sail without jib

The simple answer would probably be not to tack when somebody is in front of you. The current world champion tacks facing backwards. If you tack right you're only actually facing backwards for about 2 seconds, or less than the time it takes to adjust one of your control lines.

What Levante said. And When single handing i tend to leave the jib till after i tack - it's the main that needs the attention as that's what would capsize me if i didn't keep control of it!

64799 "Dolphin"

well there seems to be a lot of different opinions as to whether to face forward or backwards through the tack. As I've said before I automatically face back, because that is how I was taught sailing two-up. I shall have a go at facing forward and see how I get on.

The simple reason for facing forward in a tack is because if you try and face backwards with a centre main, you end up strangling yourself with the maisheet while the tiller puts you in an armlock. If the mainsheet and the tiller are both behind you, then it makes sense to tack facing them, and swap hands in front of you. That was the way everything was done before the days of centre mains. Incidentally, some really high performance skiffs recommend you tack facing backwards, as the crew does the main and the jib is self-tacking.

Ah! - this is where the <b>open coaching </b> comes in. You could learn the best way to deal with boat handling through the experience of the coaches. The new OC programmes will be announced for the New Year and these will be geared much more to the ordianry Mirror sailor rather than the elite racing fraternity so take advantage when and where you can.

John

Well thanks everybody for the comments. This has been a lively topic, through which you can learn alot.Better than a manual. So let's have more discussion on different topics. There is alot of experience amongst members, which novices like myself are keen to hear. So let's hear them