Pico- slow to turn in the tack

   Never had trouble tacking my (kids' old) pico (which I still have for very windy days and sentimental reasons)  It has a relatively huge rudder, is quite floaty and ought to spin on a sixpence. 

 Just ram the tiller across.  Bit of leeward heel before the tack helps and a bit of a roll / pump as you go through the wind.  AS you get better use less rudder and more roll. In fact when tacking from beam reach to beam reach in a blow it will spin so fast (pivoting around the centre board) it goes backwards for a bit before heading off on the new tack.  Loads of fun.

Are you sure yours isn't full of water? Sent a mate out in mine once with no bung in and after 15 min she found it became all unsteerable. 

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NickA Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 784	Post Options Post Reply Quote NickA Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Pico- slow to turn in the tack Posted: 02 Aug 18 at 10:04pm
	Never had trouble tacking my (kids' old) pico (which I still have for very windy days and sentimental reasons) It has a relatively huge rudder, is quite floaty and ought to spin on a sixpence. Just ram the tiller across. Bit of leeward heel before the tack helps and a bit of a roll / pump as you go through the wind. AS you get better use less rudder and more roll. In fact when tacking from beam reach to beam reach in a blow it will spin so fast (pivoting around the centre board) it goes backwards for a bit before heading off on the new tack. Loads of fun. Are you sure yours isn't full of water? Sent a mate out in mine once with no bung in and after 15 min she found it became all unsteerable.
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Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 11 Jul 18 at 10:41pm
	I'm not sure that's how it works, heel to windward causes the boat to bear away. The heel to windward happens as you pass through the eye of the wind (the first roll from leeward heel to windward, fanning the sail throughout the air and driving the boat forward). The second roll (at the start of the new tack) fans the sail a second time and brings the speed back up. In a two hander you'd let the jib off to help the turn but in a una-rig the leeward heel and fanning of the rig starts the turn and, I guess, momentum finishes it off. Edited by Sam.Spoons - 11 Jul 18 at 10:44pm
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ColPrice2002 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 25 Nov 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 222	Post Options Post Reply Quote ColPrice2002 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 11 Jul 18 at 9:49pm
	The Solo (and firefly + some others) can roll tack in a different way... Start the tack by heeling lots to windward. This pushes the bilge into the water and creates drag on the windward side, helping the hull to turn. The immersed hull is now quite broad and short, so turning the boat is easier. Wher around, cross the boat and sit up to (new) windward side. The roll can generate wind across the sail as you roll the boat... Colin

tbanting Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 18 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote tbanting Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 Jul 18 at 1:11pm
	Im sailing down in West Sussex- Dell Quay. I have seen the Solos and looked on with envious eyes! ;-)

Jack Sparrow Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 08 Feb 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2965	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jack Sparrow Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 Jul 18 at 12:02pm

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Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 Jul 18 at 9:20am
	Yep, a centreboard does make it easier. For the OP, if you can't understand how you can steer without a rudder visualise sailing dead downwind. heeling to the right has these effects, all of which cause the boat to turn left :- a. The rig moves to the right of the centreline so the driving force is on the right, like padling on the right only. b. The daggerboard moves to the left causing drag on the left (dragging the left paddle) c. The curve of the bilge goes deeper in the water on that side causing the boat to turn following that curve.
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ColPrice2002 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 25 Nov 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 222	Post Options Post Reply Quote ColPrice2002 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Jul 18 at 6:44pm
	Sam, Excellent. I've found it easier to sail rudderless in a centreboard dinghy in F3 - F4. The centreboard pivots, and so moves the pivot point of the dinghy, as well as using the mainsail & jib. My Solo doesn't quite sail rudderless, but the techniques learned mean I use much less rudder while sailing -hence faster! Colin Ps tbanting, where are you sailing?

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Jul 18 at 4:31pm
	If you have the jib then it's worth trying sailing without a rudder to learn how the boat responds to sheeting and heel. lift the daggerboard about 1/3rd and either remove the rudder or, if you are not confident, just bungee the tiller extension to the tiller so it can't get jammed. Then to head up into a tack you would sheet in the main hard and let the jib go, heel to leeward and the boat should turn without needing any input from the tiller. Also try sailing on a reach balancing the main, jib and heel to sail in the direction you want to go. It is possible to do this without the jib too by relying much more on heel to steer (heel to leeward to steer into the wind and to windward to steer away) but it's a lot easier with two sails. Obviously don't try it if there's much wind.
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tbanting Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 18 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote tbanting Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Jul 18 at 4:20pm
	Ah yes- I need to keep an eye on that- good pointer, thanks!

tbanting Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 18 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote tbanting Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Jul 18 at 4:19pm
	Many thanks- I think I may book an instructor for a few hours and get some feedback as well.