Thank, Marc ... this a fun video to script. I can't wait to produce some more videos!

Thanks for you comment Scottty Sells! My thought process regarding the sail configuration in this video has several levels to it. First, I feel compelled to dispel any preconceived ideas people may have about Cutter Rigs, largely being the view that one of the two headsails can simply be stricken from the equation during heavy air and the vessel becomes instantly more efficient. This view is an over-simplified view, and is rarely a better solution to a balanced sailing cutter than flying a combined set of two headsails on a cutter (the exception may be while fore-reaching in heavy air). Since this video deals with the close hauled point-of-sail, I'll limit my thought process to upwind sailing. Please take note to the hull shape of most cutter-rigged vessels, and also note where the mast is located. You'll find that good sailing cutters have a deeper V-entry to the bow and a lot of buoyancy forward; you'll also find the mast well forward in the boat, with a long mainsail boom. It's important to consider each individual hull design when considering sail configurations for vessels sailing complex seas (like the SV Solstice in this video). Being that heavy air typically is accompanied with complex seas, we'll find that hull will move around several simultaneous types of motion, mostly pitching and yaw, but also heaving and surging (deceleration). Because the boat is being "tossed" frequently, and considering the forward sections of the hull shape, these cutters need power to get the boat moving, and that power needs to be forward. To address your question Scottty, I find that cutters need sail area flying forward of the bow (on the bowsprit) to give the hull section the punch she needs, to maintain her momentum, which in turn provides consisted boat speed to satisfy the hydrodynamic side of the equation. Also note that I can under trim the yankee sail (flown from the bowsprit) to grab leeward yaw power, and trim the storm jib tight for efficient boat speed and close hauled angle when the water gets flat occasionally and the boat is at full speed. I hope this helps. Remember, anyone who wants to learn this information realtime, should join one of my Modern Geographic Sailing Expeditions aboard my SV Solstice in the Caribbean. Kind regards, Paul Exner 27 June, 2017

Will do, Eugene ... thanks for showing interest in my expeditions, and thanks again for your cool questions! Regards, Paul

Thank you so much, Paul... I really appreciate it. I've been checking out your expedition schedule for at least two years and I've often thought of joining you for offshore training, but you are booked solid so far ahead in the seasons it's difficult to plan. If you have any space that becomes available in the coming months and you'd like to let me know, please msg me and I'll contact you privately. Many thanks.. Eugene

Hi Genie7654 ... thanks for the question ... sorry for the delay in writing, but I was between the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas. I'm presently in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico during a layover before I fly home to the BVI. YES ... I will work on this video for you showing how I handling downwind sailing ... it's a complex topic, but I've presented on it before. Kind regards, and thanks again! Paul

Hi genie7654 ... txs for your question ... the yankee sail (the headsail flown from a bowsprit on a cutter; the sail on the furler in my video) can be protected from chafe against the forestay while tacking by furling-in the sail during a tack. I typically furl-in the yankee enough so the clew of the sail passes just in front of the forestay. It's possible to do this singlehanded too, if you use an organized method to handle your sheets and helm during the tack. Aboard Solstice (the boat in this video) I have a MONITOR windvane, so first I initiate the tack by "tacking" the vane, then I release the yankee sheet and immediately begin furling that sail to the point where the clew passes cleanly between the forestay and headstay; then, I release the furling line and and tail-in the new yankee sheet as the sail un-furls. I handle the staysail last by allowing it to backwind until after I've tailed-in the yankee sheet, thus I release the staysail and tail that in after I've cleated the yankee sheet. Once the boat is on the new tack, I'll optimize the windvane angle and coax the final trim on the yankee and staysail. This takes practice, but it's totally doable ... have fun, and good sailing! Paul

PS: You've given me a good idea for another video to document my singlehanded tacking method.

Thanks for the cool comment, Christopher!

Hi S/V Pearl Sail ... it's been a couple years since I was in San Francisco. I did a two-day sea trial aboard a Hans Christian ketch in the Bay. Yes, my full time passion is leading sailing expeditions. The expeditions take place on my SV Solstice (the boat in this video), and aboard my client's boats anywhere in the world. I coach sailing at any level, although I mostly sail with people who truly want to up their game, skill set, and confidence. I work in the open ocean a lot. My present schedule is booked from November 23rd to June 10, 2017 ... and I'm preparing an expedition beginning June 10 in the Caribbean aboard Solstice. I'm also considering an expedition in July aboard Solstice in the Caribbean as well. Then I haul-out Solstice for Hurricane Season 2017 but I'm available to sail on my clients vessels during that time ... then my Solstice season begins again in November 2017. Are you interested in joining one of my Solstice expeditions, or having me aboard your boat in San Francisco? Either way, I'm very pleased you've shown interest in my video. I'm a great guy to go sailing with, and I get excellent results for my clients. Feel free to check out my calendar here: http://www.moderngeographic.com/calendar.html ... or visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/modern.geographic/ Kind regards, and thanks! Paul

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the further explanation. Are you ever in the San Francisco area? Also are you still offering courses?
Thanks,
Wes S/V Pearl

Hi S/V Pearl Sail ... thanks for your positive comment. Maybe I can help you understand my explanation. First off, it's probably better to learn/teach how to become great at using a wind vane if done so one-on-on, aboard a sailboat. It's challenging to impart all the nuances using a 2:40 video that's narrated, and what I spoke about in the video uses a tone and vocabulary I'd use if I were speaking to someone who was already very familiar with using a wind vane, and polished at getting boats into different grooves. But I went ahead and published the video, and I do think it's cool and says a lot of important things (I think the video should be watched a few times to really glean the details). ... Having said this, I also want to share my procedure for engaging the autopilot (which is a great place for anyone to begin): Begin by sailing the boat at it's optimum trim by hand-steering first while the sails are pretty much where you want them. When the boat is in the groove under the average sailing conditions, take note of the apparent wind angle. Observe the boat's behavior by that AWA for several seconds, then engage the wind vane at the given apparent wind. Every boat will be different, but that's the TOP GEAR setting I explain in my video. Next you'll want to observe the boat sailing this setting for a few minutes, at least until she's tossed out of her groove because of wave resistance or a change in the wind speed or change in wind direction. At this point we have some options for coaxing the boat back to her TOP GEAR; either tweak the AW setting of the wind vane, or adjust the boat's rudder, OR tweak the sails in an effort to help the boat recover herself during the LOW GEAR sailing. In practice there're a number of adjustment combinations that could be made given the conditions ... this is where it's helpful to be sitting next to each other on the boat to efficiently pass on the knowledge. However, I will try to create future videos that go into more detail. For me, this level of focus on "sailing" is what it's really about ... and it's not an exact science ... the practice of optimizing a wind vane is a technical art.