Stopping or Slowing Your Boat
You should learn to stop or slow your sailboat when docking, maneuvering for the start, or approaching a crowded leeward mark. The videos below, narrated by Shirley Robertson, double Olympic gold medalist, show stopping an Opti and a boat with a jib and main. The discussion points give additional techniques. The links discuss when you should use these techniques for starting or rounding the leeward mark.
Stopping
- Head up into the wind
- Ease the mainsheet
- Ease the vang
- Stand up and push the boom all the way out
Slowing
- Move weight back to increase drag
- Steer up and down continuously using large rudder movements
- Upwind
- Head up
- Ease main
- Downwind
- Sheet in main (be careful not to jibe)
- Bear off and sail by the lee
Related Content:
Downspeed Maneuvers: The Key to a Better Start – International Sailing Academy
Leeward Mark Roundings – Principles and C-Scow Examples
Leeward Mark Roundings: Slow Down to Get Ahead – Center of Effort
Sailors Helping Sailors
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