Healing to windward upwind?

[Jon_P]

I know some of you will have watched the boat whisperer dvds.
He talks about sailing the boat healed to windward when travelling to windward in light and medium airs..  Anyone tried it in a 12?

[John Meadowcroft]

Tom Stewart sails at least upright in all conditions.  Need we say more....

they are also slightly healed to windward once they are fully hiked, and this becomes more aggressive with more wind.  Look at the fotoboat photos from Burton Week - he is the blue boat, 3501.  

Bizarrely the photo in the banner above - he is 3476, sailing off into a big lead... shows them not quite upright.  I would have expected his boat to look more like Fran Gifford's (the pale blue one coming on starboard tack towards you which looks pretty flat.

Not convinced about the lightest stuff, but if you are heeled to windward the boat is naturally going to bear away bringing more power into the rig.

[Tim L (Guest)]

Also noticeable on some of the videos of the gate starts from Abersoch and Weymouth that Tom & Liz are heeling significantly to windward right out of the gate and are pretty much the only boat to be doing so... Certainly if this works as steve cockerill claims then it's the probably the best way to get out of the dirty air on a start line (at least if you ascribe to the bethwaite view that climbing out is more effective than trying to foot out of a start...)

Tim

[Jimbo41]

Tim, where are the videos of these gate starts?

Jim N3130 (Let me have the last word on a Final Chapter, but no sweeties from plastic fantastics)

[Tim L (Guest)]

On Graham's computer... but I'm sure he'd do you a cd if you asked nicely....

[Jimbo41]

Tim,

I suggest that these videos be made public for training purposes - placed on the website noless That way everyone can benefit... Can't be accused of being elitist that way...

Jim N3130 (No Sweeties, and "never, never, NEVER give up" W. Churchill)

[Jon_P]

talking of online coaching, this site is very informative.
Would be great to have something for the 12. Any offers?!

http://www.littlejohncoaching.com/rs_two/rstwo.htm

Jon
N3211

[THG]

The site seems more helpful in that you see whats going on - some of the download didn't work for me.  We have quite a few notes on what to do / not do but having an actual video / commentary is much better - maybe we could take these out onthe water on our "Apple PODs" for self improvement??  Seriously though any training stuff like this would be helpful esp. the capsize / empty your boat (AC/DB) see previous threads!

Some of the notes from BW at the mark I can't visualise if someone could make 'pictures' of this it would have helped me (as another example).

Also if we have video it shows off our nice boats too...

Kean

[Jimbo42]

[Mikey C]

If you want to pay for it! bandwidth for that sort of thing can cost money, unsure as to the websites current download limits...

[jammy dodger]

I would like to say that I have had definite increases in speed with my baggy in very light airs by heeling to windward. This howeveroccurs only when you are actually moving to start with. it does not work unless you have forward momentum. I know it is almost outlawed to suggest anything but upright and i would like to point out that this has only been tried during club racing but all the same its worth having a go. The only problem is that by heeling the boat it bears away so more steering is required, slowing boat down. hence the need for speed going in and it really being a judgement call.

Thomas Walworth
N3180 Wom Pom

[Jimbo42]

[jammy dodger]

Ahh yes, of course i didnt put that i sail on a lke and therfore waves dont affect!!!! umm and steering is only slight-depending on ammount of heel. Anyone who has done any rudderless sailing will relate to the affect on windward heel!!!

Tom
WomPom N3184

[Jimbo41]

Tom,
I also sail on a big lake.... Sometimes we get 70 cm waves... During Bft 6. Not much fetch and it all has to go somewhere....

But the sailing tip seems interesting.

Cheers!

Jim N3130

[Lukepiewalker]

Could you not just rake the rig back a bit to tune out the lee helm when doing the windward heel thing?
It is half the fun of having all these bits of string...