How to Respond in Puffs Upwind Sailing

Sailing San Francisco Bay in the summer, the wind is usually around 10 knots in the morning and increases to stable 20 to 25 knots in the early afternoon and peaks around 4 pm with the gust around 30 knots. Then the wind usually goes back down to around 15 to 20 knots during the sunset hour which is our favorite, In this video, I’ll discuss what I have learned how to respond in puffs or gusts. In the early days of our sailing, I learned that when puffs hit, apparent wind angle goes aft, we lower the traveller or ease the mainsheet according to the new apparent wind angle, shift crew weight to maintain the constant heeling angle and reduce the sideway force. After the boat picks up more speed, re-trim in to match the new apparent wind angle that’s pushed forward again by the faster boat speed. After a year of researching and sailing, I learned there is more to this. The puff response in upwind sailing in the stable 10 knot wind with 15 knot puff is different from stable 20 knot wind with the gust of 25 to 30 knots. In 10 knot wind, the boat can still accelerate as the wind speed increases while in the heavy air above 20 knots, an increase in the wind speed overpowers the boat that doesn’t transform into the faster speed, instead increases heeling that leads to the sideway force and weather helm. In the moderate wind around 10 knots, when puff hits, trim harder to maintain the top batten parallel to the boom and point higher that pushes the apparent wind angle forward with the windward luff telltales between streaming and lifted 45 degrees. In the heavy air, before the gust hits, if there is still room to flatten the sail more, do it. Otherwise, lower the traveller or ease the main combined with feathering to de-power to keep the boat flat. In the smooth sea, I like to lower traveller that keeps the leech more closed maintaining pointing capability and feather more. In the choppy sea, I ease the main to let the upper leech twisted off and sail a lower angle. Don’t forget to ease the jib accordingly to keep the slot open. In reality, however we sail short-handed and normally respond to the temporary wind increase by feathering . We flatten sails and change trim only when the increased wind speed stays for a longer period of time. In the next video, I’ll talk about the sequence of de-powering the sails when the wind increases. Until then, enjoy a very foggy and choppy fleet week with blue angels. ----------------------------------------------------------- Sailboat - Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349 Twin Rudder ------------------------------------------------------------- Videos were shot by GoPRO HERO 9 ------------------------------------------------------------- Background music is licensed from Artlist Grinding Bones created by CustomMelody ------------------------------------------------------------- #sailing #sailinglife #goldengatebridge #sanfrancisco #bayarea #PropWalk #Docking #unDocking #standingturn #nightsailing