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Sailing in increasing wind-speeds |
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Caulkhead 
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Joined: 26 April 2021 Location: Solent Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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 Topic: Sailing in increasing wind-speedsPosted: 08 July 2025 at 19:43 |
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I'm out in my H348 in the Solent, doing my usual single-handed day-sailing thing. Leave Portsmouth Harbour at about 10:30 - ish. Wind in the West, so head into it, towards Cowes. About 5 kts, just enough to make some progress through the water, although will need to motor a bit if the tide's against me. As usual (and forecasted) wind starts to build. After a while it's around 15 kts, so I put the first reef in. By the time I'm level with Cowes, wind's around 20 kts or maybe a bit more, so I put the second reef in. Now, at the point, she's sailing well. The heel doesn't seem to be excessive - nowhere near putting the gunwales under - but I'm starting to notice the rudder is losing its grip slightly in the gusts. Nothing dramatic, but I start thinking about my next option, which I assume would be to furl the jib a bit.
So, I'm sailing close-hauled, single-handed, into the bottom end of a Force 6. At the moment, everything's OK and I have at least one option. As I'm day-sailing, I can and do take the decision to turn and run down-wind to home. I always avoid a dead run, but, after a while, the wind shifts a bit to the South and I get on a lovely broad reach heading towards Gilkicker Point. This got me thinking as to how one would need to be set up for any kind of cruising. I would have thought you would need to be able to cope with at least a Force 8 (up to 40 kts). I notice that there seems to be a third set of reefing points on the main, but I don't know how you could rig that. (Maybe move the Reef 2 line up to the higher points?) What about the jib? Do I keep furling it until it's right in? How un-balanced am I going to be with no jib, even if the main's on it's second (or third) reef? Would welcome advice on how one sets up an H348 to cope with 40 kts of wind.
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Martin&Rene
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Joined: 06 December 2009 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 967 |
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Posted: 13 July 2025 at 17:23 |
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These are the various stages of depowering that I use my 341. 1, Bend the mast to flatten the mainsail
and open up the top of the leech to ease the pressure on the rudder. To do this you really need an effective
powerful backstay adjuster. See my
approach late on the first page on this thread. https://www.myhanse.com/traveler-effectiveness_topic14148_post117632.html?KW=backstay#117632 I think
Samuel has achieved the same effect on his 31ft yacht with a cascade system using
low friction alloy rings. It is also
useful then to have a Cunningham adjuster to flatten the lower part of the sail. 2. First reef 3. Second reef 4. Third reef This is how
I set up a 3rd reef on my yacht fitted with Sparcraft spars. I had a
more detailed version of this thread published in Yachting Monthly last year. 5. Furling the jib. The normal
comment about furling a self-tacker jib is that you lose the vertical sheeting angle. This is how
I control the twist of the jib when off wind.
https://www.myhanse.com/topic10476_post117478.html#117478 The system
would have some effect on a furled jib, provided you were not close-hauled. Actually,
in the last photo showing the jib goose-winded, you will see another idea. The jib sheet has been attached to its normal
position on the mid-hole on the jib clew board with a snap shackle. From the shackle by the pulley, there is also
a dyneema loop (green rope) going to the top hole on the jib clew board. The idea being that if you furl the jib
slightly, then you release snap shackle so that the jib is now sheeted at a
higher angle. I must admit I have never
really given it a good trial. I rely on
Rene keeping me out of those weather conditions. Using Predictwind 2km Met Office maps also
helps I know that I am lucky as my yacht has a slotted toe-rail. Some later Hanses have a pad eye fitted on the toe rail for this purpose. I am sure that if you ask Inspiration Marine for advice they will give you an answer on what you can do. As mentioned in the various threads, I have found my yacht well balanced when sailing under just the main or just the jib. |
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Martin&Rene Hanse 341 Dipper Wheel steering, 3 cabin layout, normally based in Scotland
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Caulkhead
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Joined: 26 April 2021 Location: Solent Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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Posted: 31 July 2025 at 13:25 |
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Hi Martin&Rene, Thanks very much for your detailed and very interesting reply. One thing I will definitely try is more use of the backstay tensioner (if I can remember!). I have whatever is fitted as standard to the H348, which I think from memory is a 4:1 rope tackle driving a 2:1 wire arrangement, which in theory is 8:1, but of course the wire bit is quite spread out across the transom so effectively less than that. I must admit I'm always a bit nervous putting much tension on the backstay, as I have visions of the mast suddenly failing and bending double! In reality, I suspect I don't have anywhere near the strength to do any damage. I might try installing the third reef as a winter project.
