Until two years ago, last June, the only boat I sailed
for 10 years was my 14' English-made Skipper. This
boat is a simple day-sailer with a small jib, and I
love her. When tacking, I never used the jib to
turn-about, yet often in somewhat difficult winds this
boat with a loose-footed sail was not very responsive,
and I would have to re-tack with more speed and a more
aggressive manuever with the tiller. Coming about,
then, always worked, but with more violence than I
cared for.
Then two years ago I took a sailing course on Lake
Superior, and the instructors strongly advised using
the jib to bring the boat through the wind, keeping in
mind, always, that release of the jib sheet right
after the bow moved through the wind was paramount.
Well, when I applied this tactic with my Skipper, the
tacking, in any wind, was so much easier, less
violent, and more controllable, that I regretted not
having using this procedure before.
Now, with my Potter 19, I always use the wind to spin
my bow by keeping in place the jib sheet when
tacking...I just make sure that when I'm doing this
the jib sheet is not clutched, but free and ready to
release from my grip. This has given me so much more
freedom of movement, and frankly more feeling of
safety.
Solar Fry...What am I not seeing?
Paul Anstett
Fargo
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