Surfing Yawl

Surfing Yawl for the 21st Century

Case A) the gale is coming from the stern, then we surf and surf

Case B) the gale is coming from the bow, then

B1) we stop the boat: we take the rudder blades out of the water and play with the reefed mainsail:

boom between 0 and 10 degrees and twist between 10 and 20 degrees

The sum of the forward force (F) by its lever arm due to heel + the lateral force (L) aft of the centerboard = balance the destabilizing high pressure (H) on the bow

B2) The waves grow and grow and threaten to throw us back

we cling to the sea, anchoring in the sea, bow to the waves

And we lowered the mainsail

 

And following the good example of Rory McDougall we sent a message via satellite to the Admiralty:

- Honey, it's blowing a bit but it's not that bad.

 

A tiny jib with a mizzen can "dial in" a heading if making someway, however slowly. If "sea-anchoring" is required , it can be done from the bow-quarter without requiring shipping the rudder.
Different boats different tactics. Never carried a para-anchor, only an old tyre and warps and only ever used running with it and having the sea room to do so.
Each boat with no sail up will lay-a-hull differently, beam on in those conditions is sketchy, some boats may heave to with the tiller lashed over just from hull windage comfortably.
Is this calculation suitable for your light,fast mini type boat?

 

At one extreme we have Frank Dye and Robert Manry

Frank Dye would take the rudder out of the water, and also lower the Mast. And his wife Margaret says that when they raised the Mast the sailboat anchored with a sea anchor would move violently

Robert Manry would take the rudder out of the water and was surprised at how calm the sailboat remained

At the other extreme we have the madness of anchoring in the sea without taking the rudder blade out of the water: very violent movements that can end up breaking the rudder and even sinking the boat

 

"Is this calculation suitable for your light,fast mini type boat?"

Yes

 

In the photograph, the rope that can be seen is being towed after asking for help.

 

Too complicated and dangerous. Have you ever been in a gale? I can't see how you could remove a rudder and safely secure it on deck or down below. Even if it is a transom hung, a 10 meter boat will have a rudder that will weigh 40-50 Kg. With the boat moving violently and the blade of the rudder in the water it would necessitate to have King Kong as a crew to handle it. Also, you mention "we stop the boat". How do you propose to stop a boat in the middle of the sea?

 

On a catamaran it can work if the rudders are not too big and if the Sea Anchor is gigantic: 2 meters in diameter was the parachute used by Rory McDougall on the Tiki 21

But on a Monohull it makes no sense: the rudder blades must be removed so that the sailboat can go backwards without bumping into the rudder and breaking it and in any case causing violent movements yawing from one side to the other

 

Behind Alfred Centennial, who had a really bad time, Captain Crapo and his wife crossed the Atlantic

Alfred "Centennial" Johnson - Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_%22Centennial%22_Johnson

There is an oil painting out there (which i can't find) based on a pencil drawing by a passenger on a ship who sees Captain Crapo anchored with a sea anchor and a mizzen sail.

This was the usual practice, as we also see in the adventures of Captain Voss.

John Voss (sailor) - Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Voss_(sailor)

 

If we center the mast and take the rudder blades out of the water, everything becomes simpler

The sailboat first becomes a yawl and then later, if necessary, it can anchor at sea

 

...

Force 7: staysail down, mainsail second reef, rudders up, the sailboat turns into a nice Yawl

Force 8, mainsail down, sea anchor

 

Depends how its constructed. These are pretty common t.



And i have used and made several like this,



Either could be made more than strong enough in modern materials. I do like a transom mount with a skeg to spread load, but i concur the rudder blade is at risk if ever surfing backwards, if it can not be raised .

 

It's much simpler than this

The blade rotates on a 25 mm steel axis

The rotating rudder is the second safest rudder

What is dangerous is sailing with the typical rudder

how many yachts have we seen sink with the rudder that is now the standard approved by this insufferable industry that time and again shows us that it does not know how to distinguish its *** from its head

Bayesian in Memoriam
Fasnet 1979 in Memoriam
Mega Operasao de Salvamento Azores 2015 in Memoriam



...

 

This industry has reached absolute perfection

- keels fall off
- rudders sink the yacht
- yachts do not right themselves
- there is no way to safely bring them to a standstill
- many cannot surf comfortably and safely

 

Cheeki Rafiki in Memoriam