Gybing angles

[JohnBuch]

Thanks C_W. Interesting little boat, gave us a good sail on Saturday.

Cheers

John

[ash]

John

I hear what you're saying, but still find it difficult to fully understand. You're saying that there is a big sector (60 deg for the Vega and 100 deg for the IF ) which is a no go area when sailing downwind - why? - Is it because the sail won't hold its shape?

Sailing directly downwind with the main and headsail goosewinged, and turning across the wind to bring it towards the beam, then I would expect the following consequences as the course is changed:

1) It will be more difficult to keep the headsail filled.
2) The headsail will collapse and try to move to leeward.
3) Even after making the other sheet active, the headsail won't fill as it's blanketed behind the main.
4) The headsail will fill and the yacht will be on a Broad Reach.

I don't see any of these sectors as no go areas, although unless my course was constrained then I would jump from goosewinged to a broad reach.

I have a Vega, so straight spreaders and aft/forward lowers and I can easily and happily goosewing the main and headsail without preventer or pole. I'm on Loch Lomond so no swell which will make things easier.

In very light conditions (less than 5 Knts true) I will let the boom move well forward to just clear of the aft lower when the material will press against the cap shroud. More commonly I will keep the boom far enough aft to keep the material clear of the metalwork. I find it very important to pull on as much kicker as possible - to prevent the head of the sail twisting forward of the mast as this will cause the dreaded "death roll" - and by having a tight leech I can get a 'reverse' laminar flow across the sail from leech to luff. As well as the convential tell tales on batten ends, I have 'genoa type' telltales on the body of the sail so I can monitor the flow.

I find that the flow off the main helps to keep some shape in the genoa. If I need to follow a course which is not directly downwind, then I will set the main such that I can move between goosewinged and broad reach by gybing the headsail.

Ash