Many beginning sailors feel the boat goes fast when heeled. The boat may initially move faster because of less water resistance, but we know upwind this is not true because the boat tends to “side slip” off course. But what about downwind? Downwind you are using very little centerboard to steer your course because you [...]
All posts tagged Techniques
The Anatomy of the Tack
Tacking skills can make or break races in many classes. The boat slows up dramatically when you tack. Slow is not good when you are trying to win a race, so every sailor tries to reduce the speed lost during a tack. The structure of the tack can be broken down into three stages: The [...]
Posted by buoylogic on 08/16/09
http://buoylogic.wordpress.com/2009/08/16/the-anatomy-of-the-tack/
The Pinch
When rounding the leeward mark in a long line of boats, it’s important set yourself up for a good upwind. To do that, after rounding you should have clear air. First do your normal wide and tight rounding. However, after rounding slightly pinch your boat farther than you normally would. Do this for a second [...]
Posted by buoylogic on 08/15/09
http://buoylogic.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/the-pinch/
The Foot and Duck
You and another competitor are on starboard. You can’t tack or you will foul them. What do you do? I’ve seen many ways to get around this from the crazy “Top Gun Move“, or slowing their boat up to end up behind their competitor to be able to tack. In racing, you never want to [...]
Posted by buoylogic on 08/15/09
http://buoylogic.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/the-foot-and-duck/
Boat Angle Steering
“Look Mom! No hands!” is the phrase you must remember when steering. To sail at top speed, you must use your body weight to steer the boat without without your hands doing all the work. How do you do it? To head up – heel up To head down – flat boat (in some cases [...]
Posted by buoylogic on 08/15/09
http://buoylogic.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/boat-angle-steering/
Steering with Sails
To achieve a race victory, the shortest distances needs to be sailed. For that to occur, one needs to point high. And to do that proper speed is needed. When turned sideways, the rudder is a brake. For that reason it is essential to have little steering as possible. For that is when sails come [...]
Posted by buoylogic on 08/04/08
http://buoylogic.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/steering-with-sails/
High Heel Hiking
Concentration, constant strategy, and the hype of a race can make it hard to remember tactics. So simplify it. Use something different than your mind to propel you forward. We’re talking body placement. Without hiking side slipping destroys gained distance. It’s like throwing money away. It doesn’t make sense. Neither does heel. Not even the [...]
Posted by buoylogic on 04/03/08
http://buoylogic.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/high-heel-hiking/
