I am having difficulty in getting my 48 ft Mayflower ketch to lay to
the wind. I tried placing the head sail to windward, the main amid
ship, and the rudder hard to leeward. It does not work.

I have placed to main to windward, the mizzen amid ships, and the
rudder hard to leeward. This causes the boat to head about 120°
apparent.

Placing the full mizzen amid ships with about a yard of main amid
ships results in movement from about 0° to 90°. The movement without
the main is slightly more violent.

Any ideas?

this is an interesting problem. I have very little experience with a
ketch, and that was almost 25 years ago.
when I have done this with a sloop, it would sort of sail a 40 degree
arcing course, that covered very little territory. i never tried it with
a big overlapping genoa, only 120% sails and smaller jibs.
try jib to windward, main, luffing, not sheeted, to leeward, mizzen,
luffing,not sheeted to leeward. rudder to leeward. your boat may not sit
steadily but sort of start to sail, then round up, stop, fall off,
start to sail, round up....etc. do it where you can judge your progress,
and see if you "move trees, homes, church towers etc."
good luck.

John Cotton wrote:
I am having difficulty in getting my 48 ft Mayflower ketch to lay to
the wind. I tried placing the head sail to windward, the main amid
ship, and the rudder hard to leeward. It does not work.

I have placed to main to windward, the mizzen amid ships, and the
rudder hard to leeward. This causes the boat to head about 120°
apparent.

Placing the full mizzen amid ships with about a yard of main amid
ships results in movement from about 0° to 90°. The movement without
the main is slightly more violent.

Any ideas?