Bloc-to-bloc speed vs easing

A question about trimming -

I'm still getting used to this. I was practicing alone last weekend, maybe 8-12 knots, small chop. I played with sail controls and boat speed and pointing. When I trim block to block as taught, I can feel the speed drop off - just feels like I'm not moving at all. When I ease a bit, I can feel and hear the speed pick up.

Is the VMG so much better at block to block that it's worth the lack of power? Can you point that much higher? I felt like I was pinching and not going anywhere.

Or did I not have enough wind to be b to b? (I'm about 155)

I have experienced exactly the same. Especially in stronger winds and waves, to keep up speed and maintain control I have to ease the sheet.

I have found that using Campbell's "gouge" settings from his Sailing World article seems to work for me and I weigh about the same as you:


Light Air (1-10Kts.)

• Mainsheet: 1 to 10 Inches between traveler blocks (reverse order from breeze, i.e.: 1 knot = more than 10", 3 knots = 7" 6 knots = 4", 10 = 1"gap etc.)

By about 10k I can be block to block without feeling slow.....

I see, so it's not windy enough at 10 to be block to block yet.

Are you flattening and de-powering the sail by sheeting and/or tightening the vang that much?

Is this radial or full rig? As I think that the mainsheet trim is different for the two rigs because I have heard some say to not trim the radial block to block.

Re: Block-to-block speed vs easing

Full rig.

MasterMike said:

I see, so it's not windy enough at 10 to be block to block yet.

Are you flattening and de-powering the sail by sheeting and/or tightening the vang that much?

Click to expand...

I use about a fist's worth of space between the foot and the boom and vang moderately tight (& will try easing the vang a bit if i feel slow...)