| Do you often get confused when you try to | | | | side, this blocks the air from the leeward side. This |
| remember just what your headsail telltales are telling | | | | causes that leeward telltale to flutter, fly around in wild |
| you? These small pieces of yarn or ribbon can help | | | | circles, or hang down like a limp noodle. |
| you learn to sail a boat better, faster, and with more | | | | What will happen? |
| power. Learn a new way to use telltales for close | | | | Stalling causes the boat to slip sideways more than it |
| hauled sailing with these three easy secrets! | | | | should. This reduces your speed. |
| Genoas and jibs often come from your sailmaker with | | | | What action do you take? |
| telltales already in place. Look along the luff in the | | | | Streaming means you need to sail "up-stream"--or |
| lower third, halfway point, and upper third of your boat | | | | closer to the wind. Sail toward the wind just enough to |
| sails. Racing sailboats use telltales to help beat the | | | | get the "V" pattern that indicates perfect sail trim. |
| competition on race day. Small cruising boats can use | | | | 3. Windward telltale fluttering--Leeward telltale |
| them to get to windward destinations faster. | | | | streaming |
| You want your telltales to stream in a "V" pattern on | | | | What does it mean? |
| the windward and leeward side of the headsail when | | | | Pinching. If most of the wind blows onto the leeward |
| going to windward or reaching. This shape indicates | | | | side of the sail, this blocks the air from the windward |
| that you have an even flow of air on both sides of the | | | | side. |
| sail. But if one side of your sail gets more air flow than | | | | What will happen? |
| the other, one side will stream while the other flutters. | | | | Pinching causes the boat to slow because it's sailing |
| It's easy to forget which way to turn the boat to get | | | | too close to the wind. |
| those yarns or ribbons streaming again. In this new | | | | What action do you take? |
| method, concentrate only on the windward side | | | | Fluttering means you need to fall off the wind. Turn |
| telltales. First, ask yourself what the windward yarns | | | | away from the wind just enough to get the nice "V" |
| are doing. Compare their action to those on the | | | | pattern that shows perfect trim. |
| leeward side. Use the memory keys shown below to | | | | Notice in each action step, you concentrated on the |
| know which way to turn your boat: | | | | windward telltale to know what action to take. If it |
| 1. Windward telltale streaming--Leeward telltale | | | | streamed by itself, you sailed upstream, or closer to |
| streaming | | | | the wind. If it fluttered by itself you fell off, or farther |
| What does it mean? | | | | away from the wind. |
| Perfect sail trim. Good air flow on both windward and | | | | With these secrets, you will learn how to sail a boat on |
| leeward side. | | | | close hauled courses with more speed and power. |
| 2. Windward telltale streaming--Leeward telltale | | | | Add these memory keys to your sailing skipper skills |
| fluttering | | | | today to gain the advantage on the race course or |
| What does it mean? | | | | make faster passages to windward. |
| Stalling. If most of the wind blows onto the windward | | | | |