You gentlemen need to learn the terms of sailing. When steering the marks
it's a header or a lift, not feather up or down or whatever, steer
according to the wind.... make headway when you can and adjust accordingly.
Point as high as you need to make the mark and hope something doesn't bite
you in the ass on a tack , that would be the move across the wind Rob ,
overrun a winch or whatever. The boat is as fast as the person sailing it. A
First 35s5 may be fast but I can make it faster with my sailing ability
(Come on, Fat man on the rail ,, Knows how to sail.)
JB