Started Sailing

Luffing Up

by Ron Pemberton
(Woking, Surrey)

What is to "Luff up"?

Hi Ron,

Thank you for your very long question! Finally something I can answer instead of Han making me look stupid (haha Han)!

Luffing up is what you do when you push the tiller away from you and go up into the wind. It is called thios becuase the 'luff' of the genoa and the mainsail begin to flap if you go to far into wind.

See my article on Points of Sail for more information.

I am sure Han will chip in and give you a whole lot of extra information about ancient ships and I look forward to hearing about it!

Best regards,
Alex

PS: If you don't know who Han is check out his questions/answers/stories in Ask The Expert and Sailing Stories.

Comments for Luffing Up

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Jun 11, 2009

Chipping in, as expected...
by: Han

But only shortly on the subject you expected. The ancient square-rigged ships could luff, of course, but not very far and they lost most of their speed. So, instead they went the other way around and gybed; for these ships the most efficient way to tack.
Now for the joke you make about me making you look stupid. I'm sure you're pulling my leg there, but even in jokes there is, most of the time, a serious undercurrent. Let me assure you, Alex, that I'll never do that. If ever I had been condescending in my teaching and instructing
days, my pupils would have beheaded me and rightly so.
You're right, I sometimes chip in when I think you're a bit too fast with answers; you want so much to please your questioner that you seem not to take your time. There are always more answers to one question, my friend, and that is why I sometimes elaborate on your answers. Because the interest of your questioners is my main goal too!
Be sure that I admire your pluck and enthousiasm
in setting up [and] continuing this site. The only thing I'm worried about is: what happens when Alex seriously falls in love? Will he abandon this beautiful project? I seriously hope not!
In admiration, your salty dog,
Han.

Jun 11, 2009

Han, I was joking!!!
by: Alex

Han I was joking! Don't get all teary on me! Thank you for your history lesson, which is very valuable to me and to everyone else who reads them.

Thanks again.

Alex

Sep 14, 2015

True information is shared
by: Dorothy

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