Sailing the AI - highs and lows

[skorgard]

Over Dec / Jan we spent a month on Kangaroo Island and I thought I would share two very different sailing days which highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the AI as a sailing craft.

On New Year's Day I joined in the "Ballast Head Cup" which is a joint race between the Cruising Yacht Squadron of South Australia and the Kangaroo Island Sailing Club. The latter is pretty well small dinghies and cats but the former has some serious gin palaces. It was a stinking hot day and there was barely any wind. I decided that as it was a friendly race, and that I was seriously outclassed in terms of waterline and sail area it would not be too much of a cheat to have my pedals in. Because there was so little wind, I was able to keep up with the front of the fleet with slow pedalling even though I was kissed by one boat that couldn't see me. The course was 2 laps of the 5 nautical mile course and when I was into the 2nd lap, race control announced over the VHF that they will allow boats to motor for quarter of an hour to try and get the fleet back to the finish line within a reasonable time. I knew there was no way I could increase speed but one of the gin palaces tossed me a rope which I wrapped around my mast base which I thought would be the strongest place and surfed for most of the rest of the lap making it just across the finish line under my own power.

A couple of weeks later I went to the local race on Kangaroo Island. The wind was around 25 to 30 kn with the main race line being straight into the wind. Well I knew it was not fair to have my pedals and this was a big mistake. The AI does not have a lot of mass and normally when I tack I do a few strokes of the pedals to get me through the eye of the wind. I thought it would just take a little bit longer without the pedals and with the cassette in. However with so little mass, and trying to negotiate such a strong wind, I only rarely managed to make a tack when I was able to coast down a small wave. Otherwise I would get blown backwards and it took me a while to realise that I needed to have my rudder on opposite lock to be able to get the wind on the other side of the sail. I tried gybing but I would make such a long distance downwind that I wasn't making much progress. I finally managed to get to the upwind mark and thought that I would just head back to the sailing club as the race was largely over (having seen one of the Hobies pitchpole) and although it doesn't seem as though you are going very fast when you're running before the wind the nose of the AI was submarining. It wasn't much fun. Despite being "midsummer' and wearing my SharkSkins I was shivering when I got back on shore.

I realise that the AI is not a purpose-built sailing machine and it just shows that the mixture of pedals and sail works well. Any of you other guys have had problems when trying to tack in strong winds without using pedals?

Paul.

[RedPhoenix]

Yeah, tacking into the wind is awkward without a bit of pedal-assist.
Timing things right, and getting up a good head of steam just prior to the tack can help, as can completely releasing the pressure on the sail in some circumstances. Smooth water (ie: lakes) also makes it a bit simpler, as you don't loose as much momentum.

A half-paddle with a handle on the end is also useful if you're not using the pedals, just to get you over the 'hump'.

Fingers crossed, Merlot will chime in here - he's been racing the AIs for a little while up at the sunshine coast, and might have a couple of pointers.

Red.

[matcoburn]

Hi Paul,
Yep its not fun in strong winds! If you are not successful on the tack the wind tends to pin you down where you feel like you have lost control as a tack or a gybe seem impossible. My friends first impression trying out the AI was that it needed a large rudder so when you go into the tack the steering is there. As Red said you cant really tack without a decent kick on the pedals as you bear into the wind. Im pretty happy with this limitation...its not a sailboat.

The nose of the A.I needs a surf ski wave deflector to keep you dry and keeps the boat stable through swell. I dont know why Hobie havent made the nose like this. My boat is a cracker with it and a turkey without it.

nose cone for a dry ride and no nose dives!

exit%20merr_river%203%20(WinCE).jpg (13.56 KiB) Viewed 1233 times

Geez it was bloody windy on K.I ...seems it was onshore wherever you went! Plenty of fish though.

[skorgard]

Mat thanks where did you get the nose deflector?

[matcoburn]

Fluked it Paul....a no name deflector found in the back of a yak store in melbourne collecting dust for years.Should be others out there. This one did fit the hobie reasonable well. The AI is 10x better with it than without it for the ocean and beach landing with surf.
Mat
ps Getting my carbie fixed now so my van can take petrol and gas so i will be able to get around KI without stressing out about fuel.

[johnH]

I've ordered some spray skirts which I hope will make things a bit drier from here http://www.kayakingbob.com/sprayskirt

[kayakone]

How high (into wind, in degrees) can an AI point?

1. In light winds, say 5 - 14 knots

2. In stronger winds

3. Above 25 knots

Thanks
Trevor

[matcoburn]

centreboard down!

