During a 2018 Southeast Regional roundtable discussion at Lake Eustis, the expert panel commented on heavy air boat speed. Jeremy Pape is not among the heavier sailors, but he is fast in breeze. He gave us an insight about the need to sheet hard to flatten the main. 

You have to ease the main in puffs, but if the main is always eased, the sail is too full. Vang, cunningham, and outhaul are not enough – you need to really crank on the main to flatten the sail. This means dropping the traveler to keep the boat on its lines. Jeremy put it this way:

A tight main, tight vang, and traveler down is better than a loose main, tight vang and traveler on center.

Jeremy Pape

Watch the short video to see Jeremy’s discussion and response to questions.

Don’t Be Lazy with Mainsheet Tension
MC-Scow Sailing Speed Guide Plus Drills
Three Fitness Measures of Winning Sailors – notes that sheeting power is one of the fitness measures of top sailors