Best ways to minimize knockdowns -- 1. Anticipate wind gusts by watching the catspaws (dark spots on the water caused by wind making small ripples on the water). 2. Keep sails trimmed properly -- on the verge of luffing. If they are too tight, takes too long to to ease sheets or round up and spill wind. Also, when sails too tight, force vectors in the sails are directed laterally (make you heel more) rather than fore and aft. Don't mean to sound pedantic, but I was, and am, always hungry for such tidbits of sailing knowledge. Figure you may have a similar hunger. --- On Fri, 9/19/08, larrypegg@aol.com <larrypegg@aol.com> wrote: From: larrypegg@aol.com <larrypegg@aol.com> Subject: M_Boats: knock down To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Date: Friday, September 19, 2008, 10:43 PM Well we had our first knock down today. All day we had No wind to just a light breeze . We were almost back and the wind picked up just a little.? Then Bam we were down. Slight bit of water over the rail and everything.? Came right up and then back down about three quarters of the way.? The wife and I were "not" on the same page as to what to do.? If we would have done what she did, ease the sheet, we would have been okay.? And if we had done what I did we would have been okay.? But we did several things at the same time and ended up in a run with the main straight out the starboard side.? never the less we got it under control in about 45 sec.? a long 45 sec but not too bad for our experience level.? Got the jib rolled in and the main down and sailed Pilgrim to the dock with just a bare pole.? no harm no foul and very good experience for future discussion.? Wife adds that she was just a little freaked out. At your service Larry Pegg Pilgrim M-17 #55 208 249 0538 _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats