Single Easiest Tip to Sailing a Catamaran FASTER

[@kensherlock6475]

I learned a lot. No one has explained it like they were explaining it to a fifth grader before, made so much sense.

[@njsarn]

Couldn't agree more. A great way to teach with real life example. Similar to an airplane's uncoordinated turn. Thanks a bunch Nick and Meg, good show and fairer winds to you.

[@Frank-E]

Thank you for sharing those sail/trimming tips. They are really useful.

[@TheOKellys]

Hard won knowledge! Still learning!

[@Cedandkikisailing]

@@TheOKellys ya been sailin’ for decades and can still learn something useful…. You de man Nick 👍🏻

[@weneeddivineintervention]

Love you guys, two beautiful people, bringing joy, happiness, a little sanity, some great sailing tips and some beautiful locales, to a crazy world, God bless you two.

[@Peter_Herrman]

Laura Ingalls and Derek Diggler sounds like a whole different kind of video! Oh my!

[@HandyMan657]

Ahhh, the serenity of no engines and just the sound of the wind in the sails and the water on the hulls. Beautiful.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

Indeed. Turning off the noisy, smelly, internal combustion, fossil fuel engine is one of the joys of sailing for many. Electric drive will become a lot more common over time, and it makes motoring much quieter, smoother, greener. Electric drive on sailboats is highly synergistic with nature if you can regenerate battery energy from wind energy by sailing. You motor out, raise the sails and recharge the battery energy with sail power for a while. (Sort of like regenerative braking on an EV, but it doesn't slow down the boat much at all.) Then you disengage regen and sail normally. Later, you use that wind energy stored in the battery bank to motor back into the next marina or anchorage. In near silence.

[@HandyMan657]

@@LoanwordEggcorn I have a couple of friends who use an electric motor, maybe you've heard of them, The Rigging Docter, they have a youtube channel.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@HandyMan657 Yes, I didn't know they had gone electric. Will check out their more recent videos. Thanks!

[@shanebrink7346]

"Plans are written in the sand at low tide." I love this! It's fun to watch you two having so much fun.

[@MrChrisHobday]

Hi Guys, I haven't really be in touch but I love your videos. I'm a disabled sailor in the UK looking in the next two to three years to start circumnavigate our little world of ours. At present I'm just trying to improve my sailing skill and doing up my 1979 Challenger Europe 28ft. my first boat and a great one to learn on, it's giving me plenty of experience that I hadn't expected to learn but loving it all. I got married after 10 years of being together in August 2019, a great year (No Covid, kinda) Honeymoon for thee weeks then before we knew it Christmas. I had been setting my next project after organizing the wedding & I got my boat just before lockdown, Great!!! It gave me time and something to focus on over the past 18 months of shielding (US didn't really have this, it's when people with medical conditions protected themselves from a thing called Covid). I did my practical Day skippers course and just finishing of the theory online the wrong way around but that's covid. I wanted to say thank you for all the hard work you both are doing on the channel even though it's a great job it no doubt has it's moments. Keep being great and doing you. Looking forward to trying some of your coffee and hope to meet up on the flipside. Big hugs and sailing love. Chris Hobday

[@BuzzSargent]

I appreciate the lesson! Especially the simple terms and how, why you make the changes. It will all mean more once I get a boat! lol Happy Trails

[@mattandtamsin]

What a brilliant explanation of how to balance a catamarans sails. Huge thanks guys and I love your attempts to always try put out some different funny openings. So hard to do, but the best way is never the easy way

[@harveyjohnston6590]

thanks for explaining the drag on the rudders and the effects it has you made it so easy to understand and obvious love the videos cheers guys RV

[@TheOKellys]

Ah thanks. Trying hard to pass along what we’ve been learning along the way

[@richardherndon1541]

That was a great explanation of weather helm and over powered sails! It really helped understand what needs to be done to recognize it and correct it. You filming and editing was top notch as always.

