I'm Re-Reading John Vigor's Book

I've been re-reading John Vigor's great little book titled "Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing".  This book is less than 190 pages long - BUT is full of interesting advise and tidbits of knowledge.  Here are a couple examples - - - 

LIES - People always lie about how fast their boats are
Always take sailors' estimates of their boats' speed with a dose of salt.  They lie.  Mostly not deliberately, although you probably know a couple who do.  The trouble is that boat speed is very difficult to measure exactly.
Knotmeters are only as good as their calibration - often pure guesswork.  GPS is notoriously unreliable for speeds and doesn't account for current.
For accuracy time your progress over a know distance.  For example, to determine your maximum speed under power, find a measured nautical mile.  Many are marked on large-scale charts, but you can also use landmarks to measure your own.
- on a calm day, time the boat in seconds between the marks
- divide the number of seconds into 3,600.  The answer is your speed in knots.
- reverse your course and time the run between the marks again and find your speed.
- average the two speeds (NOT the two times).  The result is your true speed through the water.
- steam at top speed as before, and calibrate your knotmeter.
- repeat the speed trial in both directions to check the accuracy of your knotmeter and the distance log.
TIP: The measured course must be in water of about 30 feet or deeper.  Shallow water causes a drag and slows your boat.

RAIN - Sailing in the rain is miserable
Years ago I raced deepsea with a skipper who loved rain.  He used to roar at it and laugh loudly with his face upturned to the heavens.  He would punch rain drops with clenched fists, and wriggle with delight as icy streams trickled down his back.  I thought then that he was abnormal, and still do.  Normal people like me think it's miserable to sail in the rain, especially cold rain.
But now and then most of us have to sail in the rain because the great majority of sailboats have open cockpits at the aft end of the boat.  From there you can see the sails and feel the strength and direction of the wind, but you don't get much protection from the weather.
To make the best of a bad thing, you need good foulweather gear.  Most of today's waterproof jackets come with attached hoods but many people don't like hoods because they tend to stand still while you turn your head, thus restricting your line of sight to dead ahead.
The best rain headgear in my opinion is the tried and tested fisherman's sou'wester, with a thin woolen watch cap underneath.
TIP: If you wear glasses and need a peak to keep off rain, wear a baseball cap under your hood.

REEFING - It's O.K. to reef early
One of the greatest thrills in sailing is the feeling of being fully in control of a boat in heavy weather.  It's wonderfully satisfying and very reassuring when a boat fighting heavy winds and seas will respond quickly and surely to the lightest touch on the helm.
To reach this much-desired state of balance, you must reduce sail area by reefing and/or changing large sails for smaller ones.  It's not smart to struggle on with the boat lying over on her ear and the tiller up under your chin.  In fact, it's downright dangerous.
Reef as soon as the thought  occurs to you.  The later you leave it, the more difficult it is to tame the flapping canvas and haul the mainsail clew out to make an efficient flat shape.  You'll often hear that reefing will make you go faster but that's not necessarily true.  You'll notice that round-the-buoys racers rarely reef, no matter what the weather.
Ocean racers reef, though, because crew fatigue and efficiency is more of a concern over long periods than a slight loss in speed and having the boat under tight control is a great moral builder.
TIP: On most boats, if you're short-handed it's much easier to reef the mainsail if you first heave to, preferably on the starboard tack... the main halyard is usually rigged to starboard (hence to the windward side of the boat on starboard tack).


So, there are three examples cited in John Vigor's book.  If you get a chance to buy a copy, I'd say do so.  There are many more prudent and practical words of advice.  Enjoy!!!