"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...
On 10 Nov 2003 16:45:59 -0800, (Shawn
Marshall) wrote:
I have often heard the phrase "Tack On Headers" and supposedly this
tactic is used to help you recognise a shift. What I dont understand
is how much of a header is a HEADER ? I often notice when I'm being
knocked and if I sail on a little longer I may be lifted again so ask
myself was that a header I should've tacked on ? I often wait till I'm
nocked persistently e.g. compass heading changes so that I'm sailing a
persistently lower coarse and then tack but I feel like I've missed
the lift by this time. Should I just tack as soon as I notice the
header or wait a little to see how it plays out ? I would really
appreciate your opinions on this one.
You have asked a more complicated question than you intended. It
depends on a lot of things. If you can tack without loss, or nearly so
(like a 505, for example) you will want to react to much smaller
headers than you would if a tack is a big investment.
OTOH, sometimes a header is a (kinda sorta) stationary geographical
shift, like coming to a river bank. Then it may be advantageous to
sail into it for some distance, so you will stay in the (now lifted)
wind for more time.
If you have a small jib and big main, and you are in a tacking duel
with a boat with a small main and big genoa, you may be able to wear
down the crew on the other boat by tacking on every small shift.
HTH
Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC
J36 Gjo/a
....and if you do decide to tack on headers you have to make sure
you differentiate wind speed changes from direction changes and
you want to have developed a sense of the timing/pattern of the
headers so you don't tack on the very small ones. Figure out how many
boatlengths a tack will cost you, how big the headers are, and how long the
header has to persist for to make up that # of boatlengths by tacking.
In a nice oscillating breeze (something that only exists on paper) you want
to aim for the mid-point of the shift...say its a 20 degree range. When you
start
to get headed you're "up 10". Wait till you lose these 10 (at which point
you're even)
and then tack, otherwise if you tack as soon as "the header hits" you'll be
down
20 for the 1st 1/2 of the oscillation.