[@dennisraible4177]

Again another great video, I can’t wait to discuss close reaching and easing the main sheet to balance the trim from a weather helm situation the next time I’m at the bar. I find myself talking about sailing so much anymore people will ask me how long I’ve been a sailor. I reply, I’ve never been on a sailboat or gone sailing in my life, I watch the O’Kelly’s channel on KZbin! Thanks for letting me tag along!!

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

I highly recommend trying sailing. A great way is to join a local sailing club and take lessons there. Much less costly than owning and maintaining a boat. There are sailing clubs in many places you might not expect like Colorado, Oklahoma, Switzerland, etc.

[@dennisraible4177]

@@LoanwordEggcorn my man, I live in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, we have boats on our three rivers, but NO SAILBOATS.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@dennisraible4177 I googled it, and there are several sailing schools in the Pittsburgh area. Check them out!

[@dennisraible4177]

@@LoanwordEggcorn and I thank you for trolling me! 😂 I’ve water skied as a youth in those rivers, the Allegheny smells like fish and algae, usually with a greenish blue tint. The Monongahela has an indescribable aroma of industry and sadness, it usually flows mud brown. If you google earth “the point” (the area us yinzers call the former site of Fort Pitt), where they converge to start the Ohio you will see a well defined line where the waters mix. My days of frolicking in that cocktail of germs is over. Can I sail in a swimming pool?

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

@@dennisraible4177 Most sailing clubs are on lakes or bays, not rivers, due to the stronger currents in rivers.

[@worldtraveler8255]

You guys are a divine force, I am serious. I browse your videos every now and then when got some spare time, but, also when I feel the right vibes to dive into the cat world. And I'm saying it with no clue on how to sail and how to grab this dream in my life. In sailing this is the absolute beginner, or dreamer. Still, I love your approach, I truly believe you are a sheer combo of great vibes with a knack for the untold. Until the O'Kelly's showed up the cat world was worth of chit-chats or some nice-wrapped brand promotion across cats' reviews. I sense our routes will come across sailing - sooner or later - if/when this is going to happen must say a big thank to you O'Kelly's. I have already said that in other comments yet as ancient Romans used to say, "repetita iuvant". With all respect, yours Massimo

[@TheOKellys]

Awww Massimo, thank you so much I hope our paths cross!

[@tymeryder7264]

As always a grand video. Your playfulness is delightful

[@bradgustafson448]

That opening was really creative! You guys crack me up!! I learned a lot about sailing with Nick's explanation of trimming the sails. I so look forward to each week's episode.

[@TheOKellys]

Thanks Brad!

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

Thanks for a good brief explanation of sail theory, sail and boat balance, a little bit about how to adjust it, and why it matters. Boats work better, and sail more comfortably and more efficiently when balanced better. In racing we learned that you should steer the boat with the sails, since more rudder deflection means more drag. Our instructor called the tiller the parking brake. If you need to push the rudder too much off center, you're slowing the boat down. A well balanced boat steers mostly with sail trim and not rudder. (If you lose your rudder and jury rig a temporary (fixed) rudder, you can steer with the sails.) This is also faster, more efficient and more comfortable, since everything is doing less work, including the keel (obviously more relevant in a monohull) and even hull(s). Thanks Nick and Megan!

[@TheOKellys]

Exactly! Parking brake!

[@TheOKellys]

Exactly! Parking brake!

[@cliffbenford]

fantastic as always; imo the quality of your videos is going up & up; the in & out focus, range varieties, continuity & audio background are pretty much pro; & that means effort, respect to you.

[@douglasmontgomery6315]

You guys are so down to earth, informative and fun. Not all the T & A/Clickbait like many. Thanks and really enjoy your stuff :)

[@TheOKellys]

Appreciate the note…immensely. We try!

[@jianfasailor]

I'm an American living in China, and I love your videos!

[@ende421]

Good explanation, thanks! Some remarks: A little bit of weather helm provides lift to windward, at least on mono hulls. Too much weather helm certainly is bad for speed. As monos heel weather helm increases significantly as the center of effort now is in lee, pushing the boat windward. So easing the main will reduce weather helm as center of effort is moved forward and as soon as that reduces heeling also inward.

