Other 'tricks' for full keelers ....
.... and other boats too. Usually excessive heel puts a boat at a distinct disavantage over the racecourse (.... skidding off to leeward, etc.). There is ONE instance where excess heel and 'pinching up' will contribute greatly to your 'least total distance travelled'. Sailboat racing is a 'game of inches' ... every inch you gain puts you a little bit further ahead. Near the END of each upwind leg (by the magic of trigonometry versus VMG - velocity made good) if you purposely allow the boat to heel over you will be able to 'pinch up' to the end of the leg and save considerable distance (possibly several boat-lengths) to be travelled on the 'next leg'. Here's how you do it: With the boat a full speed and pointing like a banshee .... and say 95% of the 'leg' completed, ..... over tension the mainsheet so that the leech starts to 'hook to weather' ... when you over tension the mainsheet the leech of the mainsail will become 'rounded' (instead of the FLAT shape at the aft/exit area for normal sailing) ... kind of like an aircraft putting the flaps down when landing. Put LOTS of strain into the mainsheet, hook the leech/battens TO weather, the boat will start to 'go-over' on an exaggeratged heel and begin to 'climb to weather' and you may save *several boat lengths* on the NEXT leg to the weather mark. Inotherwords you are transferring the speed and momentum of the boat at the END of each leg to shorten the distance on the *next* leg by 'pinching up' when at speed (momentum of the last leg). This is a 'deadly tactic' to use on a 'slow' boat to shave off 'boat lengths' of total distance travelled. But .... dont simply heel over and pinch up too far away from where you should tack ... as this can 'put the brakes on'. Takes some practice to get it 'timed well', but its deadly in gaining boatlengths on a race course, especially if the 'tactics' being used includes a 'tacking duel' with another boat(s).
.... and other boats too. Usually excessive heel puts a boat at a distinct disavantage over the racecourse (.... skidding off to leeward, etc.). There is ONE instance where excess heel and 'pinching up' will contribute greatly to your 'least total distance travelled'. Sailboat racing is a 'game of inches' ... every inch you gain puts you a little bit further ahead. Near the END of each upwind leg (by the magic of trigonometry versus VMG - velocity made good) if you purposely allow the boat to heel over you will be able to 'pinch up' to the end of the leg and save considerable distance (possibly several boat-lengths) to be travelled on the 'next leg'. Here's how you do it: With the boat a full speed and pointing like a banshee .... and say 95% of the 'leg' completed, ..... over tension the mainsheet so that the leech starts to 'hook to weather' ... when you over tension the mainsheet the leech of the mainsail will become 'rounded' (instead of the FLAT shape at the aft/exit area for normal sailing) ... kind of like an aircraft putting the flaps down when landing. Put LOTS of strain into the mainsheet, hook the leech/battens TO weather, the boat will start to 'go-over' on an exaggeratged heel and begin to 'climb to weather' and you may save *several boat lengths* on the NEXT leg to the weather mark. Inotherwords you are transferring the speed and momentum of the boat at the END of each leg to shorten the distance on the *next* leg by 'pinching up' when at speed (momentum of the last leg). This is a 'deadly tactic' to use on a 'slow' boat to shave off 'boat lengths' of total distance travelled. But .... dont simply heel over and pinch up too far away from where you should tack ... as this can 'put the brakes on'. Takes some practice to get it 'timed well', but its deadly in gaining boatlengths on a race course, especially if the 'tactics' being used includes a 'tacking duel' with another boat(s).
