Try this when you have nothing better to do:
- 1. Balance the sails.
- 2. Lock the tiller so the boat moves straight forward.
- 3. Steer the boat by moving from side to side.
(The boat will turn away from the side where you place your weight.)
On Long Island Sound I've found I can sail this way for hours without
ever touching any boat controls.
To come about using the "No Hands" method, you must jibe. Reset the
jib. Sail back home.
You can control the boat from anywhere in a Rhodes 22, including
inside the cabin. I put waypoints in my GPS and simply sail to them.
By keeping one eye on my GPS I can easily stay on course while I
eat, chart, or do whatever else I must do.
Apart from being a nifty "parlor trick" the method also helps you
learn to balance your sails, balance weight, and demonstrates clearly
that some "wind shifts" are really people moving about on board.
With just a little bit of practice you can become your own
"auto-polite".
Bill Effros
14 Jan 2001
