Light Wind Sailing = Shifty Winds + attention to detail
The Sunday night chalk talk asked that boats focus on starting, sail trim, and boat balance.
- Start Strategy: Get up close to the line and stay there. It takes a long time to get to the starting line in light wind so back and forth is preferred to out and back.
- Sail Trim: Start with a properly hoisted mainsail at the dock. When sailing, trim to the correct point of sail and steer to maintain full sails. It is difficult to tell where the wind is coming from in light air. Look at the windward sidestay telltale, look at other boats, and use your face to feel the wind. Ian talked about easing the jibsheet two inches to power up and then bring it back in.
- Boat Balance: Light winds necessitate a very still boat and smooth sailing.
- Every turn of the tiller breaks any momentum you may have gained as does too much crew movement. Rest the tiller on your knee if you have to.
- All weight should be leeward and forward. This will reduce drag and help your sail trim
- Tack slowly with a graceful arc: Gently ease the boat to windward until the jib starts to luff. The jibsheet trimmer then releases the jib sheet by taking it totally off the winch and all of the crew moves to the new leeward to help turn the boat. The jibsheet trimmer takes the slack out of the jib as it crosses the boat. Don’t pull too hard or too early as that will backwind the sail and stall the boat. Once the boat is on course, the helmsperson moves to leeward
Here are the pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6BirutQtJYXAvyFs5
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