Mates: Last night I conducted a 3 hour sail trim seminar for a all girl crew that is preparing for the upcoming winter racing season. It was a freeby but talking to a group of gals is nice work when you get it but, additionally, I prefer them over talking to men because gals are so much more open minded. A certain percentage of guys always seem to want to prove their level of experience at a seminar and it is a real pain in the butt to me as it takes up time - gals just soak everything up from the first minute. Anyway, before the session started, 3 of the gals told me they were exasperated with all there is to learn about sail trim. I hear this all the time from beginners and intermediates. I understand it because I was there once and felt the same way at one time. They felt learning to trim sails was a never ending process sort of like nuclear research or something. I asked them if they knew how to ride a bike or shift a 4 speed transmission. They all said they could ride a bike and shift the transmission. I asked them if after they learned to ride the bike and shift was there anything else to learn other than downshifting? They said there really wasn't. It is the same with sail trim - once you understand draft position, draft depth, twist and angle of attack and what sail trim controls are used to adjust these element for the main and jib for the points of sail and wind conditions that's all there is. I realize that is a lot to digest but the average person could pick it up in a 3 hours and know more about sail trim than 75% of the sailors worldwide. With the knowledge you got in 3 hours you would be a very good high intermediate sailor. My only point here for beginners is don't fall into that exasperation trap and get overwhelmed because sail trim is a very learnable skill and easy to acquire if you want to devote a little time to it. It is not an ever ending learning process.
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Don, are coming to Atlantic City this year?
Don, A one hour seminar at Atlantic City would be a great help. I have your books and am continualy messing with this and that trying to improve trim. Still don't know if I'm getting it right. My wife wishes I would sit down and stop playing with the lines. I have a H356 with inmast furlering and know I'm not getting the best trim. Jim S/V Java
Don, A one hour seminar at Atlantic City would be a great help. I have your books and am continualy messing with this and that trying to improve trim. Still don't know if I'm getting it right. My wife wishes I would sit down and stop playing with the lines. I have a H356 with inmast furlering and know I'm not getting the best trim. Jim S/V Java
Jim,
It must be a frustration if you are expected to 'set and forget' your sails while learning how to trim. Wind and water are always moving and so are the control lines on the boat that adjust the various shapes of the sail for best performance. On my boat the crew is constantly talking and tweeking on one line or another and watching the knotmeter to see the change in boat speed. Don, I've had more than one guy on my boat thinking he was Dennis Conner and knew all there was to know about sailing. I much prefer having a novice onboard who asks 'Why' and 'How' rather than arguing with the 'expert'
It must be a frustration if you are expected to 'set and forget' your sails while learning how to trim. Wind and water are always moving and so are the control lines on the boat that adjust the various shapes of the sail for best performance. On my boat the crew is constantly talking and tweeking on one line or another and watching the knotmeter to see the change in boat speed. Don, I've had more than one guy on my boat thinking he was Dennis Conner and knew all there was to know about sailing. I much prefer having a novice onboard who asks 'Why' and 'How' rather than arguing with the 'expert'
Alan: I hear you on the some of these guys. I don't know what your career is but say your an engineer or computer designer - both of those area are ones I know nothing about. So if I tried to impress you with my engineering or computer knowledge you'd know I was full of crap in 5 minutes! It is the same thing with some of these guys that come to my seminar. As soon as they open their mouths I know they don't know what they are talking about but they persist. I'm gracious and listen but I think to myself please shut up and let me get on with the program. I love the folks that want to know the why and how.
Jim: Your wife and mine must be sisters!! I'm always messing with the sail trim controls trying to get close to 100% efficiency out of the boat. My wife has gotten used to me as that is the form of the pleasure I get out of sailing. I don't ask her to do anything as she doesn't want to anyway. I just love looking at perfectly set sails. I'm as far from a "set it and forget it" sailor as you could get. I'd love to go to the Atlantic City boat show but it costs a small fortune and a one man band like me couldn't make a dime on the deal. For example, a small booth at the Long Beach boat show starts at around $2500. That is a lot of books and charts to sell before you make one dime. Usually and locally here in So Ca, I work with the folks at Garhauer Marine at their booth. Actually, I enjoy selling their stuff as much as mine. It is one hand washing the other. They sell the sail trim hardware and I explain to the customers how to get the most out of it. I wish Garhauer would hire me to do the outside Ca shows with them as I would sign on in a minute.
*!*! Flash just came to mine Don
We out here on the Chesapeake get together for one hell of a Hunter party every two years. We just had one in June. The powers to be, should invite (pay your way out here) to hold a siminar on trim. We usually get round 100 boats and it would be a BLAST! We could auction you off for guest trimer on a boat for the Cup race. Afterwards we have a contest that has something to do with "Pain Killers". *yks Jim S/V Java
We out here on the Chesapeake get together for one hell of a Hunter party every two years. We just had one in June. The powers to be, should invite (pay your way out here) to hold a siminar on trim. We usually get round 100 boats and it would be a BLAST! We could auction you off for guest trimer on a boat for the Cup race. Afterwards we have a contest that has something to do with "Pain Killers". *yks Jim S/V Java
Jim Seamans: I like your idea. I wish you weren't on the other coast. I wish there were groups in Ca that had the same interest. It is hard to generate interest in proper sail trim. Maybe people from Ca know all there is to know about it but they could fool me because I see them sailing around and a lot of them could use some help. Folks that attend my 3 hour seminar (it is 3 solid hours with only one 15 miute break)leave with more sail trim knowledge than 75% of the sailors worldwide. Even the experts, if they don't get something out of it, I refund their money and they can keep all the material. I've yet to have to refund to anyone. Where (city) is your event held? Please send your Email address to me at yankee3223@juno.com and I'll send you the particulars of what's involved. On the guest trimmer spot - I like that idea also. The boats I like to guest crew and work with are the middle to back of the pack finishers. The guys that continually come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd don't need my help. It is the guys that are struggling and can't seem to move up in position that I like to sail with. Most are open minded and willing to try different techniques. I tell them "what do you have to lose" and some simple trim adjustment to the main and jib can result in an increase in speed of 1/2 to 3/4 or even 1 knot. My guarantee is that if they follow my advise they will move up at least 3 places!! They may not come in 1st but they'll give the leaders a run for their money. Please get back to me with your Email address.
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