Sailing: Steering a sailboat with the main sail ALONE! 

Still the best " Learn how to Sail" videos, by a long shot. And free!!! Good work. Thank you

Last summer I had my rudder break clean in half on a weekend cruise. I was on a broad reach in about 25 knot winds and 10 miles out with fairly heavy chop. I used my outboard motor and head sail to steer to the destination but the conditions made it a challenge. I sailed back the next day with main and head, using the motor once again to steer but much better conditions. I never thought about trying to use a main sail to steer, great video!

Saw you posted this on SailNet. Excellent video and thanks for posting it. I look forward to more.

The technique you show is working but the explanation should point out the balancing of the strength of the Centers of Effort of the jib and mainsail. This moves the Combined CE fore and aft relative to the Center of Lateral Resistance. The actions are working but it is not described as clearly. (Think of the CLR as the fulcrum on a seesaw and the opposing forces of the Jib and Main as the weights on either side. (Or Scales of Justice, whatever.)

The usual great video from PP consultant. (If only we knew what PP stands for!) I'm just thinking . . . wouldn't this technique work even better still if one removed all lee helm influence when wanting to steer towards the weather side, by loosening up, partially furling, or even dropping the jib sail? And then, to steer away from the wind, do the opposite to maximise lee helm?

To anyone watching this, Please ignore this explanation it is very far off from the true physics of what’s going on, and will not deepen your understanding of driving w/o a rudder. It’s all about how a tightly trimmed mainsail rounds you up into the wind due to the fact that your center of effort has been moved aft, and vice versa with a jib

nice video.. thanks... at (2:42) you state high seas? Just curious as to what scale you are using.. Seems pretty calm.

Very poor explanation of HOW this actually works.