Sop you effectively sailed a circle with the helm free and using only the
sails to make progress despite constant adjustment of the set.... and did so
for 45 minutes. My question is how much of that time was spent going to wind
ward, or making point or even if any of that time allowed you to keep a
steady course or compass bearing.

I will admit now that I have not as yet found an adequate sail set or trim
that will keep even my full keeler tracking to a compass bearing upwind with
the tiller free.

CM

"Donal" wrote in message
...
|
| "Capt. Mooron" wrote in message
| ...
| Yes... I've never seen a fin keeler that would allow the helm to be left
| unlashed or unstopped and make way upwind with the helm free. It won't
| happen... not in a month of Sundays. I could care less what trim you
| claimed
| to have.... it will round up or fall off..... but it will not make
ground
| to
| the waypoint.
|
|
| Yon can steer Setanta by constantly trimming the sails. Last year I
sailed
| her for 45 minutes with the tiller left free. The wind was about 10 kts
and
| dropping. At the end we ended up pointing almost dead downwind, and I
had
| to use the tiller at that point.
|
|
|
| Regards
|
|
| Donal
| --
|
|