[kayakone]

This experience may be informative to some AI owners...

Rumour has it that it was a vocal advocate of kayak safety who we will call safety boy rather than name him. From the rumours going around, he went down to Fish rock against all advice in his AI, and couldn't get back against the current and had to be rescued.

rescue [ˈrɛskjuː]
'to bring (someone or something) out of danger, attack, harm'

Well not quite any of that. Not in danger, or harm. But it was a long walk home. And why, you may ask?

I set off in light NE winds towards Grassy Island (not Grassy Head....that's to the north). Being light winds I knew the AI would sail markedly upwind of a broad reach, so getting home should not be a problem. This truly is a wildly beautiful part of the NSW coastline. I saw no one. Rounding Grassy to the east, the beatifully sculptured and strangely lightly coloured Fish Rock, a further 2 km south, lured me on. There were a couple of dive boats here so I steered well away under the irrestible call of Black Rocks, a further 1.5 km to the SW, lying only a few hundred metres off the beach. The wind was beginning to build.

The first signs of current were on this SW leg, as a heading for the Rock required several steering and sheet adjustments further north to be able to approach it on its northern side. The wind had increased markedly in a short period of time. Once around Black Rocks I began tacking for just south of Fish Rock, but to my surprise at the end of this leg, was 500 metres south of the aiming point. The reciprocal tack left me worse off, south of Black Rocks.

It was obvious that great attention to fine trimming was required and I concentrated on this intently for the entire third tack, only to pass Fish Rock over a kilometre south. The currents were winning. Was this the first SWR to Hobart? Not too concerned I continued this tack eastwards till Fish Rock was blending into the coastline, in the hope that the current would be less well out to sea. The fourth leg shorewards left me well south of Black Rocks, and it was then that I realized I wasn't sailing home, and that Hat Head well south was probably the only choice.

LESSON # 1 The East Australian current (EAC) can be very strong in this area. It may reach 7 knots at times between Black Rocks and Fish Rock, and an AI is no match for it. Even at SWR breakwater, Loius and Grant warned "don't go past the bins", and if you do (like getting towed by a big fish), you will have a lot of trouble getting back. This is an area for great caution, and 'test' back paddles should be tried regularly to determine the strength of the current, which can vary day to day. The current is generally southwards during summer.

While there was no danger (apart from a surf landing at Hat Head, which may not have been pretty), I did however try Trial Bay VMR, only to silence. I tried several more times over the next hour...to total silence, including trying the dive boats on channel 16. Silence. This was somewhat unnerving, and it was fortunate I wasn't actually in a life threatening situation. I continued tacking with consistent loss of headway when I heard VMR trying to contact me. Communications were not good, but they did say they'd try to contact the dive boats. About 40 minutes later a dive boat approached me from the shore...the seas were so big they'd been looking for me for 20 minutes and hadn't seen a 5 metre mast with a fair bit of sail deployed. A SOT kayaker would never have been found in those seas (unless a PLB with GPS had been activated).

A few anxious moments ensued as they tried to get a perlon tow rope to me. The pitching was unsettling (even on an AI) and it took several attempts to get the float and then attach the free end to the forward aka bar beside the mast. The tow back to Fish Rock was very rough with me having to hold my breath several times as waves crashed right over the boat. I occassionally reassured them I was okay via the clenched fist on top of the head symbol (I am OK, or are you OK?).
Hat Head was the obvious choice if I wanted to be home that night, and was always plan 'B' when the results of multiple tacks failed to produce headway. There was no threat to life, but what was disconcerting for a while was being unable to make radio contact with VMR or the dive boats, who I assume, were not monitoring Channel 16 (as well as their working channel on dual watch). This proved to be correct.

LESSON # 2 VMR communications in big seas are difficult. There is a lot of noise from breaking tops and the roar of the wind. Also no one may hear a call for assistance.

The East Australian Current (EAC) can run at 3 - 7 knots in the vicinity of SWR and Hat Head, so it is not surprising that the AI could not make upwind headway. The wierd waves that the current created between Fish Rock and Black Rocks were an indicator that the current speed was in the high range. As well, the wind from the NE had increased to 25 knots, which decreased the ability of the AI (as I now know) to make it sail upwind. At 25 knots headwind (without an adverse current), I was unlikely to gain much more than 10 degrees into wind on a tack, and after talking today to Mal (Sunstate Hobie), who is an experienced sailor, this can be achieved only on a partly furled sail (about half).

LESSON # 3 The AI cannot win against a strong current.