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Matt1
Rear Admiral 
Joined: 10 March 2019 Location: Hamble, UK Status: Offline Points: 727 |
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Posted: 31 July 2025 at 21:30 |
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You didn’t say whether you were talking about true or apparent wind so I’m assuming you are talking true and that you would have planned to sail with the tide which means in the Solent you could be getting a further 2-3knots apparent plus the speed through the water so maybe as much as 8-9knots extra in apparent wind? Your 20knots true could be as much as 28 apparent
My third reef goes to the leach cringle and uses the port clutch that had the German main sheet system as standard, which I now just have on the stbd clutch. On a 418 I’ve never reefed the jib and not had to use the third reef. (I would use it offshore, but around the Solent I’ve just dropped the main completely and she is nicely balanced under the full jib - just keep Loads of backstay on!)
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Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK
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Caulkhead
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Joined: 26 April 2021 Location: Solent Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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Posted: 01 August 2025 at 09:14 |
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Hi Matt,
Good point about apparent vs. true wind-speeds. I find my speed log only ever works for the first trip out after having the bottom scrubbed. After that it gets fouled, so most of the time I don't know what speed I'm doing, and the B&G navigation system thinks I'm not moving through the water so doesn't calculate correct TWS. However, I suppose the point I'm making is that, in the unlikely event I was ever to do any serious cruising, or even head any distance out of the Solent, I would have to be able to put up with with much more wind that my current limit. Hence, I find your experience that being able to sail under jib alone very interesting. I might try it next time I'm out in 20 knots+. Interesting idea about using one of the main-sheet clutches for the third reef. I suppose I am thinking that one of the benefits of having the main sheet clutched on both sides of the cockpit is that you can let it go fairly easily if you get caught by a gust, without having to cross the cockpit and potentially lose control. I was thinking that if I did set up a third reef, I might use a clutch that I never touch, e.g. out-haul, which I think is still at the same setting it was when the boat was delivered 4 years ago. Thanks again for your ideas.
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Matt1
Rear Admiral
Joined: 10 March 2019 Location: Hamble, UK Status: Offline Points: 727 |
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Posted: 03 August 2025 at 20:43 |
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I’m Solent based and find my log impeller generally stays clean with careful antifouling of the paddlewheel and the inside of the tube with Trilux which seems to work well locally.
You really want to be making use of that outhaul to make the main nice and baggy in lighter airs and beautifully flat in breezier conditions so I’d personally not lose that clutch in my pursuit of a third reef.
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Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK
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sgjohnston
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Joined: 26 August 2023 Location: Edinburgh/Largs Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Posted: 03 August 2025 at 22:42 |
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I agree, I find the outhaul is more effective than trying to bend the mast with the backstay, to depower. Obviously only works when not reefed, but I wouldn’t want to lose the outhaul jammer.
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Hanse 345 Gigha, based in Largs
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samuel
Admiral of the Fleet 
Joined: 26 December 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2770 |
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Posted: 04 August 2025 at 10:24 |
Pulling in the outhaul will generally only flatten the lower portion of the sail. The backstay is needed to depower the upper & central portions by bending the mast But one should get used to using the clew outhaul to control the sail shape when sailing & not just leave it in one place, If one does not understand then look at some Youtube videos & go out for a sail in 12 kts of wind & play with it on various angles of sailing. Letting it go slack when off the wind. Even a sail in a boltrope will move 100 mm at least But before you do, take the log impellor out & clean it & put it back. Swopping it for the cap, or plug, will only let a cup full of water into the boat & this can be soaked up with a couple of disposable nappies. I cut the elastic off them first, Then wrap them around the outlet. Some people worry about something which is a non event.I often remove mine before a trip to check all is OK.
Edited by samuel - 04 August 2025 at 10:30 |
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Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex
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Caulkhead
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Joined: 26 April 2021 Location: Solent Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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Posted: 04 August 2025 at 13:16 |
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Hi, Thanks for the interesting reply. Will definitely try playing with outhaul and backstay next time I'm out.
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sgjohnston wrote: