What is the best technique for steering a boat in big waves and heavy air?
Many of us were taught to steer up the face of the wave and down the back of it in sailing classes and in books we’ve read. Back in college my sailing coach gave me an idea I have kept in the back of my head for years, “steer so you don’t hit anything”. By that he meant be sure to steer around the big waves if at all possible. The most important thing to remember in all boats is that you have to keep the boat flat to go fast in waves and breeze. Hitting a wave while heeled over is really bad as the boat will almost certainly take a big step sideways in the wave. After you have the boat set up to sail flat start watching the water 5-6 boatlengths ahead so you can anticipate what waves are coming. If it looks flat for a while sheet in slightly and try to sail higher for a few lengths. If it looks like big waves are on the way, sheet out slightly in advance of the waves and get the boat rolling, keeping it flat to power through them.
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