Gusty winds have crept up on you like a thief in the night...
you have to fight the helm to hold a course...
both hands--white-knuckled--grasp the wheel or tiller...
as gust after gust buries the lee rail beneath the waves...
you need to get her under control--without reefing!
What now, skipper?
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How many times have you been caught short-handed? You are right on the edge of needing to reef, but need a quick fix for right now. Follow these five easy steps to get things under control quick and easy!
1. Pinch up in a gust
Luff up a few degrees into the wind each time a gust hits. This becomes more important if your sailing crew needs to work on the foredeck. Watch the mainsail and allow the forward third of the sail to flutter. This levels the boat and keeps it driving without going into irons.
2. Push the mainsheet car downwind
Move the mainsheet car all the way to the end of the traveler track to open the slot between the mainsail and headsail. This reduces heeling, lightens the helm, and provides good power to punch through a chop.
3. Slack the mainsheet
What works in sailing dinghies works well in cruising sailboats too! If your boat still heels too much, ease the mainsheet a few inches. This puts twist into the upper half of the sail, spills high-octane winds up high, and keeps the boat on her feet.
4. Adjust headsail blocks and sheets
Move each sheet block aft to flatten the upper half of the sail. If you are still heeling too much, ease the sheet an inch or two to get your boat back on her feet. On roller furling headsails, you will need to move the blocks forward to keep leech flutter under control.
5. Heave-to before sail reefing
Did you know that you can make sail reefing easier by heaving-to (see below)? This lowers the stress on your boat sails, sailing rigging--and your sailing crew's nerves! Set the helm and mainsheet so that the boat luffs up and falls off. Now you can take in the reef without pitching, heeling, or blinding spray.
Do You Know How Your Boat Heaves-to?
Learn how your sailboat heaves-to. This centuries old skill stops the forward momentum of a boat, levels the platform, and allows sailors to rest. Follow these three basic steps (see the related article for more advanced heaving-to tactics).
1. Sail onto a close hauled course. Tack the boat but do not release the sheets. Allow the headsail to backwind.
2. Push a tiller downwind and lash it down. Turn a wheel upwind and lash it in place.
3. Fine tune the helm and mainsheet so that the boat attempts to round up, but the back-winded headsail pushes it away from the wind. You want your boat to drift with the wind near the beam.
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Keep the leeward rail clear of the water to reduce drag and weather helm. This will give you better speed and balance and your boat will be easier to steer in any weather.
As a sailing skipper you need to know special techniques that you can use when caught short-handed in a blow. Put these methods into effect today to keep your small cruising boat under control in any sailing weather.
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