Rudderless Sailing Sequence (Photos by Chris Tsu)

Sailing forwards away from the dock. Weight is slightly to leeward to head upwind. Wind is coming from the left.

Instead of tacking, the main is backed, causing the boat to sail backwards on the same tack. Steering  is achieved the same way as when sailing forwards: to head upwind, weight is placed to leeward. To head downwind, weight is placed to windward. More windward heal can be applied by hiking out on the boom. Wind is coming from the left.

Here the boat is heading too far upwind and weight is being applied to windward. Wind is coming from the left.

As the heading is correct, weight is moved more to leeward to stop the downwind turning. Wind is coming from the left.

To make the boat head upwind, weight is to leeward. Moving towards the bow makes it easier to keep the sail backed while maintaining weight to leeward. Wind is coming from the left.

Keeping weight to leeward, the stern approaches the eye of the wind and a backwards to forwards jibe results. Wind is coming from the left. Copyright Phil Rossoni 9/28/05 Back to home page