Learn to Change Gears: Footing, Max VMG, and Pointing
Top sailors know how to “change gears” to adapt to the needs of the boat. In this post, we discuss […]
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Upwind Sail Trim
Dinghy Jib Trim, Part 1: Basics
Basic jib trim on a dinghy is not difficult, but beginning racers need to know a few things. In this
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Sail Shape Upwind: Six Things to Look For
As a follow-up to our series on Upwind Mainsail Trim, we wanted to sharpen our skills at analyzing upwind sail
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Sailing Upwind by Constant Angle of Heel – John Bertrand
Top sailors tell us that angle of heel is everything. Are you having trouble maintaining constant angle of heel in
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Cat-Rigged Scows: Is “Boom Over the Corner” a Good Thing?
Boats with only a mainsail (no jib), sometimes called cat-rigged boats, sail upwind with their boom further out than boats
Cat-Rigged Scows: Is “Boom Over the Corner” a Good Thing? Read Post »
Ease for Speed – Vaughan Harrison: Sailing World
As a beginning sailor, your editor had to learn to sheet the mainsail hard enough to control the leech and
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Bill Draheim on Shroud Telltales
Bill Draheim is a multiple class national champion. Here he explains how he uses shroud telltales to quickly identify wind
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Shaping Your Mainsail, Part 4 – Controlling Twist
Welcome to our series on upwind mainsail trim. This article covers Controlling Twist, which is Part 4 of a four-part
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Shaping Your Mainsail, Part 3: Draft Shape and Position
Welcome to our series on upwind mainsail trim. This article covers Draft Shape and Position, which is Part 3 of
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MC Scow Sail Trim – Sailmaker Discussion
On a windless day at the 2020 Train Wreck regatta, the organizers put together a discussion of MC Scow sail
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Shaping Your Mainsail, Part 2: Camber
Welcome to our series on upwind mainsail trim. This article covers Camber, which is Part 2 of a four-part unit
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Shaping Your Mainsail, Part 1: Angle of Attack
Welcome to our series on upwind mainsail trim. This article covers Angle of Attack, which is Part 1 of a
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Heavy Air Boat Speed: Sheet Harder and Drop Traveler
During a 2018 Southeast Regional roundtable discussion at Lake Eustis, the expert panel commented on heavy air boat speed. Jeremy Pape
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Mainsail Telltales: A Better Approach
I grew up sailing lasers and love having at least four sets (of mainsail telltales). Most sailors think this is
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Lift and Drag: Prevent Common Sail Trim Errors
Racing sailboats rarely function at better than 85% of their optimal upwind performance, even when managed by experts. This failure is
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Don’t Be Lazy with Mainsheet Tension
You need a huge range of mainsheet tension to be fast in all conditions, especially in boats with bendy masts.
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