Reply To: Downwind
Lots of good advice here. Lifting tillers used to be the norm – though not so fashionable now. They allowed you to put the tiller over your legs when sitting on the back tank on a run and get your bodyweight a bit more central which I found gave me more confidence.
The breakthrough for me was when i convinced myself to hold the course on a run to the next mark and control the roll by pulling in the mainsheet hard when it rolls to windward. It sounds like your problems began when you allowed the boat to alter course and head up a bit when you weren’t prepared.
Talk of moves to de-power the rig on a run with cunningham and things are not really much good (this is really for depowering on a beat). Loosing some kicker and sailing with the boom further in is the best shot although it can be a bit unstable if the leech can do its own thing. Even with kicker on, in a breeze, you will be surprised how far you can pull the boom in and be more stable, and seem to lose a bit of power (and speed). It won’t gybe easily if there is some breeze.
I think the biggest error people make when coming to a boat like the OK is to allow the boat to veer about on the run, you need to be firm on your direction.
Bill