[@ladylladnek5281]

What a pleasant viewing! Thank you for sharing your moments.

[@stevenfaler3003]

Great show today, love the sailing lesson!

[@JibeTalking]

Nick, great explanation on balancing the Cat and increasing speed! Very well done!

[@petetjaarda5112]

Great sail technique & teaching. Thanks for the "clarity". 👍😎👍💕

[@rfdinesen4027]

The Chesapeake Bay is amazing you're right! So many wonderful anchorages and places to explore. Thanks for not disclosing that anchorage. I know exactly how your friend feels. So glad to hear about the new sails!

[@mamasthree2649]

Since we are still learning, that’s why we watch!

[@richardhall7822]

Really enjoyed that. Thanks. 🙏 Glad the sails are being sorted

[@unrealparagon]

You guys are great! I love your videos and I love your podcasts (good to listen to on a bike ride). Thank you for deciding to share your adventures and experiences.

[@charlie262]

Dream-like and informative at the same time

[@mikeferguson2828]

Nice edit guys. I find the big difference between cats and monos as far as sail trim goes is the traveller. With the mono your traveller is generally quite narrow so you see more sheeting out on a mono. With a cat it helps to keep the main more tight and move the traveller first. Only when the traveller as over to its end which on most cats is 3-4m off to the side do you start letting out the sheet. This works as a kinda boom vang /kicking strap. With most people coming from mono sailing they are not aware of this but if you raced Tornados, hobie Tigers or Nacra 18 ft cats you will be aware of this. The main is sheeted in and you play with the traveller a lot. When you de power you dump about 5cm of traveller or turn a little downwind. The older hobie 14 and 16’s had a centre main sheet so you let the main sheet out.

[@TheOKellys]

Yes, you are right, and it makes a big difference. This video is speaking in rough generalities….I didn’t even mention trimming the headsail for balance. Me could dive really deeeeeeep into this subject for sure.

[@toniavalon]

Love Nick’s pirate voice!🏴‍☠️ So much to learn about sailing😬 Selling my Hatteras.

[@TheOKellys]

Yeeeehaaaaaaw! Good luck!

[@stephanemswiler3842]

EXCELLENT discussion on sail trim! Also, was wondering what became of the new sail. Thanks for clearing that up.

[@a-c17]

I can't imagine how much fun you had with the opening. Nice job.

[@ThoughtfulWander]

Cool new sails!! Ullman! pretty cool!

[@thepiratedoc4247]

The best sound of sailing! You guys are doing great - thanks for sharing.

[@sfxdesign9633]

Great explanation of weather helm and sail trimming.

[@cameronhilton]

Been forever since I’ve cruised the Chesapeake. Like over 20 years. Maybe this spring on the way to a summer in New England. Love your stuff!!!!

[@Axe_North]

Very interesting video !!! We love your sailing tips video!!!!

[@merlinbroaddus]

First, THANK YOU. Loved the lesson on "weather helm" more please!! Second, yes, Dirk, that was funny!!! Third. You talked about Ullman sails, I have looked, and googled, but not finding any information. Are there any Sails that are ALSO solar panels???? Or what would be biggest drawback? Using flexible panels?????

[@merlinbroaddus]

Sorry, DEREK, not dirk

[@PickledShark]

No way. “Flexible” in terms of solar is a relative term. They’re still far too rigid and fragile to be furled or reefed. Plus they’re too heavy, expensive, and well, the wiring would be a nightmare. For now, it’s simply not possible

[@merlinbroaddus]

@@PickledShark thanks. I know the technology has progressed, just not that far.

[@headcheck100]

Each video is a treasure

[@mikeadams4973]

Good episode. Thanks for sharing!!

[@jackgabbert3233]

Really enjoy watching your videos. All the best, Jack

[@TheOKellys]

Appreciate that Jack. It’s a privilege to be able to make them.

