Gust and Lull Response

In his Sailing to Win blog, Brett Bowden shares not only his own experiences, but a collection of wisdom from world champions and sailing legends. In this report, he offers tips to maximize changes in wind velocity:

Many sailors have poor gust and lull response but if we want to be successful it is something that we must master.

When hiking in gusts, there is a tendency to “fight” the boat and to use too much steering to control power. The boat heels, we pinch and use over-corrective steering. These factors lead to reduced speed and reduced VMG.

Conversely, in lulls, even experienced sailors tend to chase apparent wind around killing VMG and inadvertently, slowing the boat. – Full report