Stop Fighting the Tiller: How to Master Boat Balance & Heel (Learn to sail part 2)

Stop fighting the tiller and start using boat balance to your advantage! ⛵ Are you constantly pulling against the tiller to keep your boat on track? If you feel like you’re fighting with the rudder, the problem is most likely your boat balance. In this video, we break down how much heel you need for maximum speed and control at different points of sail (boat speed is a by-product of an efficient boat, don't be scared by it if you're just starting!). We’ll look at the physics of weather helm, lee helm, and show you how you can neutralise the tiller by adjusting your boat balance. Good boat balance can help to reduce drag, make the boat easier to control, and help to sail faster upwind and downwind. In this video, you’ll learn: •The "Sweet Spot": How to find the perfect angle of heel for your boat. •Ending Weather & Lee Helm: Why a heeled boat wants to turn and how to stop it without using the rudder. •Body Positioning: Where to sit for the best balance in light & heavy wind. •How to reduce drag from the rudder. •How to reduce the wetted surface area of the hull. •Speed Secrets - sail faster by combining all these things. •And more! This video is part of a 'Learn to Sail' series about the 5 essentials of sailing. These are the 5 key adjustments that we can adjust to make our boat sail efficiently. I also suggest you watch one of my earlier videos about how a sailing boat works if you’re not already familiar with basic aerodynamic theory and/or the points of sail:    • Learn to sail a dinghy - a step-by-step gu...   5 essentials series: Sail Setting (Part 1/5):    • Video   Boat Balance (Part 2/5):    • Stop Fighting the Tiller: How to Master Bo...   Boat Trim (Part 3/5):    • Don't Drag Your Transom! Mastering Boat Tr...   Board, centreboard or daggerboard (Part 4/5):    • How To SET A Centreboard Or Daggerboard PR...   Course Made Good (Part 5/5):    • How to sail BETTER from A to B - Course Ma...   Subscribe and turn on notifications to be kept up to date:    / @philswatersports   I also have a range of other videos on my channel to help to support people to progress with their sailing skills, which I've conveniently put into a playlist here:    • Learn to Sail (Beginner & Improver course)...   These videos are to help to support the background knowledge to understand what’s happening in a boat. You should learn to sail on a suitable course, led by qualified instructors with appropriate teaching ratios and safety cover. Don’t just buy a boat and try to learn to sail from online videos, as you could end up in a lot of trouble very quickly. Find the governing body for sailing in your own country to locate a suitable reputable course. In the UK the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the governing body, and also has recognised centres around the word. My filming equipment: Panasonic Lumix FZ72 bridge camera, great for video and photos with a 60x zoom: https://amzn.to/3LZ1xEf Victure Action Camera, a waterproof budget camera: https://amzn.to/3QcVwX1 GoPro Hero 7 Black, a great action camera with image stabilisation: https://amzn.to/3rWZqdg As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Boats in this video: Fusion dinghy from ‪@fusionsailboats6240‬ Hartley 15 from ‪@hartleyboats521‬ Laser/ILCA 0:00 Boat balance 0:32 Centre of effort & resistance 1:30 Weather helm 1:53 Turning forces created by boat heel 3:33 Weather helm from leeward heel 4:51 Steering with boat balance 5:24 Light wind heel 5:38 Windward heel 6:30 Wetted surface area 6:47 Bear away with windward heel 7:15 Steering with boat balance #sailing #dinghy #learntosail #howtosail #sailfromhome #beginningsailing #boating #sailboat #sailingbasics #sailing101 #5essentials #ilca #lasersailing