I've owned and sailed a 19MX for about two months now. Even though I am getting more comfortable with it's performance I'm still looking for ways to depower when I have to shoot into the sailing club and make a turn or two to land on the beach. Trying not to be the ass hat on one hull slicing between the T-dock and the shore headed towards the beach.
I can't furl the jib and dropping the main off the mast hook would be a juggling act in tight quarters. What is the trick? How do you make it look smooth and under control when you have to approach on a a reach for instance?
Dropping the sails and firing up an outboard takes some of the sport out of navigating the marina in a 12 knot breeze! Thanks in advance for any beach cat advice.
Depower a Prindle 19MX near beach
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- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Aug 01, 2016
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Posted: Aug 01, 2016 - 10:05 PM
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Posted: Aug 02, 2016 - 04:09 AM
Depends on the wind direction.
You said landing on a beach...
If the breeze is coming from shore, sail in on a close reach, and a wave or two out - go into irons and ride the waves in. You should already have the lee centerboard up and the lee rudder loosened.
Before you hit the beach bring up the windward centerboard and pop the windward rudder.
They are beach-able, but will last years longer if you are kind to them.
(They are 300-400 dollars each to replace).
If the wind is from the water to the shore, consider coming in on a broad reach (with your boards up like above) and a couple of waves out, let your jib go completely and loosen your main a lot and take the shore at an angle. Don't let the main battens get bent backward on the shroud- they will break.
If you are landing on a dock, always go to the leeward side of the dock, while sailing parallel to it, let both sails out enough to slow down and then put yourself into irons to swing gently into the dock. Easier said than done.
If coming to shore is closer to a beam reach, you can de-power by completely letting the main downhaul, the mast rotator, both sheets and travelers go- then jettison your crew and all stowage but the beer. Never jettison the beer. Wait, did I say this last part out loud?
My bad.
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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Posted: Aug 02, 2016 - 07:56 PM
To de-power the main on a dead run or very broad reach, pull the traveller to the middle and crank the mainsheet down tight - that'll knock the power right out of it. Sail in on the job and then let the jib fly free when you are ready to coast in. Unfortunately you can't just let the main go or the sail will hit the shrouds and stay fully powered up.
On any point of sail a hard turn to windward will knock out a bunch of speed and get you in irons so the crew can jump off in a couple of feet of water and secure the cat. Make the crew jump off the side of the windward hull - never in between! it's very tempting to jump right in there, but no fun at all to get flattened from behind by a cat that hadn't quote stopped yet. Go ahead, ask me how I know....
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H16 back in the day
SC17 right now
Bradenton, FL
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Posted: Aug 02, 2016 - 08:53 PM
Thanks for the input guys. I finally had to seek help from you experts after having to reach inside the first row of docks at the club headed to the little beach area I launch from and turn to the beach with the wind behind me going onto the beach. Had to waive off the first attempt as it started to accelerate hard in what I would call inside the marina! Managed to circle out and rethink. Got the thing outhauled, downhauled, sheeted like mad, and traveller centered up like you suggest and it brought it to a manageable pace.
Was hoping there was some other trick for heavier wind or to look a little more under control! In light wind I occasionally get a jib batten hung on the mast and cant pull the jib through on a tack. I thought about stopping in irons and forcing the batten to hang up and try to bring it in with the slot gap shut but I wouldn't call that smooth or practical!
Man it is fun to sail in the open water but it can sure as hell scare me when I don't need the help! haha. Thanks again. I enjoy reading up on these boats on the forum. Good stuff on here and looks like some folks with some Prindle experience too. -
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Posted: Aug 02, 2016 - 10:32 PM
Sounds like you did the right thing. The only other thing I can think of with the wind behind is just to come in backwards! Get the bows pointing into wind, and then grab the boom and manually pull it to windward. You don't need to pull it much before you are sailing backwards very controllably, and you can de-power at any time by letting the boom go. Just watch out for the rudders if you are going to try that!
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H16 back in the day
SC17 right now
Bradenton, FL
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