LESSON # 4 The AI will go only slightly upwind in strong winds, and then only on a partly furled sail.
It is nowhere near a monohull in it's upwind performance.

After the slow tow in the big seas we reached the tiny refuge of Fish Rock. I settled down to a welcome cup of milo offered by dive boat skipper John Craig, owner of Fish Rock Dive Centre, while his customers (two English visitors) went for another dive with the guide. I noted marked current lines just forward of our anchor bouy....it was really ripping past the rock. Once back on board after an "excellent dive" (they saw a big groper), we rigged a cradle for the AI across the walkway and hauled the AI up for a faster trip home. The roar of the twin 140 hp 4 strokes gave us a positive homeward push, but even in the very capable sharkcat, speed was out of the question as the seas and swell were big and the whitecaps numerous.

Many thanks to John Craig from the Fish Rock Dive Centre for a ride home. His generous help certainly saved me a surf landing at Hat Head and a long walk home.

LESSON # 5 Be careful of the current at SWR. Don't go past the bins!

See you all next year!

Trevor[/quote]

[TheFishinMusician]

Some very Good points there Trevor & applicable to lots of situations.
I've had some Lon tacks home in strong winds in the AI & have @ times wonders if I'd be walking back from a beach further down.

I guess one of the danger points of this craft
Is its range, as we are able to go a lot further from help should things go wrong.

Thanks for posting.

[matcoburn]

Great Post Trevor......somebody should make a map of your path against the current in relation to FRC. Hi Mark!

[wopfish]

Fu*k a doodle doo - what an adventure - respect to the ocean - and respect to yourself for a decent recovery with the help of others ! On my first trip offshore I got caught out by the current and thank god I got the help straight away from a passing boat - I would have been fine paddling further south..... but its best to reach out for help sooner rather than later I think.

I'm hoping you bought the skipper of the dive boat a slab or four !

[Sunhobie]

This experience may be informative to some AI owners...

I set off in light NE winds towards Grassy Island (not Grassy Head....that's to the north). Being light winds I knew the AI would sail markedly upwind of a broad reach, so getting home should not be a problem. This truly is a wildly beautiful part of the NSW coastline. I saw no one. Rounding Grassy to the east, the beatifully sculptured and strangely lightly coloured Fish Rock, a further 2 km south, lured me on. There were a couple of dive boats here so I steered well away under the irrestible call of Black Rocks, a further 1.5 km to the SW, lying only a few hundred metres off the beach. The wind was beginning to build.

The first signs of current were on this SW leg, as a heading for the Rock required several steering and sheet adjustments further north to be able to approach it on its northern side. The wind had increased markedly in a short period of time. Once around Black Rocks I began tacking for just south of Fish Rock, but to my surprise at the end of this leg, was 500 metres south of the aiming point. The reciprocal tack left me worse off, south of Black Rocks.

It was obvious that great attention to fine trimming was required and I concentrated on this intently for the entire third tack, only to pass Fish Rock over a kilometre south. The currents were winning. Was this the first SWR to Hobart? Not too concerned I continued this tack eastwards till Fish Rock was blending into the coastline, in the hope that the current would be less well out to sea. The fourth leg shorewards left me well south of Black Rocks, and it was then that I realized I wasn't sailing home, and that Hat Head well south was probably the only choice.

LESSON # 1 The East Australian current (EAC) can be very strong in this area. It may reach 7 knots at times between Black Rocks and Fish Rock, and an AI is no match for it. Even at SWR breakwater, Loius and Grant warned "don't go past the bins", and if you do (like getting towed by a big fish), you will have a lot of trouble getting back. This is an area for great caution, and 'test' back paddles should be tried regularly to determine the strength of the current, which can vary day to day. The current is generally southwards during summer.

While there was no danger (apart from a surf landing at Hat Head, which may not have been pretty), I did however try Trial Bay VMR, only to silence. I tried several more times over the next hour...to total silence, including trying the dive boats on channel 16. Silence. This was somewhat unnerving, and it was fortunate I wasn't actually in a life threatening situation. I continued tacking with consistent loss of headway when I heard VMR trying to contact me. Communications were not good, but they did say they'd try to contact the dive boats. About 40 minutes later a dive boat approached me from the shore...the seas were so big they'd been looking for me for 20 minutes and hadn't seen a 5 metre mast with a fair bit of sail deployed. A SOT kayaker would never have been found in those seas (unless a PLB with GPS had been activated).

