Sailing by the lee

B

bcrew

New Member
There has been lots of articles written on this but I still have a couple of things that I would like your comments on:

1) When sailing downwind by-the-lee is it ever advantageous to sheet in a little to sail maintain "attached" flow while at the same time sailing a lower angle? Or should one keep their sail roughly at 90 deg to the boat and steer the lowest angle that gives "attached" flow?

2) What do people look at or how do they determine that the sail has "attached" flow when by-the-lee? I have a tell-tail at the trailing edge which is one indicator and a couple sets 1/3 of the way back from the mast. Should I try and keep the forward tell-tails flying backwards?
 
i guess I don't know what "attached" exactly means but I'm guessing you mean, keeping the sail fully powered and not letting the wind spill off when the sail twists away.

I follow a rule of thumb that in light air, I can let the sail past 90 degrees, medium - don't let the sail past 90 degrees, heavy and survival conditions - keep the sail closer than 90 degrees.

That is just a rule of thumb though and you really have to experiment with sail shape. I think this will be an interesting post.

Remember you can also adjust the leech tension with vang. Make sure you aren't easing too much vang off after you round the windward mark, that could cause twisting 'off'

Ben Ainslie's Book has soom good pictures
 
i think i set my vang to the point so you can see where the upper batten starts to 'flick' forward, then I tighten it up a little bit. For some reason I heard the sail flicking can get you in trouble with the rules... don't really know though
 
rtdanforth said:
Why might allowing your leech to flick to leeward implicate the rules? Can someone explain this to me? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Leech "flicking" is considered a sign of pumping to the judges (which, in effect, it is). I think pre-2000 Olympics this was considered a "good thing" to do but, as with other things done pre-2000 (and appearing in books written even just after that) it is not legal now. Rule 42 and its interpretations are very strict. You can find links to the ISAF Rule 42 interpretations on the ISAF web page (under rules). For example: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?...c565?b6jeEm4oBIa5,3P7xSYJ8,,E~?`4AIKV0h0aCYmg
 
Normal flicking of the leech due to sailing by the lee is allowed. If your body movement is causing flicking of the leech it is not allowed. As a judge the sail flicking is a "look at me" indicator. They then look at you in the boat and what you are doing. Are you causing the leech to flick or is it happening naturally.
 
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