Why do I always do a pirouette picking up my mooring single handed?

[MagentaLine]

It never fails...

I went from a cruiser with a german mainsheet system to a jboat w/ half the displacement and a typical jboat mainsheet set up thinking it would be no issue w the new boat. Even with the sheet free, the system still has enough friction keep the main from windvaning. Before I have a chance to run back aft, the sail has powered up, the boat is doing a dizzy bat imitation, and when facing in completely downwind, the sail gets blown against the shrouds. I blow the halyard and of course the sail gets hung up on the spreaders so it doesn't drop without wrangling it down. Several years ago on the cruiser, I got the mooring line caught on the keel bulb which required two power boats and a diver to get my ass free. Thought things would be simpler in the J.

What the hell!?!?!

 

[mccroc]

Are you talking about picking up a swing mooring under sail? Can't see how the boat could end up heading downwind. I assume you are picking up the mooring whilst head to wind with mainsheet off?

You could try "scandalising" the main - pulling a lot of topping lift up as you approach the mooring (if you have a topper). Or easing some halyard, still leaving enough to be able to sail if you miss the mooring.

Also get a mooring buoy with a long stick on it, so you don't need a boathook. This way you can even grab the stick aft, tie it off and drop the main, then take it forward.

I have sailed onto moorings in yachts from Solings to 8 & 12 metres. Never really had your issue. Must be missing something.

 

[Kenny Dumas]

Pull a bunch of slack through the blocks so it weather vanes?

 

[MagentaLine]

Are you talking about picking up a swing mooring under sail? Can't see how the boat could end up heading downwind. I assume you are picking up the mooring whilst head to wind with mainsheet off?

You could try "scandalising" the main - pulling a lot of topping lift up as you approach the mooring (if you have a topper). Or easing some halyard, still leaving enough to be able to sail if you miss the mooring.

Also get a mooring buoy with a long stick on it, so you don't need a boathook. This way you can even grab the stick aft, tie it off and drop the main, then take it forward.

I have sailed onto moorings in yachts from Solings to 8 & 12 metres. Never really had your issue. Must be missing something.

Mooring has a pickup stick.

 

[us7070]

Are you talking about picking up a swing mooring under sail? Can't see how the boat could end up heading downwind. I assume you are picking up the mooring whilst head to wind with mainsheet off?

he's saying that when he picks up the mooring.., going upwind.., the main doesn't depower, so that when the boat is attached to the mooring, the boat keeps sailing, and because the bow is pinned the boat spins on the mooring so that the bow gets pointed downwind - same as if you pick up a mooring with way too much speed.

one way this can happen is if the wind is really light and there is a strong current into the wind.

but it sounds like he just needs a way to depower the main.

one thing would be to try a main sheet with less friction - one that runs very easily in the blocks.

we don't know how big the boat is, but if it's not too big, something like salsa line (NE Ropes) might help.

 

[MagentaLine]

he's saying that when he picks up the mooring.., going upwind.., the main doesn't depower, so that when the boat is attached to the mooring, the boat keeps sailing, and because the bow is pinned the boat spins on the mooring so that the bow gets pointed downwind - same as if you pick up a mooring with way too much speed.

one way this can happen is if the wind is really light and there is a strong current into the wind.

but it sounds like he just needs a way to depower the main.

one thing would be to try a main sheet with less friction - one that runs very easily in the blocks.

we don't know how big the boat is, but if it's not too big, something like salsa line (NE Ropes) might help.

Agree with you on the tide and lightish winds.
Last boat was 34ft bleach bottle.
New one is 33 j100

 

[us7070]

New one is 33 j100

do you also have trouble easing the main to go downwind in very light winds?

do you always have to push the boom out in light winds?

I had a 33ft boat, that I raced, and I got salsa line to solve that problem - the largest diameter they make. It worked.

I doubt many J/100 0wners use it though...

my boat had no motor, so always picked up the mooring under sail.

it wasn't a jboat, but it sort of had that style mainsheet. I did not have a problem with the mooring.

 

[MagentaLine]

do you also have trouble easing the main to go downwind in very light winds?

do you always have to push the boom out in light winds?

I had a 33ft boat, that I raced, and I got salsa line to solve that problem - the largest diameter they make. It worked.

I doubt many J/100 0wners use it though...

my boat had no motor, so always picked up the mooring under sail.

it wasn't a jboat, but it sort of had that style mainsheet. I did not have a problem with the mooring.

Yes I push out the boom in light winds, but every 105 I've crewed would have to do this. Doesn't feel much different but when we moored we always had someone picking up the stick and someone driving and sitting at the mainsheet.

