Downwind Sailing, Tips and Tricks

Published May 3, 2015 41 comments Updated March 6, 2020
Fast reaching to round the headland

Fast reaching to round the headland

After two seasons of bashing to windward up and down the island chain in the Eastern Caribbean, it has been quite a relief to be bearing away and easing the sheets at last. A bit like banging your head against a brick wall, it’s so nice when you stop!

But it has also meant delving into the bottom of the sail locker for long-forgotten items such as spinnaker sheets, and dusting off the memory bank of tricks of the trade that promote safe and effective offwind sailing.

Having started my sailing life on race boats I learned a lot from regatta sailing that is equally applicable in cruising, and was lucky enough to pick up other good tips from local cruising greats who were generous with their personal knowledge.

Here are some of those tips and tricks:

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Meet the Author

Colin Speedie

Colin, European Correspondent here at AAC, is a deeply experienced offshore sailor who holds a Yachtmaster licence, and a gifted photographer and talented writer who has added a whole new dimension to Attainable Adventure Cruising. In addition, since Colin and Louise are from England and had their OVNI 435, Pèlerin built in France, they bring a European perspective to our site. You can read more about Colin and Louise and their business at their website.

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