How to handle puffs

Ok, what is the best way to handle puffs in heavy wind? We've all been there, out on the wire we see that dark patch of water screaming towards us, what is the best way to handle it, do we pinch up a little, or do we sheet out slightly?

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

Sometimes a little of both if high gusts. IMO generally if goin to weather I'll just head up some and fall off comin out of it.

It all depends on the type of wind and the severity of the puff. Remember, your goal is to keep the boat as close to windward hull skimming the surface with as much speed as possible.

On the east coast, we get a lot of steady SW pre-frontal and thermal winds, and a lot of gusty post-frontal W and NW winds.

For a steady breeze with a slight gust, it may be as simple as loosening the grip on the tiller and letting the boat climb upwind. On a real gusty day after a cold front where it could be gusting 10 to 25 with 30deg shifts, you may be steering and playing the sheet like crazy.

You've got the right idea though, keep your eyes upwind and do your best to anticipate the intensity of each gust. Jamming the boat straight into the wind is only good if it prevents you from flipping. Otherwise, try to keep the steering as smooth as possible and work the sheet with about one arm full of range.

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It also depends on what boat. On my 20 we (the crew) would work the downhaul during puffy conditions.

To use downhaul effectively you'd probably need at least 8:1 or 10:1. When you downhaul it bends the mast (a lot on a boat with comp tip) and opens up the top of the sail, effectively spilling the wind up high on the sails, which is what you want... less heeling of the boat.

This worked pretty well and helped keep the boat powered up (but not heeling)... you don't want to lose your speed!

If you can't do the downhaul gig, you can try playing the traveler instead of the main sheet, if your crew can do this it works great...

No if you are going down wind your instinct in a puff will be to come up... this can be a MISTAKE unless you let out LOTS of sheet and/or traveler because you will dig in your leeward bow and pitchpole.

What you want to do is bear OFF the wind and let BOTH hulls keep the bows up - be sure you are toward the BACK of the boat... this can be especially tricky on a H16 or H14 with small hulls and small volume in the bows! Boats with bigger bows work well with this technique... Watch the pro's... off the wind, they follow the gust DOWN wind... and prefer to just barely fly a hull down wind for maximum speed.

Now that we've all filled your head with too much info, go out and HAVE FUN!

A little of both as well, but pinching up a little first and then sheet out as needed. Sometimes you don't have to sheet out. I always try to keep mometum up. I try not to spill wind that I don't have to. I have been blown over when I have sheeted out completely when dealing with puffs, without pinching up. I solo alot, so I normally just set my jib and normally don't have time to release it especially out on the wire. I sail a narrow lake with puffs all the time. I really feel like it makes me a better sailor when I go elsewhere.