Sail-raising (and lowering) techniques

Discussions about Cape Dory, Intrepid and Robinhood sailboats and how we use them. Got questions? Have answers? Provide them here.

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Didereaux
Posts: 492
Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:29
Location: last owner of CD-25 #183 "Spring Gail"

the main sheet has to be...

Post by Didereaux »

When running a line from the boom to the tiller the mainsheet must be free. This allows the mainsail to self steer the boat when it is raised. It will hold even a typhoon directly into the wind.

Remember when using the boom to tiller arrangement that the motor must be in gear and you are maintaining steerage way.
Didereaux- San Leon, TX
last owner of CD-25 #183 "Spring Gail"
"I do not attempt to make leopards change their spots...after I have skinned them, they are free to grow 'em back or not, as they see fit!" Didereaux 2007
tim
Posts: 7
Joined: Jul 20th, '06, 12:29
Location: Typhoon weekender

Re: Motoring into the wind

Post by tim »

[quote="Oswego John"]Russell and all,
I think that the next project will be to devise a way to raise the mains'l from the cockpit, also. Any ideas?

Try ,,, standing in the companion way with your feet on the quarterbirths ...... it give you access access to the mast, the hallards and you dont have to go forward. The only time i have to go forward when hoisting my TY sails is to un bungie the jib from its pre stages position on deck. One thing one might also want ot address is the problem of how you will get back on board if you ever end up in the drink......clipping on is great ,, but unless you have a good game plan to reboard the clipping on is only half the battle...... tim
Boyd
Posts: 403
Joined: May 9th, '05, 10:23
Location: CD 30 MkII

Follow up.

Post by Boyd »

Hi All:

Good discussion and comments. Yes I use roller furling so its a bit simpler because of that. However Randy brings up a good point. Most CD's should heave to with bare poles. The windage provided by the topsides is usually adequite. This would allow you to hank on the head sail and hoist it with slack sheets. You can then go back to the cockpit and tighten the sheets change course and heave to with just the jib. From there you can hoist the main. A bit more trouble. Having lines lead back to the cockpit and the sail tied to the stancions with bungies would make this really easy.

As far as the motor. I keep it idling and in NEUTRAL during this entire process. Should I have to dodge a errant power boat who doesnt know squat, or anchored fishing boat, I am prepared. Keeping watch during this process is critical as almost nobody in this part of Fla knows the rules.

The best part is when a power boater comes by and says "You know your sail is backwards?" Makes my day.

I learn something every time I sail.

Boyd
s/v TERN
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
tim
Posts: 7
Joined: Jul 20th, '06, 12:29
Location: Typhoon weekender

Post by tim »

I find it far easier to hank on the head sail while still on my hook,, have the sheets all routed either through the genoa cars or the eyes on the cabin in my TY. I figure the farther along you have the proceess prior to actually hoisting the sails the better. I dont have a main sail cover that really fits the boat ,, so i just keep the main in its sail bag. I also do what i call pre load the main ,,, all the lugs in the track and the outhaul tied and set. I leave the boom hooked to the backstay with the main bungeed in several spots...... Its a simple matter of heading up into the wind ,, killing the kicker .. going forward ,, remove the head sail bungees and hoisting the jib ,,,, it only takes a few seconds... then set up a hove to situation with the backed jib .... then go to work on getting the main up ,,, removing the bungee cords as i progress ....as has been said the jib pretty well blanks out the main so the process goes pretty easy and fast.

The TY is what you could call my first bigger type boat. THe majority of my sailing experience has been on snipes, force 5s, butterflys and hobies.. I started sailing very young ,, but all inland lake stuff ... The situations you get into on the small boats are alot different than the TY ...... typically your screw ups on the inland lake boats all end up with you in the water and the boat if you are lucky still on its side .... turtled was not un common.

The TY is a pretty tame boat from a sailing standpoint as in sail to wt ratio.... but it has provided a whole new set of skills that you dont need with what i call beach rigged boats...... getting the sails up being one of them. I discovered the hove too thing off this board on another thread ,,,, it looked like it would work well for hoisting the sails... and yes my TY will hove to on the bare mast as well. tim
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rtbates
Posts: 1149
Joined: Aug 18th, '05, 14:09
Location: 1984 25D #161

Boyd & heaving to

Post by rtbates »

You wrote
The best part is when a power boater comes by and says "You know your sail is backwards?" Makes my day.
I've had numerous sailors alter course and come close by to ask if I need any help as I sit in the cockpit eating lunch while hove to. I tell them," thanks, but no, I'm hove to". They tend to give me a puzzled look as they sail on. Power boaters just point and laugh.
Randy 25D Seraph #161
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