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Lesson 05 - Stopping & Accelerating the Boat Stopping and accelerating the boat? "Sheesh," you may say, "why would I want to stop the boat? Isn't the point to always go as fast as possible?" The answer is no. There are times when you'd like to slow your boat down, just like there are times that you'd like to accelerate and squirt away. Two times that you would want to slow your boat would be before the start as you create a hole on the start line or are early for the line, and you may also want to slow down at a mark rounding and follow a big group around the mark, rather than get stuck on the outside of 5 boats who all have buoy room on you. Stopping is pretty easy - just do everything that you're not supposed to do. If you're going upwind, under-trim your sails and let them luff. If you're going downwind, over-trim your sails and crank them in all the way. You can steer a whole lot, making a bunch of sharp S turns. If you move your weight all the way to the back of the boat, it will dig the transom in and slow you down. You can also jump around to bounce everything, although the other techniques are better (because you won't break something!). Accelerating is a bit more difficult. It would be easiest to heel the boat to leeward and flatten it, but that's illegal - it's called rocking. However, you can allow a little heel and then pull your sails in as you flatten. If you're going downwind, you can pump your sails once per wave. Also, although "ooching" (using your body to accelerate the boat, such as running and pushing against the mast) is illegal, you are allowed to work your boat through the waves. It takes time to develop the right technique, but it's well worth it - if you can keep your boat at the same level of heel and work it through the waves better than others, you can get it to go faster.
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01 - Adjust Your Mast Rake For More Speed