[@willhopkirk1715]

Thanks Laura and Derek loved the trimming for speed stuff keep it coming

[@MK-gr9qz]

Once more, a really good one👌🏻, keep it up!!

[@kathrynsteltenpohl7394]

Omg I love that opening. That was a fantastic.

[@carsonc1272]

Thanks so much for the education. I learn so much from these videos.

[@drewd1726]

Last song in the video….Perfect sendoff. Perfect I say. Enjoy DC. So much to see. Take a peek in the vaults under good ol Abe. Thank you….for just being you.

[@dgerjevic]

I thoroughly enjoy watching you guys!! Thank you!!!

[@TheOKellys]

Thank you!

[@podocrypto6072]

Super cool guys!!! Keep them coming! One of my very fav sailing channels.

[@RiverWoods111]

Loved the Intro! It was a lot of fun!

[@drzavaleta1]

Looking forward to trying the coffee! It’ll be on its way soon! Great episode.

[@jaymacpherson8167]

Killer intro! Thanks for sharing the Chesapeake time, as I grew up in Vah-gin-yah. Oh, and that seal trim info… Very nice.

[@dmorgan28]

Thanks for taking us along. A beautiful sale to a beautiful island. We learned so much along the way. We are really enjoying this channel. 👍👍👍❤️

[@TheOKellys]

Our pleasure! Thank yoU!

[@TheBrandonForrest]

Weather helm explained so well! Thanks!

[@rblee1977]

Thank you so much for these tips on trimming the catamaran!

[@mikekarbach394]

Loved the new intro! What fun

[@jamespollock994]

Beautiful Video guys!

[@cryptolanza8784]

Thanks for another great episode!

[@williambogle2120]

Good episode I learned something. Thanks!

[@matthewbudlong9813]

Great video work! I learn a lot thanks.

[@TaraTraeger]

You were anchored right up the creek from my house! You went right past my house on the way to the "secret spot"! Wish we'd seen you, would have invited you up for a cocktail! Great video, as always!

[@gefginn3699]

Thanks for the sunshine in my day. Take care as well.

[@TheOKellys]

Our pleasure Gef. Thanks for the note.

[@brynjenkins7412]

Sure appreciate all the knowledge you share! And all done with great humor and quality!

[@hunsadersrockinranch]

Great episode, Thanks! Thumbs up!

[@atlv2]

I love u guys. You are making me love every aspect of sailing even though I never sailed before. I enjoyed a lot the more 'formal explanation' about sailing. Its nice addin to each video some pills about the "nerdy/technical"aspects of sailing. Again, tks for inspiring and entertaining. If you are heading o Brazil let me know, I'll set the feijoada for you. cheers!

[@stephaniemyatt8346]

Oh my gosh you guys are sooo much fun!!

[@joshuaash2494]

Excited for the coffee to get here! Thank you so much for including military addresses to you shipping!

[@TheOKellys]

You're welcome, thank you so much for your order!

[@Richard-nb4iv]

Weather helm. When racing my 34 foot mono hull under the right (wrong) conditions, in heavy air a stronger gust can auto-tack my yacht if the mainsail trimmer isnt aware of this feature/ characteristic of the boat. When i first learned of it the wheel was hard over and the overpowered mainsail forced an auto-tack narrowly missing a competitor. The crew was wondering what i was doing while I was emphatically requesting " let the main out!" After changing my underwear, i was educated of what weather helm can do. 🤪

[@robinblueqube]

love you guys, you make me smile.

[@dyrectory_com]

An excellent choice of music @ 12:09! 🎵 ⛵️

[@TheOKellys]

Thanks, made it myself

[@scooter5535]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Another great video! I love watching anything you guys put up! Do you think it would be possible to get some slow tv? I love setting up sailing vids in the background while i work. Stay safe guys.

[@TheOKellys]

Hmmmm….

[@a-c17]

I really liked your song when you were sitting on the bean bags on the bow. Great musical overlay.

