Posted by David Bamford on November 04, 2004 at 21:42:49 from 203.10.110.133 user David.
In Reply to: steering while sailing solo posted by Ed Kiser on November 04, 2004 at 19:41:36:
Self steering in a yacht is lagely a matter of balancing all the forces acting on the yacht; principally the wind and the waves. Older boats like the 'Goblin'/'Nancy Blackett' were designed in such a way that allowed them to sail by themselves unattended for reasonable periods. My own boat 'Swallow' was built in 1917 [and has carried that name since new] and it will sail by itself for extended periods, certainly long enough to boil a billy for tea. John had difficulty with steering because goblin was running downwind, and the waves would have been pushing it around, causing it to 'round up' until it was lying beam-on to the seas. This would have been a most uncomfortablw situation for all on board, as the boat would roll over severely with each wave. John had to counter this tendency in order to keep the Goblin under control. Since the 1950's there have been wind vanes available to take the role of a helmsman, which they do with surprising efficiency. Many folk who have used them have said that they can steer a boat better than a human helmsman, with the added benefit of never getting tired. Even these have difficulty with running before the wind, though. More modern yachts are generally faster, but not as tolerant of inattention; a little like difference between a racehorse and an old draught horse. A lightweight off-the-beach catamaran would be an extreme example of this.
David.