any tips on sailing in strong breeze?

lrmane

New Member
im a radial sailor and will have a regatta soon. the weather forcast said the wind will be roung 15 - 23. would like to ask any tips to sail the boat faster in upwind couse im often over power in this condition.
im 51 kg and 5'3" (163cm)
 
Eat more...;)

Depower massively - lots of kicker and cunningham. Really make use of these, not sure of your experience level but most kids I coach think they are putting lots on until I show them what lots really means.

Make sure your toe strap is set correctly so you can hike comfortably.

Play the main in the gusts. Don't worry if you are not block to block, you will need to ease sheet in the gusts. Flat and eased is much faster than having the main pinned with the boat massively healed.

I'm a lot heavier than you and a bit taller and these are the things I use when I am overpowered.
 
Also, sit a bit further forward when pointing. Periodically take a glance at the water coming off you stern to give you a sense of how the stern is digging in to the flow.
 
Eat more...;)

Depower massively - lots of kicker and cunningham. Really make use of these, not sure of your experience level but most kids I coach think they are putting lots on until I show them what lots really means.

Make sure your toe strap is set correctly so you can hike comfortably.

Play the main in the gusts. Don't worry if you are not block to block, you will need to ease sheet in the gusts. Flat and eased is much faster than having the main pinned with the boat massively healed.

I'm a lot heavier than you and a bit taller and these are the things I use when I am overpowered.

Good advice; I have bolded what I need to work on, being :)undersized:) as well.
You will want a tighter outhaul as well, but not so tight that you loose all power.
 
Think vmg, vang cranked on hard (so the boom rises very little from block to block on main sheet ease) for upwind and ease during the puffs, the main can be eased as the breeze builds, cunningham cranked as you start to get overpowered, keep in mind that the cunningham will also decrease the draft in the foot, you want a flatter sail but leave some draft in the foot when the cunningham is cranked, sail the boat flat in flat water and hike hard, slight leeward heel in big waves can keep some water out of the cockpit,

Be sure to ease the vang before you attempt to round the windward mark, if you happen to forget, make sure you ease the vang before you right the boat, also be sure to ease the main quickly on the rounding, you won't be able to turn down if you don't
 
wt abt in wavy condition? im more concern abt the rudder movement actually! i saw some of the sailor could use the rudder effectively to maintain boatspeed as well as pointing. And they are abt the same size as me.
 
If you can get hold of a copy of The Boat Whisperer DVD's made by Rooster Steve Cockerill demonstrates wave technique in strong winds both upwind and downwind. I wouldn't be surprised if its on youtube by now.
 
Sailorchick seems to have the correct technique. Just remember that you're chances of being caught in irons increases as you pull the vang on, so if you get stuck head to wind, ease the vang and maybe raise the centreboard for a moment until you gain forward momentum again.
 
I'm guessing this is advice for upwind (when you're likely to be overpowered).

When sailing in overpowering conditions I sail with the controls as so:
  • Kicker - On as much as I can possible pull on, don't be worried about breaking anything, you wont if you let it off downwind. Also this means that when you ease the mainsheet the boom goes only out rather than up, keeping the sail depowered.
  • Downhaul/Cunningham - On as much as I can possible pull on, the bottom of the sail (in a radial) almost always crinkles up against the boom.
  • Outhaul - I pull it on bar tight and then free it again until there are just no creases left in the bottom of the sail. However pull the outhaul on last as; when you pull the Cunningham on it also helps to flatten the bottom of the sail.
My technique for upwind is to ease the mainsheet about half a foot and sail a lot freer than you would normally (try not to pinch) when there is a violent gust, ease the mainsheet more and try not to pinch again. This helps to keep the boat speed up especially if over waves.

My technique for sailing over waves is to heel the boat about 5-10 degrees to leeward.... as a wave comes towards you; push with the rudder to help lift the bow over the wave, and then as the wave begins to travel under the boat; pull again with the rudder to bring the bow back down again. Repeat this with each large looking wave (because if you do it over every wave someone may accuse you of "cheating"). Note: This method does not work particularly well when you pinch.

Lastly when you tack.... try to do so when you are travelling up a wave. This means you will be pushing with the tiller as you go up the wave on one tack and pull the tiller once you have tacked going down the wave.

Hope this helps... like Sailorchick said try to find the Rooster Upwind DVD because Steve explains wave sailing very well.
 

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