Sailing into the wind

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Meadow5225
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:27 am

Sailing into the wind

Post by Meadow5225 »

I understand the wording of the rule for sailing into the wind and being taken aback, but I don't understand the circumstances under which this could happen. The section starts by saying that it is not possible to sail closer than 45deg to the wind, then describes what happens if you do! If you are sailing into the wind, don't the tacking rules take care of what might happen? I feel I must be missing something here but I can't see what. Help please.
JimLeCat
Posts: 888
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:57 pm
Location: Durham, England

Re: Sailing into the wind

Post by JimLeCat »

Hi,

6.7 doesn't say you can't do it, only that you can't do it without risking serious damage to your ship! As such, you would never normally try it, but there are those rare occasions when you might risk all...

There are two other ways you can be taken aback. One is a failed tacking attempt (6.8), the other is if the wind changes direction on you (8.2).

Cheers,
Jim
Meadow5225
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:27 am

Re: Sailing into the wind

Post by Meadow5225 »

My problem with this is that a square rigged ship shouldn't be able to sail so close to the wind in any event. Being taken aback would also be the consequence of a severe failure to tack successfully. So I understand what you have told me but I can't see how it relates to the reality of sailing a square rigger.
JimLeCat
Posts: 888
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:57 pm
Location: Durham, England

Re: Sailing into the wind

Post by JimLeCat »

True, a square rigged ship couldn't make any headway that close to the wind, but it is perfectly possible to turn into the wind - tacking is doing exactly that in a way that brings you across the wind before losing headway. If you turn into the wind (or you are sailing close to the minimum angle your sailing rig allows and the wind shifts direction), then Bad Things may happen unless you recover quickly...

To be honest, I think I've only once seen a ship taken aback in a game, and I think that was a sudden wind change followed by some bad dice rolling. We've had a few ships temporarily becalmed by a failed tack test, but if playing with crews who are poor enough that failing on tacking is likely, then we tend to play it safe and wear instead.

Cheers,
Jim
Meadow5225
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:27 am

Re: Sailing into the wind

Post by Meadow5225 »

So maybe the events that can provoke this are either a wind change that leaves a ship heading into the wind or an inadvertent turn into the wind by a player making an error of command and picked up by an umpire or other player?
JimLeCat
Posts: 888
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:57 pm
Location: Durham, England

Re: Sailing into the wind

Post by JimLeCat »

Yep, that's how we do it, plus a failed tack test. It makes you keep a close eye on the wind, and encourages you not to sail too close to it - which feels right.
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