In a message dated 11/1/99 9:13:53 AM, ttursine@earthlink.net writes:
<< [Let's see now, applying media-level sophistry to these facts would
indicate that floating on one's back with a mast in one's navel (naval? :-)
would be the best experience of all.] >>
The water is too darn cold to try it in the NW. I am awaiting for reports
from the South.
Let me try another approach. I started out sailing in Nova Scotia in a Blue
Nose (20?), then a Bristol 27, followed by a Mason 43 before getting a Potter
15. It was after 10 years of sailing (meaning every weekend and a solid year
going down to Mexico, etc., before I got involved in Laser racing. It was
with the Laser that I really started learning about sailing. All the other
boats I could still sail even if the sail wasn't adjusted properly. The
boats would still move. With a Laser, you can come to a halt if the
adjustment is off. It was here that I learned about weight shifting, finer
points of adjusting the sail, etc. With a small boat, the sensitivity is
raised. With this knowledge, I went back to the Potter 15 and bingo, my
Potter moved in ways that I had never experienced before.
I could never beat Jerry and I could not figure out why. I would be right
behind him. copying every adjustment he did with his sails. His secret? It
was a case of beer that he would shift doing the race. When he drank some,
he just transferred the weight from the can to his body.
For me, it was the dingy sailing that made a big break thru for me. Perhaps
it could be break thru for others if they wanted to increase their sailing
skills.
Cyrus #629
Bellingham, WA