Being very new to sailing, I'm not sure whats up. I seem to be having the oppisite problem. With the jib up I have a hard time steering but the boat handles like a dream without it. I would like to use the jib but I'm doing something wrong. Any suggestions?
Dean (deanblack2000-at-yahoo.com)
DSII in Heavy Weather
Moderator: GreenLake
18 posts
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by Guest » Mon Apr 22, 2002 8:14 pm
When sailing a centerboard boat like the DS with just the main, you will most likely need to raise the centerboard slightly to move the center of lateral resistance aft. I know, I've confused everyone...just think of the sails trying to push the boat sideways, the centerboard tries to prevent this, if the centerboard is roughly centered under the center of the sail area, the boat is balanced. Remove the jib, and the center of the sail area moves aft, so you need to pivot the centerboard aft a bit to keep the center of the cb under the center of the sail area.
One mistake that all new sailers make (even ones like me who grew up sailing! ) is that when coming about, they turn the rudder too far and it acts like a brake..slowing the boat down and thus losing the momentum needed to complete the tack. Try turning the rudder only enough the cause the boat to turn smoothly through the tack, then straighten out the rudder just as the sails fill on the new tack. A keel boat, being heavier, is more forgiving of over steering, however light weight CB boats like the DS are very easy to end up in irons if you try to turn too sharply.
If you do end up in irons, and can't complete the tack, sail the boat backwards! No, I'm serious, if you are going from a starboard tack to a port tack, and you get in irons, turn the rudder so that as the boat settles back (the wind will tend to push the boat backwards while in irons) the bow will turn away from the wind and the sail(s) will fill on the new tack. This is sort of how a square-rigged ship tacks.
As far as using the roller-reefing that came with the boat, if you seldom reef and do have the reefing claw...then maybe the roller-reefing will work for you. I tried it on my 1979 DS II using the claw, the boom sagged down, the boltrope on the luff of the sail prevented the gooseneck from completely relocking...in other words, it sort-of worked..but not really! I had used roller-reefing on our larger CAL 21 for many years, it never really worked on that boat, but even with all that experience using roller-reefing, I much prefer the slab reefing (also known as jiffy-reefing) that I have now! Harding sails in Marion, MA installed the reefpoints on my sail for a cost of $67, not bad! It works GREAT!
Adjusting CB, it can be done from the helm, but it is almost impossible while sailing due to the sideways force of the board against the side of the cb trunk, if you turn into the wind briefly, it will move easier!
Mine comes up easy, but is sometimes hard to pull down if it has been up all the way. I've moved the attachment point for the downhaul line on the CB to try to increase the leverage, I'll have to test this when the boat goes back into the water in a few weeks.
Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)
One mistake that all new sailers make (even ones like me who grew up sailing! ) is that when coming about, they turn the rudder too far and it acts like a brake..slowing the boat down and thus losing the momentum needed to complete the tack. Try turning the rudder only enough the cause the boat to turn smoothly through the tack, then straighten out the rudder just as the sails fill on the new tack. A keel boat, being heavier, is more forgiving of over steering, however light weight CB boats like the DS are very easy to end up in irons if you try to turn too sharply.
If you do end up in irons, and can't complete the tack, sail the boat backwards! No, I'm serious, if you are going from a starboard tack to a port tack, and you get in irons, turn the rudder so that as the boat settles back (the wind will tend to push the boat backwards while in irons) the bow will turn away from the wind and the sail(s) will fill on the new tack. This is sort of how a square-rigged ship tacks.
As far as using the roller-reefing that came with the boat, if you seldom reef and do have the reefing claw...then maybe the roller-reefing will work for you. I tried it on my 1979 DS II using the claw, the boom sagged down, the boltrope on the luff of the sail prevented the gooseneck from completely relocking...in other words, it sort-of worked..but not really! I had used roller-reefing on our larger CAL 21 for many years, it never really worked on that boat, but even with all that experience using roller-reefing, I much prefer the slab reefing (also known as jiffy-reefing) that I have now! Harding sails in Marion, MA installed the reefpoints on my sail for a cost of $67, not bad! It works GREAT!
Adjusting CB, it can be done from the helm, but it is almost impossible while sailing due to the sideways force of the board against the side of the cb trunk, if you turn into the wind briefly, it will move easier!
Mine comes up easy, but is sometimes hard to pull down if it has been up all the way. I've moved the attachment point for the downhaul line on the CB to try to increase the leverage, I'll have to test this when the boat goes back into the water in a few weeks.
Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)
- Guest
by Guest » Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:05 pm
It's an old thread, but let me add my two cents in. First a daysailor does not need reef points, all it needs is a travler. Not that stringy thing in the back, but an honest to goodness travler accross the seat. Not class leagel for racing, but racers believe "reef points" is where the fish live. My daysailor II has been out in 38 knots of air, sailed great. Not saying it wasn't work, but it was fun, two of us sitting on the rail (granted a third would have been nice). With the travler, you set the sails and play the travler in the gust.
As for tacking with out the jib, do two things different. Don't turn so sharp, and roll tack (the act of using body weight to shift the angle of the boat causing it to turn). Need practice? I offer a challenge to any sailor regardless of the kind of boat.
Go out in the middle of your lake or pond or bay (be sure you have a lot of room) and take your rudder off. Now sail. It takes practice, but once you master it you will be a better sailor. I race often on a J-36, we do the same exercise for crew bonding. Sure is wild.
Happy Sailing
CC
Collin Casey (gybe-it-at-ev1.net)
As for tacking with out the jib, do two things different. Don't turn so sharp, and roll tack (the act of using body weight to shift the angle of the boat causing it to turn). Need practice? I offer a challenge to any sailor regardless of the kind of boat.
Go out in the middle of your lake or pond or bay (be sure you have a lot of room) and take your rudder off. Now sail. It takes practice, but once you master it you will be a better sailor. I race often on a J-36, we do the same exercise for crew bonding. Sure is wild.
Happy Sailing
CC
Collin Casey (gybe-it-at-ev1.net)
- Guest
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