Sometimes nothing happens for a long time and then everything happens at once. This is a truism that sailors get to feel again and again when unfortunate circumstances combine in a very short time at sea. An idyllic sailing day in summer, for example, ends with a thunderstorm - the port is not reached before the first gusts hit the yacht. It is enough if the second person on board also sprains their ankle shortly before entering the port and suddenly cannot help with the maneuver with all their strength. Therefore, the following applies: Even under difficult circumstances and in narrow harbor basins, skippers should be able to control the boat with one hand and drive a jetty.
The one-handed training courses at the YACHT also offer an opportunity to get to grips with one-handed sailing under the guidance of experienced solo regatta professionals. On three days in September 2018, maneuverable seascapes will be sailed off Heiligenhafen. Further information here.
If you want to acquire knowledge about the behavior of your own yacht directly and without outside help, you should try it under a wide variety of conditions. Skippers with more modern yachts have a clear advantage - but also a disadvantage. The stern, which has become wider and wider, simplify some maneuvers and make others possible in the first place. The distance between the anchorage point, such as the stern cleat, from the center of the ship creates a lever that allows the yacht to be turned. In addition, modern stern are usually designed to be open, and the railing wires can be removed. This allows the helmsman to reach a pole or the pier very easily if he is backing up to them. Which, by the way, is strongly recommended.
The split lateral plan of newer yachts, with a narrow, deep keel and free-standing rudder, has advantages when maneuvering, if used correctly. Such yachts drive over the bow quite quickly and violently in crosswinds, which is the disadvantage that should not be underestimated. To do this, they align themselves relatively stable with the stern in the direction of the wind, which is known as the wind vane effect. Since such yachts can also be steered in a very controlled manner in the aft exit, there are new possibilities for port maneuvers via the stern.