NotPony wrote:
Feathering can be used to take a 'bite' up wind.
Always sail on the lifted tack. And when you do
get a puff, "ease - hike - trim" are the words to
live by. Generally, a puff is going to stall the
sail. Ease to re-attach the flow, hike to flatten
the boat, trim back in.


Ease to open the leach, yes.

A lot of people simply cleat the mainsheet & ride along, and only ease
when the boat is overpowered to the point of losing steering; that's
more what I meant.

If the boat is balanced & sailing well, close-hauled, and you get a gust
an don't move the tiller... the boat will heel over, the balance will
shift, and the boat will head up on it's own. Then if the gust dies, it
loses heel and the balnace shifts the opposite way... should bear away
back to the course it was on previously. This is not *the* fastest way
to sail, but it's faster than many helmsman can get the boat to windward.


: ... an afternoon of sailing a 14'
crew-ballasted centerboarder in 20
: knots will teach you more than years of sailing
a heavy 30 footer in
: much stronger winds.

Or, try a 17' Thistle.


Same thing

DSK