Gusty Sailing

In this episode I'm sailing my 2010 Precision 18 sailboat on a high-altitude Rocky Mountain lake under a full mainsail and #4 (80%) severe weather jib in very gusty conditions. When faced with gusty conditions, I prefer not to point too high into the wind to avoid the excessive heeling that comes with close-hauled sailing. I also frequently loosen the vang to add a bit of twist to the top of the sail which keeps my relatively light displacement boat better mannered. Shortly after tucking in a double reef, I got hit by a heavy gust while sailing on the south end of the lake. The south end is closely surrounded by mountains that channel winds and the area is known to develop challenging wind conditions. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #extremesports #sailing #mainsailonly