170's doesn't point well under main alone
Geo,Although I haven't read them, I see that you're getting some good responses to your situation.Good to see that you and Rusty might get together for a sail. He's a great guy. On the technical end he's helped me alot, just via email and snailmail, so I'm sure you'd benefit greatly from an in-person tutorial.I've done the 'sliding sideways' you talk about--- but mostly only when the jib is furled (not in use). While some main and jib dinghys do OK under mainsail alone, the 170 is not one of them. It doesn't point well at all under main alone. The main thing is it has trouble "digging in" when the crew tacks and sets and new course. Instead of proceeding and accelerating on the new point of sail under mainsail only, it makes mostly only leeway (sideways movement). I think one of the respondants found (last season) that his 170 was far more vulnerable to capsize at a standstill or at low speeds (like during tacking)-- there should be a thread in the archives about this, 2004 probably. With this said, it's easy to see why you're UNeasy about the slow, sliding sideways/ little headway thing.I would recommend getting some learning time in on a body of water that has enough space so you're not really close to shore-- this might lessen the really puffy conditions you're seeing. Also, I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that you have reef points installed in your main. The 170 truly was designed around main and jib, and just shortening the main often depowers her enough to make her far more civilized in bigger breezes. Another thing I've benefited from is occassionally using a partially furled jib sail (but I had to tune my rig in order for the shortened jib to work without the entire rig shuttering in stronger puffs of wind). I tuned my rig so that the forestay (the headstay/jib cable) is really, really tight, and so that the leeward upper shroud has only a slight amount of sag while the boat's closehauled. This allows semi-effective roller-reefing (although nowhere near as smooth as roller-reefing a huge genoa on a keelboat)--- since the 170 jib is only 55 sq. feet, it can sag open at the top, even when partially rolled up, but better than not using it at all, in some cases.One more thing in heavier breezes, I sometimes find that the 170 will bear off the wind (to the lee) when overpowered --and leehelm (the boat trying to bear off onto a run and possible crash jibe) is far more dangerous than weatherhelm (when the boat simply rounds up into the wind and safely comes down off of heel). I actually pinch my boat closer to the wind when I find the boat wanting to bear off (sometimes I think the cut and size of the 170 jib causes more leehelm than seen in some dinghys)--- this causes the rudder to balance out. Sometimes even to the point where I could (if I were feeling daring) let go of the tiller and the boat would point straight for a second or two. I've found I can pinch in weather I have no business flying full jib in and do just fine--- jib remaining mostly full with wind and avoiding an emminent capsize.Anyway, I hope even a portion of this helps. I've been known to rant, so take away what you will.Best regards, and happy sails.Mike G.