A boat is in irons when she has stopped pointing into the wind, with the sails flapping, and can’t be steered because no water is flowing past the rudder. To get out, back the jib by holding it out against the wind so it pushes the bow round, then sail away on the new tack.
A boat is in irons when she has stopped head to wind, inside the no-go zone. The sails flap and give no drive, and because she isn’t moving forward there is no water flowing past the rudder, so steering does nothing. It usually happens during a tack that was too slow or stopped halfway, or when heading up too far and losing speed.
To get out of irons:
- Choose which way to go. Decide which tack you want to end up on, so you know which way the bow needs to turn.
- Back the jib. Hold the jib out on the side opposite to the way you want the bow to go, against the wind. The wind pushes on the back of the sail and pushes the bow round, away from it.
- Let the mainsail out fully, so it doesn’t push the boat back up into the wind.
- Steer for going backwards. The boat will usually drift astern, and then the rudder works in reverse. With a tiller, push it towards the side you want the bow to go, away from the backed jib. With a wheel, turn it towards the backed jib.
- Sail away. Once the bow has turned far enough for the sails to fill, let the jib across, pull it in on the new leeward side, sheet in the main, straighten the helm and build speed.
In a dinghy without a jib, push the boom out against the wind on one side instead, with the tiller pushed towards the boom. The boat drifts backwards, her stern is pushed away from the boom and her bow swings towards it, until she can sail off with the boom already on the correct side.
To avoid it, start a tack with the boat at full speed, push the tiller firmly, and keep the turn going steadily until the bow is well through the wind. A hesitant tack is the usual cause.
Being in irons is rarely dangerous in open water, but it can be near other boats, a shore or a channel with traffic. If you are in a tight spot on a yacht, starting the engine may be the quickest way out.
More in the book: Chapter 6, Steering and tacking