| Are you still unsure of just how much to trim in your | | | | control. |
| mainsail or headsail on reaches? Or do you sometimes | | | | 2. Fall off or head up to the desired reach or sailing |
| find yourself sailing too low or too high after tacking? | | | | compass course. |
| Use the secret "how to" sailing technique of feathering | | | | 3. Steady up on your heading. Look at each sail luff. If it |
| to pump up your power, speed, and drive. | | | | flutters, pull in (trim) the sheet just enough to put the luff |
| Concentrate on the forward third of each sail. That's | | | | to sleep. If you see no flutter, the sail might be stalled. |
| where the wind first makes contact with the sail. If the | | | | Ease each sheet until the luff just begins to flutter; then |
| wind shifts or the sheets aren't quite right, the sail will | | | | pull it in just enough to put it to sleep. |
| luff--or flutter. Use the headsail sheets or mainsheet to | | | | *RUNNING |
| stop the flutter--or "put it to sleep". | | | | Forget about feathering when running before the wind. |
| Easy does it when trimming! You don't want to stall the | | | | Instead, concentrate on these three speed boosters... |
| sail, because this causes your small sailboat to move | | | | 1.. Ease the outhaul on the mainsail. This increases draft |
| more sideways than forward. Follow these steps to | | | | (belly) in the lower third of the sail. Set the vang to |
| get just the right sail trim every time. | | | | keep the boom horizontal. |
| *CLOSE HAULED | | | | 2. Wing out the headsail with a whisker pole to present |
| 1. Set the headsail so that the leech lies 1" to 2" from | | | | maximum area to the wind. |
| the spreader tip. Pull the sailboat boom close to the | | | | 3. Steer with a light touch in light to moderate wind. |
| centerline with the mainsheet. | | | | Over-steering creates drag and slows the boat down. |
| 2. Head up toward the wind just enough until the luff | | | | ******************** |
| starts to flutter. | | | | These easy "how to" sailing tips will improve your small |
| 3. Fall off just enough to put the luff to sleep. This puts | | | | cruising or racing sailboat's performance in any kind of |
| you right on the edge of the "no-go" zone and you | | | | sailing weather. Use the secret of feathering to make |
| should see good acceleration. | | | | faster passages when cruising, or beat the competition |
| *REACHES | | | | on race day! |
| 1. Set the boom vang to keep the mainsail leech under | | | | |