Sailing Downwind

Have you ever had the experience that you thought you knew something and then you realised that you didn't? I have been sailing for about 65 years and thought I knew how to run. You point the boat at the leeward mark, let the sail out, goosewing the jib or hoist the spinnaker or if you are in a una rigged singlehander you might try a bit of reverse flow leech first by-the-lee funny stuff. But .......... I recently returned to sailing a Phantom having been in a slow asymmetric for ten years and I find that everyone is tacking downwind, even boats with conventional spinnakers such as the N18 who gybe through almost 90 degrees. The point-at-the-leeward mark technique is endorsed by Frank Bethwaite in Higher Performance Sailing and Nick Craig in Sailing to Win (?) so why is nobody doing it? Or have I been missing something for the last 65 years. As an aside, is there a decent book on how to sail which is not aimed at beginners or people sailing Lasers?

Approach your club superstar and get them to follow you around and give you feedback. After 50 years sailing I learnt more in a hour with our local multi class national champ than ten books.

But dont tell anyone as they may not be RYA qualified!

I think it depends on the club superstar in question. Some of them know exactly how they do it and prefer to keep it a secret, others are happy to share (and, yes some just do it by instinct).

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 11 Mar 20 at 1:22pm

Originally posted by Wetabix As an aside, is there a decent book on how to sail which is not aimed at beginners or people sailing Lasers?

Originally posted by fab100 Originally posted by Wetabix As an aside, is there a decent book on how to sail which is not aimed at beginners or people sailing Lasers? Shameless plug, but if my sailing hero Michael McNamara liked it...