Upwind in a chop

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Prindle2

New Member
Last night I was sailing in a chop trying to move upwind. It was probably 2 foot waves pretty steep at a frequency on every two seconds. There was light wind of about 3-5 knots. What would happen is: when I got my speed up pointing I would climb to wave and then smash into the troth (with my 70lbs overweight sunfish). This would significantly slow me down. Then I would be slow over the next three and get my speed up and smash again. The only thing I could figure out was if I healed to windward a little on the peak it would stop a smash most of the time. I tried footing but that kind of made me go faster and smash harder. Moving fore and aft did not seem to make a big difference. What should I have done to get upwind the fastest?

I normally head down at the peaks to reduce this problem. Is this the proper technique when the wave frequency is less? Yesterday the waves were coming much too fast to steer down and up significantly in-between waves.

Matt
 
Someone at work said I could have heeled to leeward (no more than 20 degrees) to increase the wetted surface.

Matt
 
During the Master Midwinters this year in Sarasota we had light winds and big chop. I had problems getting my fish to go through the waves too. I too would like hints on how to get through the chop in light winds. I made a comment to Joe Blouin who won the regatta and he even admitted that the conditions were tough.
 
Just went through the same thing on Lake Ontario. No matter how or where I pointed I couldn't get an efficient or comfortable line. I used to think we were too heavy and the tiller wasn't responsive enough, keeping me from aiming her and avoiding fluffing. Wasn't any fun and i even came in early today.
 
You are right - avoid fluffing at all costs - all that fluff makes a terrible mess in the cockpit and you can never get rid of the stuff.

And you never want to get involved with The Troth - if you don't believe me check out www.thetroth.org - scary people.

As you mentioned - healing is a good thing - but make sure your healer is board certified and that he or she is coverd by your medical insurance.

Hope that helps. By the way, was it a lamp chop or a pork chop?
 
Actually it was a Bruce Lee sort of thing-a Karate chop. I have noticed too that if you keep the filter clean it cuts way down on the fluff and the dryer even works better.
 
Here's what I have found to work for me:

First thing is don't pinch in chop, especially on port tack where the sail is flatter. The fish is usually underpowered and plowing through chop will only rob you of what little power you have. Keep the sheet out a little. If you are hiking, then you don't have to foot AS much.

Second is to make sure your sail is generating as much power as possible. Outhaul should be loose enough to see scallops and cunningham should be off to develop scallops along the luff.

Third, sit at the front edge of the cockpit and allow the boat to heel a little to leeward. With a little heel, the side and bottom chine intersection will be able to cut through the waves a little better than the flat surfboard-like shape of the bow section when sailed flat.

Oversteering in very tight (short period) chop will not do a whole lot as you will slow the boat down trying to wigle the tiller so much. You have to visualize the largest ones and steer around those and then steer through the smaller ones. Once in a while though you have no choice but to slam through a section. Then you have to foot off more to get the boat going ASAP. Remember, slow = stalling foils = sliding.

Good luck
 
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