The Third Man
Well-Known Member
Is it to head up closer to the wind in a "puff" as I was taught many years ago? Or does it mean the opposite?
Luff the "puffs" - what does it mean?
- Thread starter The Third Man
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Yes, you luff up relative to the original course, but you are not luffing up as such, just maintaining close hauled in the gust, when the gust passes you have to bear away relative to the luffed up course. I don't know the physics behind it.
Quandary
Well-Known Member
It should mean the opposite, 'down in the puffs and up in the lulls' to quote Pat Kelly, my racing mentor.
In lighter winds your boat is faster closer to the wind so if you keep going up when it blows a bit then you have to come back down losing speed, like the boat I was following this afternoon.
In lighter winds your boat is faster closer to the wind so if you keep going up when it blows a bit then you have to come back down losing speed, like the boat I was following this afternoon.
dom
Well-Known Member
Spot on. Physics is simply that the apparent wind angle opens as the ratio of your boat speed to the wind speed falls. This in turn enables you to point up whilst keeping your sails at the same angle of attack.
When racing one might employ a slightly different technique on a fetch if the gust afforded the opportunity to increase speed substantially, but I'd depends on sea conditions a bit.
Seajet
...
' Luff in the puffs, bear away in the light stuff '.
NormanS
Well-Known Member
I was always told to "eat up to windward in the squalls", and it has worked for me.
westernman
Well-Known Member
In a dinghy which is fully powered up, you luff in the puffs to keep the boat level rather than depowering which gets very tiring very rapidly. As well as keeping the boat level, it gives the advantage of scraping a few more precious feet to windward.
These days, I just leave everything as it is and the boat on autopilot......
These days, I just leave everything as it is and the boat on autopilot......
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I am afraid you are out of date with your dinghy sailing technique
The cadets in our club & some oldies are being taught that luffing on the puffs is NOT the fastest way to windward. They are being taught to keep the boat level, maintain course & play the mainsheet
Infact loads of our club dinghies no longer have jammers on the mainsheet. Needless to say i am old school. & do have a jammer as i find it awkward to hold mainsheet & tiller extension & play the main
My son has given up trying to teach me on our Phantoms & i cannot argue as he always thrashes me.
Playing the mainsheet on a cruiser is a bit different but on the odd occasion i race i do try to have a single person on the mainsheet track & it works. I do much better racing cruisers than dinghies
jimi
Well-Known Member
Surely it depends if the puff is in the same direction , if so the increase in apparent wind will head you and you need to bear away a bit?
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
Can you say " puffs" in a ybw forum? Without getting banned that is? Surely you have to say gusts.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
It must depend whether the gust is a header or not. If it's a knock, you'd tack on that gust
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
No, other way about. The increase in the wind speed relative to the boat's speed brings the apparent wind further back which is why you can luff.
Actually, most yachts will tend to luff by themselves in a 'puff' owing to slight weather helm, so don't actively turn the tiller/wheel. In fact you may need to turn it against the wind to stop luffing too much during the puff.
In the northern hemisphere, the luffing effect of a puff is often more noticeable on a starboard tack than a port tack.
dunedin
Well-Known Member
Kind of depends on whether going upwind or downwind
Most replies have related to beating to windward - where allowing the boat to gently luff up a bit into the wind helps depower / reduce heeling and gain some extra distance to windward
I think Quandry's reply relates to a reach or downwind - when it is very much "bows down" (bear away) in the gusts, and head up slightly to maintain speed in the lulls
Most replies have related to beating to windward - where allowing the boat to gently luff up a bit into the wind helps depower / reduce heeling and gain some extra distance to windward
I think Quandry's reply relates to a reach or downwind - when it is very much "bows down" (bear away) in the gusts, and head up slightly to maintain speed in the lulls
horatio_nelson
Well-Known Member
I demand you provide credible links and sources to back up your preposterous nonsense.
jimi
Well-Known Member
Thanks Andrew when I drew the vectors what you say became blindingly obvious!!!
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
So you are on the right vector, Victor!
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
Standard air pilot licence syllabus, HN. In the northern hemisphere if the air speeds up it tends to veer, and if it slows down it tends to back. So on starboard tack a puff is even more freeing.
jerrytug
N/A
Just dash in to Brighton Marina male heads while urgently pulling your pants down, there are always one or two free instructors to update you on the Coriolis effect.
cagey
Well-Known Member
Probably the best overlooked, massive ironic post this year
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
No, a puff on its own is ok it is only if you start to preach "luffing puffs"
