Laser Sailing Downwind to Sail Through the Fleet | International Sailing Academy

[@iandouglas3940]

Hello Mr. Harrison, let's say I am in a Laser and the wind is coming from directly behind the boat. I could sheet out so that the sail is 90 degrees to the boat, but this stalls the sail and creates turbulence behind the sail (in front of the boat). The sail would still create power in this situation, and would have its maximum area exposed to the wind. However, let's say I sheet in just enough so that there is laminar flow on both sides of the sail, to just before stalling the sail. Am I letting go of too much energy by doing this, especially since exhaust wind from the sail is not being dumped into a jib? Which will give me more power and/or performance: sheeting out so that the sail is 90 degrees to the wind, or sheeting out just enough so that the sail is not stalling yet? Regards, Ian Douglas

[@vaughnharrison7377]

Hi Ian, thanks for the thoughtful question. Because of the twist in the main, simply pulling in the sail on DDW course would only get some laminar flow at the bottom of the sail and only mildly change the outcome. 2 things that would challenge this concept further are boat speed and turning. The faster you're going, the more being sheeted in further on ddw will achieve flow on boat sides of the sail. Conversely slower boat makes being sheeted in much worse than a 90 degree trim. Bearing away also changes apparent wind and helps to justify being oversheeted. It will momentarily change the wind direction towards the leech and increase wind velocity. I Hope those answers help stimulate the concept you've been thinking about.

[@JM-dq5ib]

In order to get clear air you still need to get out of their wind shadow regardless of your apparent wind

[@internationalsailingacademy]

Very true, good point!😎

[@markprice46]

Wouldn’t the green boat need to jibe ?

[@kyyy8821]

It can, but doesn't need to. Reverse flow is happening

[@internationalsailingacademy]

👍