How Do You Steer A Sailboat With The Sails?
Steering a course with just the sails works only if the wind is 10 to 15 knots and steady, the direction doesn’t change more than 5 degrees at a time and you can balance and set the tiller and sails just right. This also won’t work on every sailboat. Follow these steps to experiment with this technique in your boat. Get on course, and set the sails into position. Tighten the jib so that it is somewhat stalled. Loosen the main sail so that you have a little luff. This means that the sail will be loose and might flap just a little in the wind. Your mainsail should be “too loose” and your jib “too tight.” This feels strange, but it is correct for what you want to do. Fix the tiller in place, but with some give in either direction. Many people use bungee cords and wire to do the job.
