Tacking on cats can be challenging. The boat is light (little momentum) and you have to push two hulls through the water sideways to turn (lots of drag) so the boat will slow quickly as you initiate a tack, especially if you try to tack short (by really pushing hard on the tiller). Once the boat is stopped/significantly slowed, and the battens pop to the new tack you may find it helpful to drive the boat slightly off the close haul course as you sheet in to accelerate. Then as the boat reaches speed, ease it back to a close hauled course as you continue to sheet in. Don't be afraid to sheet in hard. The boat only has a three to one sheet and a long sail leech (back edge) that will try to twist off with wind pressure. Also of help in tacking, sheet in hard as you push the tiller over to initiate the tack. This will help to accelerate the boat and weathervane the boat too. Then, once the sail starts to luff/backwind, you need to sheet out to keep the sail from acting as a weathervane stopping your turn, now away from the wind. While all this is going on, you need to keep the tiller turned as you crawl across the trampoline to the new windward side. One more note, keeping your weight on the windward back corner as you start the turn and as the sail starts to backwind will aid in keeping the bow up (less boat in the water, less drag) and once the sail is past head to wind will help the wind on the now windward bow pushing the boat around. But don't sit there too long, or the boat will capsize towards you (another reason to sheet out once head to wind).
Jibing is easier, as the boat never stops. As you start to turn away from the wind, crawl to the middle of the trampoline, keep the tiller turned, grab the three to one bunch of line in the middle, then when the boat is dead down wind, pull the mainsheet bundle across to the new jibe set. The reason you pull the sail across is 1) it makes the sail swing when there is the least pressure on the line 2) You will never be surprised by an accidental jib (if it happens before you throw the line, you will feel it) 3) it eliminates the need to sheet in and unsheet as you jibe (also helps to eliminate round up/capsize potential).
Last edited by Hammond on Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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