Forward Foot

Now that Ramadan is here again I have shorter working hours and can easily get in an hour or so of sailing after work.

I went out today to practice and while it is starting to be rather toasty (around 42) I managed by pacing myself and drinking a camelback of rehydration drink.

With the wind relatively light I decided to concentrate on getting across the boat more efficiently on tacks and gybes. I was feeling clumsy about it and sometimes even catching my lifevest on the boom or sheet and just generally feeling clutzy and sometimes late in getting where I need to be.

I found the obvious solution was to concentrate on my forward foot.  When preparing the tack or gybe I put the back foot across, on top of the hiking strap.  The forward foot stays against the windward side of the cockpit and when the boat heels to windward in the turn, it is the downhill foot and all I have to do is think about pushing off with it - up and to the other side, ready to hike out.

It seemed to work.