A few anxious moments ensued as they tried to get a perlon tow rope to me. The pitching was unsettling (even on an AI) and it took several attempts to get the float and then attach the free end to the forward aka bar beside the mast. The tow back to Fish Rock was very rough with me having to hold my breath several times as waves crashed right over the boat. I occassionally reassured them I was okay via the clenched fist on top of the head symbol (I am OK, or are you OK?).
Hat Head was the obvious choice if I wanted to be home that night, and was always plan 'B' when the results of multiple tacks failed to produce headway. There was no threat to life, but what was disconcerting for a while was being unable to make radio contact with VMR or the dive boats, who I assume, were not monitoring Channel 16 (as well as their working channel on dual watch). This proved to be correct.

LESSON # 2 VMR communications in big seas are difficult. There is a lot of noise from breaking tops and the roar of the wind. Also no one may hear a call for assistance.

The East Australian Current (EAC) can run at 3 - 7 knots in the vicinity of SWR and Hat Head, so it is not surprising that the AI could not make upwind headway. The wierd waves that the current created between Fish Rock and Black Rocks were an indicator that the current speed was in the high range. As well, the wind from the NE had increased to 25 knots, which decreased the ability of the AI (as I now know) to make it sail upwind. At 25 knots headwind (without an adverse current), I was unlikely to gain much more than 10 degrees into wind on a tack, and after talking today to Mal (Sunstate Hobie), who is an experienced sailor, this can be achieved only on a partly furled sail (about half).

LESSON # 3 The AI cannot win against a strong current.

LESSON # 4 The AI will go only slightly upwind in strong winds, and then only on a partly furled sail.
It is nowhere near a monohull in it's upwind performance.

After the slow tow in the big seas we reached the tiny refuge of Fish Rock. I settled down to a welcome cup of milo offered by dive boat skipper John Craig, owner of Fish Rock Dive Centre, while his customers (two English visitors) went for another dive with the guide. I noted marked current lines just forward of our anchor bouy....it was really ripping past the rock. Once back on board after an "excellent dive" (they saw a big groper), we rigged a cradle for the AI across the walkway and hauled the AI up for a faster trip home. The roar of the twin 140 hp 4 strokes gave us a positive homeward push, but even in the very capable sharkcat, speed was out of the question as the seas and swell were big and the whitecaps numerous.

Many thanks to John Craig from the Fish Rock Dive Centre for a ride home. His generous help certainly saved me a surf landing at Hat Head and a long walk home.

LESSON # 5 Be careful of the current at SWR. Don't go past the bins!

See you all next year!

Trevor

[/quote]



As Trevor and I have discussed, sailing has many variables (as do all forms of boating). In this case, many of the variables ganged up on Trevor and the sh*t hit the fan.
A couple of comments/suggestions if i may.

All boaties should be aware of the current weather/wind conditions as well as short and long term forecast. If Trev had known it was gonna blow 25kts from the north, and he still went south, then he is a candidate for a Darwin Award!

It doesn't matter whether you sail an AI or a Maxi racer, sailing upwind is only done when you have to. It is always best to plan for a downwind sail/reach home at the end of the day, not to beat your brains out, as you are belting upwind on the way home.

It is a trap for young players to charge off downwind first, because the conditions are understated when you run with the wind. It is only when you turn to sail back against the wind, that you see the whitecaps and feel the fury of the wind.

Whether you are sailing ,paddling ,pedalling or motoring, the East Coast southerly current can cause grief. It doesn't matter how high you can point into the wind if the current is pushing against you, you will still be swept sideways as you go forwards. Even a maxi yacht can only sail to windward at 9-10 kts. This means that the VMG (velocity made good) in the direction of travel is much less (around 5-6 kts). If the current is 3-4 kts, the maxi will only make 1 or 2 kts real progress , in areas of strong current.(it is like sailing on a moving carpet or conveyor belt).

A GPS gives a really good indicator of current effect as you drift. So do transit marks on the land, if you can see land.

If I was caught in the situation, I probably would have headed south for a safer place to make landfall and take my chances on land, rather than at sea.

Well done Trevor, you kept your wits and used the safety equipment that you had on board. How many people who carry VHF radios know how to use them properly?

Mal Gray
Sunstate Hobie

[skorgard]

Mal very helpful comments. Because of the versatility of these craft I had though I could go almost anywhere but I and clearly others have realised that this is not the case.

Thanks

Paul.

[andybear]

Thanks for posting this!

I hope I have learned something from your near misfortune...( or geographical destination shift)

You did well to keep calm, and keep your thinking cap on.

cheers andybear