Donald wrote:
I've got some difficulty trying to imagine sailing in 25 kts (30
app.) with
the helm lashed.

Katysails wrote:
We couldn't either. I think it's a crab crusher thing, not a fin
keel thing...Chanteuse
wouldn't like it at all....


Peter S/Y Anicula wrote:

Yes, it would depend on the boat. Modern light weight boats with most
of the stability from the fairly wide beam, fin keel and spaderudder
are not suited to be sailed without continuos corrections of the
rudder.

That's a common misconception IMHO. I've never sailed a boat that couldn't
be steadied up with the helm fixed (lashed, locked, pinned, or something
like that) at the very least with the wind forward of the beam. This
includes a Laser!



My boat sails itself well in 25 knots if closehauled. I don't even
have to lash the helm (Wheel). The ability to act this way is normally
sacrificed for extra speed. Boatdesign is always a compromise.
In some cases you can balance the boat by oversheeting the jib a bit
or letting a bit out on the traveller (main) keeping the main flat and
without to much twist - but it will probably only work if the boat
are reasonably well balanced and has a bit of directional stability.

Directional stability makes it easier, and makes it workable in a wider
range of conditions. In waves, some boats get their nose yanked around by
the nose and others have their hindquarters shoved one way and/or the
other; which makes it a bit more challenging.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King