BBBS Sailing Reflections (SB20 10)

Varying wind conditions of 3 knots to 11 knots.

Strong winds >= 10 knots

Main sheet out of cleat more often and need more active trimming to maintain constant boat heel.

Will be unable to keep top batten parallel with boat, it's okay to let it open up a bit.

Boom try your best to be on centreline, and play with the other lines, eg backstay, outha, down haul, vang.

Deepest point of sail should be one fist width away from boom. Under strong winds, sails can afford to be tighter.

Experienced luff of sail back winding today, even though rest of sail was okay and the boat was overpowered. This is normal and okay, for strong winds especially.

In light winds, objective is to maximise the power in the sails. Available wind power is little, less than the boat's max power limit, so your goal is to harness as much of it as possible.

In strong winds, power is more or less guaranteed. Objective is to maintain optimum heel of the boat. Available wind power is high, more than the boat's max power limit, so your goal is to drive the boat right at its limit, but not go beyond to overpower the boat, for that would be counterproductive.

When reading the wind vane top mast, remember to compensate for boat's movement. When boat bow dips and angles downward, that action will result in the top of the mast moving forward in a circular arc. This will cause the top of the mast to be experiencing increased "apparent wind" and point forward more. Likewise when the bow rises, the top of the mast will move rear in a circular arc and the vane will swing slightly aft of the actual apparent wind.

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