Cool Beans

[dave_ching]

Well Hayley and I took the old bean out for a spin at her new home in Poole.
With a offshore wind of around 20knts plus we didn't have any problem getting going.
Our first problem was after taking an airborne route down wind her local guide didn't realise we had run out of water.
Even Poole harbour can feel small at the speeds we were going.
Some mud work (very good for the skin) later we headed up wind.
The already fruity wind was joined by some of its bigger brothers. It got to the point that we had a main fully eased and the jib feathered to stop the swim.
We waited for the lulls to tack and to be honest these involved a swim.
So we went home to work out some teething problems with adjustable rig tension!
Now some questions,
Does anyone have any thoughts on tacking in a breeze?
Firstly to me beans felt like it was struggling to get through the wind. As soon as you eased the main the Jib took over and the boat stalled.
Obviously a smaller jib is the long term solution but what about more mast rake, would that help?
Or are there any tips on technique?

[roland_trim]

5 -4- 3- 2- 1- run

[tim_unerman]

When sailing aunty we had similar problems, the first thing is, keep it really flat through the takes. Paul used to comment a lot on this!

In other classes I would also adjust the jib settings, you basically need to make it flatter and more open!

I guess you have tried most of these.

Tim

[dave_ching]

Yeh I think moving the sheeting angle would have been a good idea more twist and flatter.
Probably more practise is good holding on the old side a second or to more maybe. I think there are more fundamental balance issues at the moment.
The jib shouldn't be quite so dominant.
Also releasing the jib at just the right moment would help.

[Stuberry]

I don't know if it's obvious, but are you easing the jib before the tack? It's interesting to think why: When the boat rotates on the centreboard the jib will be lifted by the apparent and the main will be headed.

[paul_croote]

I have found that if you over do the mast rake it makes it hard to get though the wind. Antie's rig was massively raked when I first got it and it was almost un tackable. Try easing the jib a bit so you can get properly on the new tack and moving before the jib fills the pulls you off the wind and over. Also you need to get out on the wire on the new tack early, the windward heel helps you bear away on the new tack. In a breeze it doesn't matter if you teabag a bit, you will soon get plucked back out when you start moving and sheet-in. Hope this helps

[dave_ching]

Thanks Paul, Getting the second part of the tack wasn't the problem it was more the getting to the wind in the first section.
There is no substitute for practise and we have only managed to sails so far both with some breeze.
A liitle more time and we will probably wonder what the fuss was about.
I will be having another go this evening.

[andy_peters]

Agree with the advice above.  We also found tacking in a breeze very difficult initially, now we rarely stumble unless wind is combined with waves.   What we do

1. Ease the jib before the tack
2. Keep the boat absolutely flat through the tack
3. Helm into the tack very firmly and run like hell for the new side (together - must be together)
4. On the new tack ease the main right out to give you time to hook on and prevent being blown in.  May need a couple of main pumps to get the bow around if the boat has stalled
5  Co-ordinate bringing in the main with weight out - not heading up too much
6  Once out on the wire and moving head up and sheet in the jib

and repeat, repeat, repeat.   I expect Beans is like all the E boats - it rewards practice and punishes those who leave it for long periods without getting wet!

[dave_ching]

thanks all