Doug... the topic was based on Bob's claim to be able to set or trim sails
so that a boat can hold and maintain course despite the rudder being free to
swing without restriction up wind from a beam to a close reach. I called
bull****.

Now if you add a drogue to the stern that alone changes the "dynamics" and
emergency steering systems jury rigged would no doubt alter the outcome to
allow progress. It may even be believable that with sufficent and constant
adjustment of sails in flat seas and steady light wind that you can split
the swings to make progress upwind..... but trim to sail to a point without
a rudder.... I can't see it.

CM


"DSK" wrote in message
...
| Capt. Mooron wrote:
| I'l try it again as well... I might get it to work on a reach if I
| continuously adjust and trim the sails.... I'm not holding my breath.
Has
| anyone else managed to sail upwing with a rudder swinging free for
more than
| what would constitute normal momentum over a short period.???
|
|
|
|
|
| The navigator© wrote:
|
| Yes but it requires a flat sea.
|
|
| Not really, but if there is a sea running then it requires both skill &
patience.
| Can you say "dynamic equilibrium"? C'mon, say it with me now. It's really
just a
| fancy word for saying that the boat will swing one way, then the other,
but will
| be able to be steered on a course averaging between the swings.
|
| The trickiest part is to keep the boat close to the wind without getting
thrown
| through stays by some combination of gust & wave; or if the circumstances
are such
| that this is going to happen anyway, to coax the boat back onto the
desired
| course.
|
| I'm having a hard time imagining circumstances where one could not at
least
| immobilize the rudder, much less rig some type of emergency steering. In
one
| Bermuda Race a few years ago, one boat that lost it's rudder used a bunk
lashed to
| the spinnaker pole as an emergency rudder & tiller.
|
| Fresh Breezes- Doug King
|
|