 

[El Borracho]

Tough to pick up a mooring under sail, certainly. For style points I have several suggestions: Sail on a close reach, very very slowly, well eased main, with the completely slack mainsheet tackle in your hand. Have the painter run back to the cockpit. Do not run forward — nothing good ever comes of that. If the approach fails, if for any reason it is not perfect, just sail past like you meant to. Rig the mooring so it is simple to pass the painter thru an eye. It can be properly tied-off later after the boats settles to the wind and current. Play the main while the boat backs down without falling off or tacking.

If things initially go well, but the bow falls off into a run in a breeze it might be best to drop the painter. Sail away to try again.

Frictionless slides on the mast are pretty handy.

Cool way to practice is to spend an hour approaching, stopping and backing at some remote mark or buoy without the mooring bit. Foam buoys are best.

 

[Lost in Translation]

I use a snap shackle on my mainsheet for the catamaran for a similar purpose as it has so much power and not a lot of range. I have never recommended a snap shackle on a keelboat main sheet system but it might work perfectly in your situation as you approach the mooring.

 

[Foolish]

You want to learn how to heave too, and exactly how to aim and maneuver your boat when hove too. This essentially will stop your boat exactly where you want it to be. So sail upwind past the buoy, then heave too (tack so that your jib is backwinded, release the mainsheet completely and turn your rudder to leeward). This will take you back to the buoy and you can casually lean over to connect. Learning how your boat will sail/stop when hove too is a very valuable skill. I once rescued a pair of people in the water by heaving too exactly as I have described above.

 

[MagentaLine]

You want to learn how to heave too, and exactly how to aim and maneuver your boat when hove too. This essentially will stop your boat exactly where you want it to be. So sail upwind past the buoy, then heave too (tack so that your jib is backwinded, release the mainsheet completely and turn your rudder to leeward). This will take you back to the buoy and you can casually lean over to connect. Learning how your boat will sail/stop when hove too is a very valuable skill. I once rescued a pair of people in the water by heaving too exactly as I have described above.

Now this is an interesting idea. Though plowing through the mooring minefield under jib and main in a breeze should turn a few heads.

 

[Foolish]

Though plowing through the mooring minefield under jib and main in a breeze should turn a few heads.

All the girls will think you are really keen!

 

[MagentaLine]

All the girls will think you are really keen!

I bet if you can teach me to do it with the spinnaker up, I will have a real good shot with the commodores daughter for sure.

 

[El Borracho]

You want to learn how to heave too, and exactly how to aim and maneuver your boat when hove too. This essentially will stop your boat exactly where you want it to be. So sail upwind past the buoy, then heave too (tack so that your jib is backwinded, release the mainsheet completely and turn your rudder to leeward). This will take you back to the buoy and you can casually lean over to connect. Learning how your boat will sail/stop when hove too is a very valuable skill. I once rescued a pair of people in the water by heaving too exactly as I have described above.

No, never heave-to in a confined space with other boats or hazards. Always remain under control. No headsail either except in small boats. I would not heave to in a situation where any alternative exists, actually, but I understand the technique has its proponents. Certainly not while picking up a mooring.

 

[Foolish]

Always remain under control.

With enough practice, you can stop on a dime when hove too. You should have absolute control of your boat speed and direction at all times. There is a big difference between heaving too and just drifting.

 

[bridhb]

Those are two opposing techniques from people who each have a lot of sailing experience. It does make me want to go out and see what the boat does around a fixed reference point hove to. Always picked up my mooring single handed with just the main and luffed up to it, but it was a small boat and I missed a lot.

Especially interested in recovery of something or someone overboard. It took too many attempts and time to recover a throw cushion that had blown over once.

 

[Foolish]

Especially interested in recovery of something or someone overboard. It took too many attempts and time to recover a throw cushion that had blown over once.

heave too about 50 yards upwind from the swimmer, then drift down. It is possible to get right to them, but you can always toss a rope if you miss by a bit. I've used this method to save a couple who had tipped out of their canoe in rough weather. There's no way I could have maneuvered this well with my little 5hp outboard. The nice part is your leeward rail is down at the water, so they can climb on board easily.

 

[Crash]

Another couple things to do that will help, besides a bunch of slack in the main sheet. First is to ease the vang way off (sorta scandalizing the main with the boom). This can be done while still sailing upwind to the mooring (as main sheet will keep the main trimmed, and will help pull extra sheet when you release it), and helps get friction out of the system, and helps the main stay depowered. Second thing to try is some friction on the helm lock/keeper on the tiller. If the rudder can swing freely as the boat sails around on the mooring, it just aggravates the amount of swing/movement early in the process, giving you less time to get mooring secured, and back to drop the sails...

 

[jparriott]

If you have a stack pack or lazy jacks, can't you just drop most of the main and come in on a rag?