"Bart Senior" wrote in message .net...
Joe, I crewed sailing a schooner 2500 miles once. It was
all hand steering and down wind. It tended to wander. After
a while you get good at anticipating and counter steering.

Same on redcloud. And on the long trips you do get into the rythm and
steer a few moations ahead of the boat. Most of our long trips were
racing and reducing sail is not favored. But later I found that by
reefing the mizzen the boat is pulled thru the seas instead of being
pushed running down wind. Cut out 80% of the wheel work.


While being pushed so hard at the stern redcloud wandered on every
wave.


This boat had a round bilge and it would roll quite a bit. It
took every bit of concentration to minimize that. I found that
helming was constant effort and tiring.


Dont ya hate that? When your on the wheel 12-18 hours straight you
really feel the pain. I like to do my best to balance things out, turn
on the autopilot and only hear it correct course only once a min.

Still do not have trimming perfect on redcloud, but thats the fun of
sailing I guess. Always more to learn

Joe

Bart

Joe wrote Hey Schoonertrash,

How's your boat handle running down wind ?

On my ketch running down wind 15-20 knots wind from the stern quarters
it has a hell of a weather helm that works my wrist bone gristle thin
unless I reduce the mizzen and shift the load further forward. Seems
to me on a Schooner it would be worse.
Is it?

Are Ketches better down wind, And Schooners better upwind?

Joe