Chrysler Sailors Forum

Hello,

It's been a while since I've been out on my sailboat and yesterday I realized that I've forgotten a few things. I'm hoping someone here can help.

1. I motored out of the harbor, killed my engine, then tried to raise the main. I wasn't able to raise it because I couldn't get her to point high enough into the wind, thus having to start the engine again and point her into the wind.

What are the tricks again to raising the main without motor assist in heavier winds?
Does a person have to raise before leaving a sheltered harbor?

2. I can't for the life of me get my sailboat to tack while only using a mainsail. I have to unfurl some of my headsail and then with combination of speed and back-winding the jib I can tack.

Is tacking the C-26 more speed dependent or technique?


Thanks,
Adam

use the motor to keep me pointed into the wind... then i storethe main with th slides already in the track and the gate clised.... i am careful wheni raise the main... the wire halyard can sometimes jump off the sheave and getjammed and ruin your summer.

Never done it, but I would guess you'd really have to have some speed to tack with main only; normally you have the backwind on the jib to blow the bow past dead upwind, without it seems you'd need a fair amount of momentum to turn 45 degrees into dead ahead then also 45 degrees off wind again

Almost impossible with a c-26 with the small main as most of the power comes from the headsail. I sail mine with only the genoa most of the time.

Thanks for all the info.
I'm gald to read these replies as it cofirms what I've had to do in the past, and now I know it's not that I'm doing something terribly wrong.

Adam