John wrote:
Is there a better group than this for sailing? The ones I found were pretty
dead.

Yesterday I went out to sail my 13' boat, for what might be about the last
day this year. It is pretty narrow with big sails (a Starwing) and the wind
was rather stronger than forecast, about 15-20. That is way too strong for
me, so I didn't use the jib. In hindsight I should have reefed the main,
but that takes too long.

Had real problems on jibes and tacks. On tacks the boat would just stall
out, and I had to wait for a wind shift to help me out. That never happens
with my jib up. Any tips, or is it just a problem with not using the jib.
The jibes were much worse. The boom swung around violently, and the boat
nearly capsized twice. Again, I have never had that problem; but I have
also never had an unreefed main out in wind like that. Any tips for this
one? (I mean, other than "Learn to sail")

Finally, when I was just trying to sail straight, I was pretty much hiked
out as far as I could go. What do you do in that situation with an even
stronger wind gust? Without the jib, I steer a bit into the wind; with the
jib all I can think to do it let the main out to shed wind. Is there
anything better?

Thanks much.



Your instincts were OK. Though now you see you should have reefed prior
to departure, it happens that sometimes the wind comes up and you can't
(or more accurately, don't reef, cause it seems like as much risk doing
it as being overpowered).

Flattening your sail with downhaul, (cunningham), and outhaul, and vang
are good ways to depower your main.

Easing the main, in a puff, so that there is a portion of the leading
edge not filled with wind also helps. Giving the boat its head, so to
speak, and letting her head up a little in the puffs works well, too, as
you found.

A sloop can be very sluggish tacking with out a jib, as you learned.
Sometimes you might want to fall off a little and get up some boat speed
before you try to tack might help.

Pulling in the main and letting the friction of the blocks and
mainsheet slow it on a jibe as the stern passes through the wind and
pulls it out should help keep control. Getting your weight over on the
soon to be windward side is important.

All in all it sounds like you have figured out the basics. The rest is
practice.

Jonathan

--
I am building a Dudley Dix, Argie 10, for my daughter. Check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr