I was going to add this topic to the thread on downwind but I didn't want it to be lost there. Sailing by the lee is very dangerous because you are "inches" from an ACCIDENTAL JIBE, which could ruin your whole day and tear up boat equiptment or more importantly maybe take someones head off in the process.
What is sailing by the lee? It is when the wind is coming over the same side of the boat that the sail is on. If you notice ANY flutter in the top of your mainsail that means it is not being pushed by the wind and you are sailing by the lee. You should immediately jibe or alter course.
Anytime you are sailing downwind you should have a preventer attached and I don't mean a bungy cord!!
What is sailing by the lee? It is when the wind is coming over the same side of the boat that the sail is on. If you notice ANY flutter in the top of your mainsail that means it is not being pushed by the wind and you are sailing by the lee. You should immediately jibe or alter course.
Anytime you are sailing downwind you should have a preventer attached and I don't mean a bungy cord!!