Sheeting In

S

softshuffle

Member
Hello,

The wind has been pretty strong this season.
So, I have really been battling to sheet in....from launching,reaching and beating.....
Any suggestions..............
 
The accepted technique is the 'hand over hand' method. Practice it on lighter days though until you can sheet in smoothly and not move the tiller just the extention.

The other trick, if it is howling, and you are struggling with the sheet load is to pop up higher than your course, sheet in then bear away. This is particlarly useful when coming on to a close hauled course as it prevents the boat from heeling over quite so much.
 
If its the amount of pressure on the sail that is not letting you sheet in as much as you should you can always crank on the sail controls (boomvang, outhaul, and cunningham) to flatten your sails which de-powers them letting you sheet in more and sail your coarse better.
 
Thank you very much for the responses.

To Racingkyle.......you are correct about my setup.....
when I launch all my controls are very loose....
so in a strong wind I am heeling very much on launching and immediately out of control....

To Jeffers, Torrid....you are right ... the problem is my technique.....
with the boat heeling, the laser is all over place and when I do sheet in,
the more the laser heels and the more difficult it is to control.......

To Flaserlover...............Lol !!!!

To Sailor Chick......I do have a decent ratchet block.....
have never used it....... don't know how to......
 
With regards to your ratchet block there is probably a little switch to switch the ratchet on and off.

This will probably not affect your sheeting in technqiue if it is on or off but makes it much easier to control when you are 'trimming' (i.e. making small adjustments) rather than 'sheeting' (i.e. making large adjustments following a manoever) once you are on the correct course in a breeze as the sheet loads are reduced by the 'gripping' action of the ratched block. I have my ratchet on all the time because the switch has seized (I really need to take it off and service it) and it makes very little difference.

I am sure one or Mr Roosters DVDs will give a good explanation on how to do this or some of Jon Emmetts stuff that is posted on facebook may cover it as well. the best method (and accepted method) is hand over hand (dropping the tail into the cockpit) whilst keeping the rudder still.

Try to find someone who can do it and watch, then practice. I am sure you move the extension without steering at other times, the sheeting technique is just an extension of that.
 
softshuffle said:
To Jeffers, Torrid....you are right ... the problem is my technique.....
with the boat heeling, the laser is all over place and when I do sheet in,
the more the laser heels and the more difficult it is to control.......
Click to expand...

What you describe is VERY common for people sailing new to sailing a Laser in a breeze. You have to learn to coordinate your weight movement with the sheeting action. Go and Google "ease hike trim". You should find many references on this and other sailing forums.
 
As torrid wrote; it's more a matter of sheeting OUT (while hiking to keep the boat flat, more or less) and sheeting back in when the wind diminishes.

Easier written than done, in my case at least :eek:
 
Thanks guys and sailor chick for the great advice.........

One more question........

What position should the rudder be in this situation.........

My experience is that I try to keep the rudder in a position to point up into the wind.
This means that my rudder hand is fully locked in just keeping the rudder in this position.
I have snapped two tiller extensions this way.
At the same time I am trying to sheet in with my left hand and trying to hike at the same time....
So, no wonder I battle...........
 
You should be able to keep the rudder fairly stationary, in the centre assuming you are travelling in a straight line. You'll be using BOTH hands to sheet in whilst hiking.

Jon Emmetts video on leeward/windward mark roundings
shows an example of how to do this. His video is in light airs but you would still be using both hands in strong winds.
 
A training exercise I used to do with kids on no wind days (any boat) was take the boom out to 90degrees and time the kids pulling the sail in with the proviso they must be holding the tiller as if they were sailing. It never took them long to realise the technique for the fastest method (hand over hand)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top