[@jimlofts5433]

weather helm can be controlled by easing of the main or easing the traveller - depends on twist and or sail shape

[@MrJay27804]

Like the new opening. Nice 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@timdavidson23]

Loved the intro! Very funny and entertaining.

[@bradcraig10]

Another great episode!

[@TheOKellys]

Thank you!

[@bourquebuiltful]

Getting 7-10 knots out of my 1964 hatteras. It would be so nice if I got that out of a sail boat. P.S. I can buy a lot of diesel for the price of a new main sail;but the sound of silence!!!!I mean listening to the wind and waves. Love you guys/girl. Thank you for sharing.

[@TheOtherSideoftheHill]

Enjoyed the video. Thank you for the tutorial, as I’m a newbie much appreciated. Fair winds and following seas.

[@chachi1972ful]

love your work on charlie

[@marclawyer2789]

Thanks for all your hard won experience and cheerful demeanor, (usually the former comes at the expense of the latter ), that seems to flow so naturally... Enjoy the remains of autumn...🌡️🥺

[@abatesnz]

I've been watching a lot of videos (mostly for monohulls) about handling storms if caught out in blue waters as I am about to sail home to New Zealand in a cat. One thing referenced is the need to fit a second mast track for a trysail. These don't have to be redundant when not caught in a storm, however. Like the latest America's Cup boats, you could fly the trysail inside, or upwind of, the mainsail to increase the difference in length and thus pressure of the wind travelling to windward and to leeward of the main. You'd effectively be using the trysail to try to get a flatter, more wing-like shape. Obviously it couldn't cover all the mainsail as it needs to be a much smaller sail to fulfil its primary purpose, but short of having two mains like the Cup boats, it could give you some performance improvement. Thoughts? Do you have a trisail? Do you have a second mast track, or is that not something cats do so much? Do you have (or can you recommend) a storm survival video for catamarans? I have also been wondering about trailing warps, seabrakes, series drogues and whether you can turn and lie head to wind off a sea anchor once the drogues aren't doing the job and/or the waves are breaking in your cockpit. Would the turn itself be too dangerous? Would you lie aft to wind off a sea anchor or just find more things to drag?

[@ruigomes3441]

Great episode!

[@JagLite]

Nice video, like always. Now, if you have a boom vang you can ease the sheet more and minimize the sail chafe on the backstay/shroud. A vang minimizes the twist of the main allowing more of the sail to be the correct shape. By easing the main and allowing the twist you are moving the center of effort of the sails forward but losing some power due to twist. I lived aboard and sailed my 40' racing trimaran for 8 years and it would develop serious weather helm if the main wasn't set right. 12 knots was considered average speed, 16-18 knots was normal good wind sailing and well over 20 knots in the right conditions and surfing. Most cruisers don't think much about sail trim and on a monohull crossing an ocean short handed it doesn't make much difference, safety, damage, and comfort are more important and if it takes a day or two longer to get there, no worries.

[@TheOKellys]

Thank you. Yes, vangs are great. Not sure why you don’t see them on cats so often. I’d like one though. We’ve got what looks like a bang but it just a support. I know what you are saying about monohulls….doesn’t make a ton of difference. But these cruising mains are sooooo roachy and the jibs on many are tiny. I wonder if you could feel it better on your tri. It’s very nuanced on a cat.

[@ronhecklinger1845]

Like your honesty and you do it with a calming style

[@TheOKellys]

Thank you!

[@hamiltonsny]

Outstanding video. You guys rock.

[@TheOKellys]

NO, YOU ROCK!

[@donhamblen8060]

Another great episode with helpful content!

[@billhanna8838]

Nicely explained , Barber hauler can come in handy for the head sail broad reaching

[@rickhuttono1]

Enjoyed the sailing tips...

[@nautidreamscatamaran]

Love the description of weather helm. Keep up the great work.

[@TheOKellys]

Thank you. Makes a big difference. Always learning….

