"DSK" wrote
| Right again, but I never claimed I could "track a straight line unattended
for an extended
| distance" with the rudder swinging free. It seems you're looking for
something that is not
| here.


"Capt. Mooron" wrote:
That's exactly the assumption I am contesting. Bob stated clearly he can
accomplish this feat with sail trim alone and that's the reason I called
Bull****.

Ah so. Well, Bubbles is nuts. I very rarely read his posts and skipped that one.
I thought the thread was talking about simply getting the boat to go where you
want.



No doubt you can get some progress in optimim conditions... but in
no way can I see a boat sailing to weather with a free helm... you'd have to
have neutral helm to even approach to accomplish that.
Weather helm would make short work of the effort.

Well, weather helm can be negated or exaggerated. I think that you're making too
much of it, many boats can be sailed towards a destination with a free swinging
rudder. That doesn't mean it has to track perfectly straight along the way. And
a locked rudder makes it much easier.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King