Posted By: westcoaster
F18 Downwind Control in Gusty Conditions - 05/25/10 10:57 PM
Recently I've had a capsizes when sailing downwind with the spin up in gusty conditions on a Nacra F18. Winds were about 10-15 knots, with gusts up to 20-25 knots that were accompanied by a header with the wind shifting about 15 degrees.
Can I drop my traveller as the gusts hit to depower the boat? If the mainsheet is still tight, will dropping the traveller risk me breaking the upper part of the mast?
Is there some better way to deal with these sort of gusts?
What I've found is that if we're sailing with the windward hull kissing the water in the lulls, when we get hit by the gusts the boat heels over almost instantly. Once it isn't fairly flat, the rudders (well, the one that isn't already mostly out of the water) are fairly sluggish, and the boat won't bear off quickly enough. Then we get to swim.
Can I drop my traveller as the gusts hit to depower the boat? If the mainsheet is still tight, will dropping the traveller risk me breaking the upper part of the mast?
Is there some better way to deal with these sort of gusts?
What I've found is that if we're sailing with the windward hull kissing the water in the lulls, when we get hit by the gusts the boat heels over almost instantly. Once it isn't fairly flat, the rudders (well, the one that isn't already mostly out of the water) are fairly sluggish, and the boat won't bear off quickly enough. Then we get to swim.