Today we learned how to read charts (my most recent desire is to put one on my wall because they are so visually appealing to me), spent the morning in the keelboats (sailing by way of the chanels that go through shallow water), and in the afternoon sailed FJ's again (something I was very excited about)! Weather looked uncertain, but we finally decided to go out...somehow Florida's yucky days (cloudy and 65 degrees) are still amazing.
As soon as we got off the dock in the FJ's, we promptly undertook the art of roll tacking. This is an exciting, dynamic method of turning the boat into the wind and onto a new course using fast shifts in body weight. This basically boils down to both skipper and crew throwing their full weight over one side of the boat while turning upwind (this heels the boat WAY over to one side and changes the direction). After turning, you have to jump (quickly) to the other side to even out...before you flip over.
After lots of practice (when we should have been sailing in a hot dog around bouys...oops) Derek and I finally felt really comfortable with the roll tack. A great accomplishment and another great day!
To see a video of roll tacking, go to this website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBivxKxbB3A
Hooray.
As soon as we got off the dock in the FJ's, we promptly undertook the art of roll tacking. This is an exciting, dynamic method of turning the boat into the wind and onto a new course using fast shifts in body weight. This basically boils down to both skipper and crew throwing their full weight over one side of the boat while turning upwind (this heels the boat WAY over to one side and changes the direction). After turning, you have to jump (quickly) to the other side to even out...before you flip over.
After lots of practice (when we should have been sailing in a hot dog around bouys...oops) Derek and I finally felt really comfortable with the roll tack. A great accomplishment and another great day!
To see a video of roll tacking, go to this website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBivxKxbB3A
Hooray.
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