Need help sailing out of a slip in light winds

OldFrog

New Member
Despite my moniker, I am new to sailing (and new to this board). I enjoy the challenge of sailing into and out of the slip aboard a Capri 22 which I charter through our club. The prevailing winds are such that once in the slip the boat is almost always directly head to wind. That means we are sailing on a beam reach approaching the slip to dock as well as when leaving the slip and heading to the fairway/channel.

I usually sail away from the slip with jib and main but return to the slip with jib alone.

I walk the boat out of the slip and turn it perpendicular to the wind and then climb on board. My question is, how do I avoid slipping to leeward in light winds (2-4 knots) when leaving the slip and heading toward the fairway? Stated another way, how do I get enough boat speed/power to the sails so that I can make headway quickly on a beam reach from a dead stop in very light wind without slipping/drifting to leeward where other boats are in their slips?

I am open to all suggestions regarding sail trim and configuration ie. jib and main or main alone.

Thanks for the help.
 

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