Driving a dinghy through waves

Dear chaps and chappesses

Showered by the success of your previous advice on the subject of
sailing in bigger winds, I wonder if I can now tempt you into your
second tour de force.

The challenge: To tell my boys the art of driving a dinghy through
waves at sea. We're not talking BIG waves here but waves from (say)
two feet up to (say) 6 feet, such that the hull of the boat in front
disappears from view.

We're talking about the most effcient to get from A to B, upwind,
downwind and reaching. For the sake of this, assume a Cadet dinghy,
3.2 metres with a small flat bow transom, being sailed by 12-15 year
olds.

Best wishes
Stephen Page

On 3 feb, 12:43, Gnat <sail....DeleteThis@gnat.org.uk> wrote:
> Dear chaps and chappesses
>
> Showered by the success of your previous advice on the subject of
> sailing in bigger winds, I wonder if I can now tempt you into your
> second tour de force.
>
> The challenge: To tell my boys the art of driving a dinghy through
> waves at sea. We're not talking BIG waves here but waves from (say)
> two feet up to (say) 6 feet, such that the hull of the boat in front
> disappears from view.
>
> We're talking about the most effcient to get from A to B, upwind,
> downwind and reaching. For the sake of this, assume a Cadet dinghy,
> 3.2 metres with a small flat bow transom, being sailed by 12-15 year
> olds.
>
> Best wishes
> Stephen Page

Stephen,

I´m optimist coach from Argentina. We are right now in a regatta, and
we had very big waves. You can see this pictures (incredible) at
http://www.yca.org.ar/Section.aspx?Id=631

Basicaly, we use to pinch when we go up the big wave, and bear away
when you go down the wave. This movement is because the wave is making
apparent wind to the boat, it´s a fast change, unperceptible with the
tell tales, and should be followed with a very delicated rudder
movement.
In combination with this, you have the little waves, and you need to
move your body according with this ones too. It´s really difficult to
feel comfortable sailing on this kind of waves, but it can be done
with some practice.

Regards,

Diego.