subject: How to Sail Fast Downwind ? [print this page] How to Sail Fast Downwind ?
As the wind increases, you move your lead back to twist and decrease power in the jib. Some boats, mostly larger keelboats, have several jibs in varying sizes and strengths. In general, you want to use the biggest sail in light winds and the smallest sail in strong winds (for reduced power).
All of the principles of trimming sails apply equally well on all points of sail. The only difference is that, on the broadest points of sail (when the wind is coming from behind), the boat is heeling less. So to sail faster downwind, you often can increase the power of the sails, or put up a bigger, more powerful sail, such as a spinnaker (a large, lightweight, balloonlike sail). But if you don't have one, or if your crew is on a coffee break and refuses to put up the spinnaker, you can try some of the following trimming tips for getting more speed from your boat and sails while sailing downwind.
Make sure the mainsail (and the jib, if it's set) is sheeted properly, right on the verge of luffing.luffing. If the wind is coming from too far behind (broad reaching or running), the mainsail can't luff because the boom hits the shrouds, and you may need to wing out the jib to get it to fill.
Ease the luff tension (halyard and/or the cunningham) to make the sails as full and powerful as possible.
Ease the outhaul to deepen the lower section of the mainsail.
If the jib is still being trimmed on the leeward side, move the lead forward and outboard (about 1 foot on a 30-foot boat).
On a dinghy, pull up the centerboard halfway to reduce drag.
Set the boom vang to limit mainsail twist.
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