For sheets unders 'serious' pressure, what techique(s) best facilitate
tacking ?

Please address the process using plain/older winches, as well as the latest.

Thank you,
Courtney

Courtney Thomas wrote:
For sheets unders 'serious' pressure, what techique(s) best facilitate
tacking ?

Please address the process using plain/older winches, as well as the
latest.


???

Not sure what you mean here. Why does tacking need to be
"facilitated"? There is a bit of skill in the timing of a
tack (this is where a good skipper can help the crew by
telling them specifically when to unwrap the old sheet,
strip it, etc etc). The crew should be able to at least
watch the jib clew's progress and know when to haul on the
new sheet & when to crank (and when to dart forward & free it).

If you are talking about talking a big genoa with old
rattley winches with the knurling worn off, don't. Get them
rebuilt & resurfaced, at a minimum.

The process for tacking expeditiously is the same with
self-tailers and non-self-tailers. The crew stripping the
old sheet needs to take a little more care with
self-tailers, is all.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Courtney Thomas wrote:
For sheets unders 'serious' pressure, what techique(s) best facilitate
tacking ?

Please address the process using plain/older winches, as well as the
latest.

Thank you,
Courtney

The sheets are not under "serious pressure" when the genny starts to
backwind, which is when you strip the old sheet off the winch. Is there some
"technique" to this, apart from speed?

Well, as the helm goes over, I just watch as the self tending jib tacks
itself.

I know it sounds difficult, but I do nothing whatsoever as it tacks in
about 2 seconds, all by itself.

There is nothing to do unless I want to disengage the automatic, in
which case, I just let go the boom lifter, or as I call it the
"elevator" line, or third jib sheet. The jib boom falls to the deck,
and the usual sheets are employed in the usual manner, in which case,
as soon as the jib goes floppy, I release the working sheet and take in
the lazy sheet.

I seldom need to use the winch handles, as I simply wrap the sheet
around the working winch, and then lead the sheet across the cockpit
and around the lazy winch. By tailing the double winched line while
alternatively pushing with my hip on the part crossing the cockpit, I
can "skootch" the jib in as hard as it needs, using only one hand to
tail it.

The best learning method is to just go do it wrong until you get it
right. It's called experience.

Terry K

Courtney,

You surge the winch by keeping your hand on the drum over the sheet and ease
with your other hand. With 4 or 5 wraps on a loaded winch your hand that is
on the winch acts like a friction brake. I like to watch the luff break
when tacking and ease the sheet into the break. Then spin the sheet off the
winch by pulling straight up when the jib comes on the cap shrouds. Make
sure the sheet is ready to run prior to tacking. The process is the same
with self tailing winches but it is tougher to get sheet up off the winch.

Good luck,

Bryan


"Terry K" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, as the helm goes over, I just watch as the self tending jib tacks
itself.

I know it sounds difficult, but I do nothing whatsoever as it tacks in
about 2 seconds, all by itself.

There is nothing to do unless I want to disengage the automatic, in
which case, I just let go the boom lifter, or as I call it the
"elevator" line, or third jib sheet. The jib boom falls to the deck,
and the usual sheets are employed in the usual manner, in which case,
as soon as the jib goes floppy, I release the working sheet and take in
the lazy sheet.

I seldom need to use the winch handles, as I simply wrap the sheet
around the working winch, and then lead the sheet across the cockpit
and around the lazy winch. By tailing the double winched line while
alternatively pushing with my hip on the part crossing the cockpit, I
can "skootch" the jib in as hard as it needs, using only one hand to
tail it.

The best learning method is to just go do it wrong until you get it
right. It's called experience.

Terry K

In article . net,
Courtney Thomas wrote:
For sheets unders 'serious' pressure, what techique(s) best facilitate
tacking ?

Please address the process using plain/older winches, as well as the latest.

Thank you,
Courtney

Good timing is the most important technique.

