Seamanship Question #37
Bart Senior wrote:
Your 35' sloop is bare headed--the one jib you have is
at the sailmakers for repairs. You are sailing today with
main alone.
You are directly head to wind, in irons, stopped dead
in the water.
For 1 point
Which side do you back the main to sail off on a port
tack?
Sheesh, doesn't anybody here know how to sail backwards?
Push the boom out to starboard. Center the tiller. Wait for the boat
to start moving backwards. Move the tiller slightly to starboard (not
too much or you'll stop the boat by using the rudder as a brake.) The
boat will start backing around presenting the port side to the wind.
Once you've turned enough that you're on a close reach heading, trim in
the main, center the tiller and start saiing forward.
What else do you need to do?
Learn not to get stuck in irons when sailing under main alone?
//Walt
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