[@charlie262]

Another classic video from The O’Kellys

[@TheOKellys]

Thanks Charlie

[@shainester]

Really intrigued by the lifestyle, whether the good or some bad. As someone on a 3 - 5 year plan of getting a sailboat and beginning the journey, I LOVE the "how to" content in this one Nick. I don't miss an episode and enjoy every one. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@TheOKellys]

Ah thanks. Hope we cross paths when you’re out here

[@avshiloh2438]

Really enjoyed the intro. Nicely done!

[@TheOKellys]

Lol. Thanks. We have a good laugh!

[@4englishlies875]

As international jewel liberators, showing off your 'new' names on your passport might cause an issue later in your run. I can see shopping being a problem....lol love this opening guys bravo.

[@DDixon3121]

You've chosen a wonderful sail making partner with Ullman. I use their loft in Mandeville, Louisiana, and Dave and crew are great!

[@leozeek]

Great description of how to sail a catamaran.

[@js71378]

How'd you learn this? I'm an (instrument-rated) pilot, as well, and so have an interest and fairly decent understanding of aerodynamics as it applies to planes. I've been looking for an aero- and fluid- dynamics of sailing, ideally written for pilots who already understand some of this. Similarly, I've been meaning to ask you to give your thoughts on Sailing from a Pilot. What piloting knowledge, skills, and practices should be transferred over, and which ones should I explicitly avoid transferring over lest they have me doing things incorrectly? As someone who always flies with a kneepad with checklists and v-speeds (even in VFR), I'm a bit surprised that the ASA curriculum doesn't suggest ready-to-use checklists (even for emergencies).

[@vanessaaaron1035]

If only Nick knew a CFI turned L46 sailor…. 😜 My biggest learning curve/piloty-things-that-didn’t-translate-well I’ve encountered so far: 1. Weather, in the sense of what that means experientially on a boat versus airplane/sailplane. 2. The huge difference of speed in terms of nav planning…6-8kts versus 90+kts. 3. Close-quarter maneuvering/docking. My brain is really good at handling one fluid (air) and making required adjustments when leaving/returning to earth (t.o./Ldg). It is a whole other ball of wax to deal with two fluids with a much larger vehicle. The water does one thing, the air does something else, and it’s like trying to parallel park a school bus in a compact parking space on ice sometimes. Sail trim is something I’ve been able to learn fairly well by reading, talking to other sailors, and just getting out their and playing with them. Hope this helps!

[@nickocleary2701]

If you are a pilot I suggest to check in with Bobby Doo.

[@secretsquirrel6308]

My chief pilot bought his first sailboat. He needed instruction and I was happy to oblige. At the time he had over 20,000 flight hours but when I explained sails and lift I saw the lightbulb go on. He was as giddy as a child with his new perception.

[@RiverWoods111]

@@nickocleary2701 Do you mean Bobby White with Sailing Doodles? He would need to watch his older videos as he was last I saw on a motor yatch now.

[@SoundzAlive1]

There are a lot of pilots who sail. Ryan from Sophie and Ryan Sailing. Jamie from Life on Jupiter. Bobby from Sailing Doodles. Just to name a few. André

[@johnrichard6802]

Really good sail trim info.

[@jstoebbe]

Great practical tips on using the autopilot as a telltale to trim the sails! Also, I spotted you guys on the Eastport bridge last week but didn't manage to roll down the window to holler at you like a crazy person before driving past. Hope you're enjoying Annapolis!

[@TheOKellys]

We loved it. You’re very lucky. Special place. Be back in a couple weeks for the show. Give us a holler next time

[@noahkohn9350]

Those photos of heeling Navy 44’s gave me massive palpitations. My daughter sailed one this past summer (a few months before this video was filmed) from Annapolis to Long Island Sound (via NYC) and back, and they were hit with a major storm off the NJ coast on the way back. She mentioned nearly capsizing, but was wise enough to not mention it to me until AFTER they were safely back at The Yard (and wise enough not to mention it to her mother at all!). And since you’re heading to (have been to by the time of me writing this comment) Annapolis, remember that it’s a drinking town with a sailing problem.

[@TheOKellys]

Lol. We just met one of their instructors….they put those boats through their paces