Lulls

   If the conditions are as described give the sailing a miss and go straight to the bar....... 
Seriously; you could try sailing more freely (not pointing as high) to help even out the lulls & backers and giving yourself more steerage, more options & more time - less like walking a tightrope, more like walking a plank. On a time over distance basis you might find this is a quicker way to go upwind in gusty, flukey conditions.

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
dogslife Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 17 Feb 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 58	Post Options Post Reply Quote dogslife Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Lulls Posted: 14 Jun 12 at 9:21am
	If the conditions are as described give the sailing a miss and go straight to the bar....... Seriously; you could try sailing more freely (not pointing as high) to help even out the lulls & backers and giving yourself more steerage, more options & more time - less like walking a tightrope, more like walking a plank. On a time over distance basis you might find this is a quicker way to go upwind in gusty, flukey conditions.

Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 14 Jun 12 at 8:51am
	Just move quicker - and don't sheet in tighter - see the thread about leech tension. I'd say your gust technique was a bit the wrong way round, too. Sheet first, then hike, to keep the boat flatter, as you can sheet faster than you can move. Others may have different advice...
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

GybeFunny Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 27 Oct 09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 403	Post Options Post Reply Quote GybeFunny Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 14 Jun 12 at 7:20am
	Depends how agile you are? The best people just move in at whatever rate is necessary.

kurio99 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 18 Dec 09 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 65	Post Options Post Reply Quote kurio99 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Jun 12 at 10:50pm
	What's your secret to handling them? Had an awful sail, last night. North wind from out of the city, all gusty and shifty with lots of dead patches of air. Was running 16 knots with 28 knot gusts. I was in a single handed hiker. Obviously, watch the water surface, but I was hitting pockets that weren't showing clearly. I'm okay with gusts - hike out, turn up, sheet out. As well, you seem to have more time. Boat can almost be sideways and still recover. With a lull, a few inches and your backside is in the water. A more inches more and you're inspecting for zebra mussel infestations on the lake bottom. It happens too quick. I tried the opposite to the gust techniques- turn down, move in, sheet in - but it really wasn't working for me. In the end, cowardly me stuck near the centre of the boat, shedding much of the wind rather than playing it. There's got to be a better way.