No Jib No Rudder with Passengers

Sailing a Cape Cod Mercury with no Jib and No Rudder:
Sailing with Passengers

Here some willing CBI members looking for instruction agree to join me for an evening rudderless sail.

Docking with passengers in light wind. Approach the dock at a 45 degree angle and apply leeward heel to bring the boat parallel to the dock for an upwind landing.

Here we're flying the spinnaker rudderless with passengers.

It is possible to sail with no jib and no rudder with passengers provided the weight can be distributed and moved about the boat as necessary to properly steer. It is best with most of the weight to windward to counter balance the wind force on the sail.

Getting Under Sail with passengers requires most of the weight to be to windward and the boom fully extended to leward. Once the boat is under way, balance the wind speed with more or less windward weight to keep the boat on the desired course. In lighter wind, place the heavier person (or the only passenger) to windward and 2nd lighter passenger to leward such that the skipper can effectively steer the boat with their own weight shifts.

Tacking requires helm and the weight to be shifted to leeward prior to tacking to start the upwind turn. Sheet in the main to control boat heel and increase the rate of turn. After the bow crosses the eye of the wind, apply your weigh to leward (your passengers are now to windward) and gently back the main to complete the turn.

Downwind Runs will probably require a more even distribution of weight and in higher wind, the centerboard raised at least half way. If the wind appears too high to get the boat to turn downwind, also try raising the centerboard.

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Copyright Phil Rossoni 7/13/2006

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