I've been listening, and there's definately a conversation! I will stroke the tiller slowly, with more feeling next week! Splinters and blindness be damned! Hahaha Jazz On Jul 28, 2016 9:09 AM, "Conbert Benneck" <chbenneck@gmail.com> wrote:
On 7/28/2016 3:01 AM, Jazzy wrote:
Hi Jazz,
Your new girlfriend really can talk to you. You have to learn to listen to her subtle suggestions that she conveys via tiller pressure. If she doesn't like the way you are sailing; main sheeted in too much; or way past time to reef; she'll let you know. Two fingers on the tiller to hold course slowly become a firm hand hold; which then might become a two hand-hold and brace your feet on the other side of the cockpit situation as the lee rail goes under.
Your girlfriend is trying to tell you; Jazz, for goodness sake reef and change down to the working jib.
If you have learned to listen to her suggestions, you'll find that you are sailing upright; your coffee or beer isn't tipping over and spilling; nothing is crashing about inside the cabin; and you are back to holding your course with two fingers, which is how your girlfriend shows her appreciation for your kindness and tenderness.
It's sorta like how I had to learn to put sun cream on my Admirable's back properly. The first time, as a newly wed, I put sun cream in the palms of my hands and applied it to her back.
That was a No-No. The sun cream was cold. You do not put cold sun cream on a lady's warm back.
I was firmly instructed to first warm it up in the palms of my hand before applying it to her warm back.
Her next instruction, as I started rubbing, was: "Langsam, ... und mit gefuehl!" (Slowly and with feeling).
Your girlfriend can't express her opinions verbally, but with time, you will learn to appreciate her subtle suggestions as you sail.
Enjoy the learning experience.
Connie
I have no clue what I'm doing, but I furled the genny about 7 inches to
balance the steering...seemed to work. Looking forward to experimenting again with that.
Jazz On Jul 27, 2016 10:37 PM, "John Schinnerer" <john@eco-living.net> wrote:
On 07/27/2016 03:59 PM, Jazzy wrote:
Today brings a bit firmer winds, not sure how much. No white caps but
5he surface is disturbed and I'm showed 7.5 kts with current.
...As an aside, I spent about 5
minutes trimming the sails, then I locked the tiller tamer and sat on the
bow for 23 minutes before I got bored.
Boy would it be nice to sail the same course and trim for even two or three minutes...haven't done that for quite a while, been sailing on inland lakes in hilly country with ever-shifting winds (even when the shifts are predictable and consistent at various places on the lake, they still are shifts, gotta keep correcting, and then there's the gusts...).
Just pulled Pajarita out from a month slip/mooring in Howard Prairie reservoir (the main sailing lake in these parts, in the hills east of Ashland, OR). Was nice to have her in the water, sailed more for sure than if she was on the trailer, took out a few friends who used to sail, had lived on boats, blue water experience, etc. but hadn't been out for 5 or 10 years. One who'd never sailed on fresh water or dealt with a boat on a trailer. Lots to learn from gusty lake sailing, but I would like to get someplace with a steady moderate breeze for a while! I've only used the genoa once since I got her.
cheers, John S.
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com