wind and end up on the new, desired tack. An adverse current may also slow your tack and help to put you in irons.

Don't worry about it. This is probably the #1 challenge for a new sailor.

Alan Glos

p.s. Try to sail at high tide if you have a choice and avoid shallow areas at low tide.
 
To follow up on Alan's comment:

It can be harder to tack for lighter sailors in a stronger wind, because they don't have as much momentum. Waves will also sap your speed.

Here's a cheat if you get stuck in irons:

Just relax and let the sail luff and watch the bubbles/wake beside you. After a little while, you will notice you are being blown backwards. As soon as you notice, take ahold of the tiller and push it away from the wind a bit. Since the controls are now reversed, you will point the bow directly into the wind.

You can sail just fine going backwards slowly, as long as you remember the controls are reversed. Pushing a little harder on the tiller will swing the bow thru the wind. At some point you can tighten up the mainsheet and then you will start heeling, stop going backward and move forward.

Its easier than it sounds, and its better to practice it on a moderate day till you get used to it. Its a generally useful trick in other situations as well.

Its a good idea to go out and just practice manouvers over and over. I like to go out and just do one tack after another to refine it, in different conditions.
 
Try to aim for more of a Broad Reach than Close Haul. Common error for new Sunfish
sailors in not knowing a Lanteen Rig likes a Broad Reach better. When you get into higher
winds with Close Haul you'll find a wind shift can force you onto the opposite and tack
and capsize you. Hazard of a weight shift boat don't you know. It's a bit counterintuitive
that the longer travel length of Broad Reach can get you there quicker than pointing higher
into the wind and going slower. Also try to sail it flat and try not to let the heel-angle become
excessive. After 15 degrees you're just dumping wind.
 
Gregory Matous said:
To follow up on Alan's comment:

It can be harder to tack for lighter sailors in a stronger wind, because they don't have as much momentum. Waves will also sap your speed.

Here's a cheat if you get stuck in irons:

Just relax and let the sail luff and watch the bubbles/wake beside you. After a little while, you will notice you are being blown backwards. As soon as you notice, take ahold of the tiller and push it away from the wind a bit. Since the controls are now reversed, you will point the bow directly into the wind.

You can sail just fine going backwards slowly, as long as you remember the controls are reversed. Pushing a little harder on the tiller will swing the bow thru the wind. At some point you can tighten up the mainsheet and then you will start heeling, stop going backward and move forward.

Its easier than it sounds, and its better to practice it on a moderate day till you get used to it. Its a generally useful trick in other situations as well.

Its a good idea to go out and just practice manouvers over and over. I like to go out and just do one tack after another to refine it, in different conditions.
Click to expand...
This happened to me in July on the old Sunfish-stuck in the irons. Good to know how to back out of it-Thanks.
 
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