--
Capt. JG @@
www.sailnow.com

Dave wrote:
On 2 Jun 2006 02:51:49 -0700, "Terry K" said:

Well, as the helm goes over, I just watch as the self tending jib
tacks itself.

Why does that sound totally unresponsive to the question asked?

He wants you to know he has a self-tacking jib.

DSK wrote:
Courtney Thomas wrote:

For sheets unders 'serious' pressure, what techique(s) best facilitate
tacking ?

Please address the process using plain/older winches, as well as the
latest.


???

Not sure what you mean here. Why does tacking need to be "facilitated"?
There is a bit of skill in the timing of a tack (this is where a good
skipper can help the crew by telling them specifically when to unwrap
the old sheet, strip it, etc etc). The crew should be able to at least
watch the jib clew's progress and know when to haul on the new sheet &
when to crank (and when to dart forward & free it).

If you are talking about talking a big genoa with old rattley winches
with the knurling worn off, don't. Get them rebuilt & resurfaced, at a
minimum.

The process for tacking expeditiously is the same with self-tailers and
non-self-tailers. The crew stripping the old sheet needs to take a
little more care with self-tailers, is all.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Doug,

Thanks for your reply.
Who can resurface the knurling on winches and any idea what it costs ?

Cordially,
Courtney

Bryan wrote:
Courtney,

You surge the winch by keeping your hand on the drum over the sheet and ease
with your other hand. With 4 or 5 wraps on a loaded winch your hand that is
on the winch acts like a friction brake. I like to watch the luff break
when tacking and ease the sheet into the break. Then spin the sheet off the
winch by pulling straight up when the jib comes on the cap shrouds. Make
sure the sheet is ready to run prior to tacking. The process is the same
with self tailing winches but it is tougher to get sheet up off the winch.

Good luck,

Bryan


"Terry K" wrote in message
ups.com...

Well, as the helm goes over, I just watch as the self tending jib tacks
itself.

I know it sounds difficult, but I do nothing whatsoever as it tacks in
about 2 seconds, all by itself.

There is nothing to do unless I want to disengage the automatic, in
which case, I just let go the boom lifter, or as I call it the
"elevator" line, or third jib sheet. The jib boom falls to the deck,
and the usual sheets are employed in the usual manner, in which case,
as soon as the jib goes floppy, I release the working sheet and take in
the lazy sheet.

I seldom need to use the winch handles, as I simply wrap the sheet
around the working winch, and then lead the sheet across the cockpit
and around the lazy winch. By tailing the double winched line while
alternatively pushing with my hip on the part crossing the cockpit, I
can "skootch" the jib in as hard as it needs, using only one hand to
tail it.

The best learning method is to just go do it wrong until you get it
right. It's called experience.

Terry K




Thanks Bryan.

That's what I've been doing but haven't gotten caught out yet in a
howler with serious loading that I couldn't handle and was curious if
anyone had any other technique for more dire circumstances.

Courtney

Terry K wrote:
Well, as the helm goes over, I just watch as the self tending jib tacks
itself.

I know it sounds difficult, but I do nothing whatsoever as it tacks in
about 2 seconds, all by itself.

There is nothing to do unless I want to disengage the automatic, in
which case, I just let go the boom lifter, or as I call it the
"elevator" line, or third jib sheet. The jib boom falls to the deck,
and the usual sheets are employed in the usual manner, in which case,
as soon as the jib goes floppy, I release the working sheet and take in
the lazy sheet.

I seldom need to use the winch handles, as I simply wrap the sheet
around the working winch, and then lead the sheet across the cockpit
and around the lazy winch. By tailing the double winched line while
alternatively pushing with my hip on the part crossing the cockpit, I
can "skootch" the jib in as hard as it needs, using only one hand to
tail it.

The best learning method is to just go do it wrong until you get it
right. It's called experience.

Terry K

Thanks Terry.

Are there any deficiencies for your self-tender vis-a-vis a Harken
furler as I have ?

Courtney