Improve your upwind handling and performance. Learn about upwind sail trim, steering, balance, tacking, and sailing in waves.
Our recent post, Learn to Change Gears, focused on three upwind “gears:” footing, pointing, and max VMG. These gears rely […]
Seven Depowering Tools – Sail Controls, Rig Tuning, Boat Trim Read Post »
Top sailors know how to “change gears” to adapt to the needs of the boat. In this post, we discuss
Learn to Change Gears: Footing, Max VMG, and Pointing Read Post »
Basic jib trim on a dinghy is not difficult, but beginning racers need to know a few things. In this
Dinghy Jib Trim, Part 1: Basics Read Post »
You probably don’t want to imitate the picture above, but you can raise your sailing game if you learn to
Hiking: Harder and Smarter Read Post »
As a follow-up to our series on Upwind Mainsail Trim, we wanted to sharpen our skills at analyzing upwind sail
Sail Shape Upwind: Six Things to Look For Read Post »
We’ve written several posts about various aspects of upwind boat speed, but many readers like content summarized. In this post
Upwind Boat Speed Checklist Read Post »
Can’t point without pinching and losing speed? For this article, we collected everything we could find on how to solve
Solve Common Pointing Problems: Five Ways to Sail Higher Read Post »
Top sailors tell us that angle of heel is everything. Are you having trouble maintaining constant angle of heel in
Sailing Upwind by Constant Angle of Heel – John Bertrand Read Post »
The skipper winning the most races inevitably is going to be the one with the best touch. I call touch
Do You Have the Right Touch? Thoughts from Bruce Goldsmith Read Post »
Many beginning and intermediate racing sailors could improve their sailing by focusing on the body mechanics of tacking. Good body
Practice the Body Mechanics of Tacking to Improve Your Sailing Read Post »
Many new sailors ask us what “vang sheeting” means. More experienced sailors understand the term, but may not execute it
Vang Sheeting and Snugging: Video from International Sailing Academy Read Post »
[Lull response]: I fought my instinct to bear off, and instead, allowed the jib tales to stall while the boat
Sailing Lulls – What’s the Best Response? Read Post »
Most tuning guides for centerboard dinghies and scows tell you to raise your board 1-2″ in heavy air. In this
Raise Your Board in Heavy Air – Three Reasons Read Post »
Struggling with boat speed? Want to sail more by feel? Understanding and managing helm balance will help. In this post
Manage Upwind Helm Balance for Speed and Feel Read Post »
Here’s a drill to sharpen your puff response techniques. Most sailors know about “ease/hike/trim,” but many do not execute it
Try the “No-Hike Hands Drill” for Better Puff Response Read Post »
Are you a newer racing sailor? If so, sailing fast upwind may be one of the toughest things to learn.
Sailing Fast Upwind: Time-tested Phrases from Influential Sailors Read Post »
