Technique: rounding up into wind without broaching

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rounding up into wind without broaching

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Keelboat classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for keelboat questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13447
Printed Date: 10 May 25 at 10:57am
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Topic: rounding up into wind without broaching

Posted By: astevens
Subject: rounding up into wind without broaching
Date Posted: 28 Oct 19 at 2:24pm

I daysail a Catalina 25 in coastal California. When the wind is blowing 15 kts or more and I am going down wind on a broad reach and need to head back to port I am having a hard time rounding up into the wind without excessive heeling and the feeling that I am going to broach. Any tips or suggestions?

I try to take it slow and head off on a beam reach for a little bit before rounding all the way up but it still doesn't feel very controlled. Swell doesn't make the maneuver any easier either. thanks

Replies:

Posted By: Steve Middleton
Date Posted: 02 Nov 19 at 8:29am

Couple of suggestions (although I'm not a keelboat sailor!)...first, have you got the correct amount of sail area up for your new course? Too much sail area up will make life difficult in that sort of breeze. Second, make sure you aren't rounding up with too much mainsheet pinned in as this can make the boat spin into the wind. Trim the sails in gradually as you head up, easing the main a bit if it starts to feel too overpowered.

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 02 Nov 19 at 8:38am

Maybe a reef is needed. Otherwise, make sure you are pulling in the main just a fraction slower than the turn, so the front edge flaps a little, so you control the power.

Not sure this adds anything to the post above, maybe just says it in a different way.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: blueboy
Date Posted: 07 Nov 19 at 10:09am

Originally posted by astevens

I daysail a Catalina 25 in coastal California. When the wind is blowing 15 kts or more and I am going down wind on a broad reach and need to head back to port I am having a hard time rounding up into the wind without excessive heeling and the feeling that I am going to broach. Any tips or suggestions?

When you say "excessive heeling", is this more than when you are actually sailing upwind? It sounds like you are not actually broaching. If you are just transitioning to the heel you experience upwind, there is nothing to be concerned about and to be honest, 15 knots isn't that much in a keelboat.

If I were helming a keelboat around a leeward mark in 15 knots, before the mark I will pull on kicker (vang) for upwind. I'd put something around 5-8 degrees helm down and bring in the main quickly as we turn, slightly overtrimmed. The boat will heel and that and the main will turn it to upwind quite quickly. Crew is simultaneously trimming in the jib in time with the turn. I'd be completing the transition to upwind quite quickly, maybe 3-4 seconds. Don't dither. Sails trimmed hard in but course not yet close hauled will result in too much heel and possibly rounding up (stalling the rudder). You aren't going to actually broach (boat lying on its side) because the rounding up will quickly depower the sails and bring you upright.

If I was doing the same in 25 knots it would be much the same but I would not be putting on kicker (vang) for upwind until I'm sailing upwind.

If I was doing the same in 30 knots, I'd have the main eased a bit as we turn and use more rudder.

Hope that helps.