curious question

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Dirteater, Mar 28, 2011.

  1. Dirteater
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Dirteater Senior Member

    I just started a book called "tow years before the mast" I am hoping it will help me to understand how a crew sails a tall ship. unfortunately I dont really understand how/or if they would sail windward, or tack.
    Perhaps you could suggest some reading in this matter. :)
     
  2. CutOnce

    CutOnce Previous Member

    There are lots of books out there, but the best way to really learn is to do what kids do .... play! On Lake Huron almost 40 years ago fooling around with home built jerry rigged stuff taught me more than years of reading. I adapted a free (junked) duck hunting boat (surprisingly like a PDRacer) to sail - learning about leeboards and I tried about fifteen different rig variations (starting with Viking and moving on to Pirate-style) on it. I was surprised to learn that even square rigged boats could go sort of upwind. The duck boat didn't want to tack either (no rudder at first, just an oar over the side), so I learned about "wearing ship" out of desperation!

    I learned pretty quickly (to my complete surprise) that boats are faster on a reach than dead downwind. This was all before I learned officially how to sail in proper dinghies - and it probably served as the inspiration for my non-sailing Dad to send me and my siblings to real sailing camp in later years.

    Theory is great, but practical play time is waaay better and more fun. Don't deprive yourself of the real fun of being on the water - it surpasses the romance of reading other people's adventures by leaps and bounds. Since you live in Canada, there are probably 20 freely accessible rivers/lakes or whatever within a 25 minute ride. Go have fun! Recapture the adventure of being a kid again.

    --
    CutOnce
     
  3. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

    'Seamanship in the Age of Sail' by John Harland with fabulous illustrations tells it better than any other. Here's a pic of the tacking sequence.
    In tacking a square rig...
    Difference between fore and aft and square is wind is always on aft side of square sail, both sides of fore and aft sail. If you brace (pull) the yards around so they are as fore and aft as possible, the wind is still on the back side but you are going to windward. Now let go your jib sheets and head up and the wind comes on the front side of the squaresails, pushing you around to the other tack if you time everything right, when with "let go and haul" the wind pushes the yards around to the other side with little effort, you trim up hard and charge off on the other tack, making good up to 45 degrees off the true wind if all is favorable.
    LADY WASHINGTON here is very weatherly and handy and much resembles the brig Dana came to the west coast in.
     

    Attached Files:

  4. Dirteater
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    Dirteater Senior Member

    thanks Bataan,
    Unfortunetly that one is not in any of my local libraries, but is available via Amazon. I do think I'll have to hunt around a bit for best pricing. it does look good. the difference between Canada and US pricing is still crazy as always when it comes to books. but I will certainly find a way. there,s is a lot to be said for history.

    Hi CutOnce.
    I have played around some earning my ClassII. I had a riot. I remember at the end of the 1st class, the instructor saying " I've never had to tell a class this before, they usuallly have done it by now... but you have to roll your boat!" I asked "how do we do that?!" He said just try and find a way. When I did, I got the mast stuck in the mud about 20 feet from shore. tooks about 45 minutes to get it out. In the second class I managed to go over a couple times while trying not to. I am considering building my design out of balsa and trying a few things. that.s probably not a bad idea. ( and enjoy working with my hands and models)

    thanks again.
    DE
     
  5. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

    Keep the keel down, the mast up, and the refrigerator full.
     
  6. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

    Inter-library loan if you ask over and over and say please? It's probably in the system somewhere, just not local.
    Also keep looking for damaged copies on Amazon or ABE books (a great site) because these tend to go to sea and get wet.
     
  7. Dirteater
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    Dirteater Senior Member

    Thanks Bataan,
    good advise as usual.
    I'll dig it up somewhere, just gotta find the X. :D
     
  8. Lister

    Lister Previous Member

    Must have been a formidable experience. Good for you.
    Do you have more pictures of your time on board as a Captain?
    That will be a real treat. (I hope I don't ask a too personal question)
    Lister
     
  9. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

    Threw my seabag down the hatch with my old Nikkormat in it, breaking the lens out of the body and rendering me camera-less the whole time. This was before I discovered the Canon Powershot pocket camera I carry at all times now. I do have some video footage somewhere, but not sure where, and could get screen grabs from that, if I can find it, but will look.
     
  10. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

    Here's some sailing on a different boat.
     
  11. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

  12. Dirteater
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    Dirteater Senior Member

    Great Vid Bataan!
    Delightful :)
    (sorry I missed dinner *L*)
     
  13. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

  14. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member


  15. BATAAN
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    BATAAN Senior Member

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