First if you don't have telltales it is necessary to placethree along each side on the luff of your genoa (evenly spaced atabout 8 inches from the forestay) and at each batten pocket alongthe leach of the mainsail. If you have a spinnaker, telltales onthe shrouds and centre of your spinnaker pole will help you trimyour spinnaker while reaching or running.

After you have hoisted your genoa and mainsail (with justenough halyard tension to remove the luff wrinkles, which movesthe draft aft allowing you to point higher) sail to a closehauled course, watching the three windward telltales on yourgenoa. Slowly head into the wind if the top telltale starts tolift first there is too much twist in your sail.

Slide your genoa fairlead forward to bring in the top of yoursail. If the bottom telltale lifts first, move the fairlead aft.When all three telltales lift together you will have perfectairflow along the luff.

The next sail to trim is your mainsail, again sail to closehauled course with your genoa sheeted in so that it is justtouching the outside of your spreader. With just enough halyardtension to remove the luff wrinkles, adjust the outhaul so thatwhen looking up at the sail from the centre of the boom themaximum depth or draft is in the middle or slightly aft. The boomvang should be snug but do not over tighten. Adjust the travelerto keep the boom on the centre line of the boat. For maximumpointing and speed, trim the mainsheet in while watching thetelltales located along the leach. When the lower three arestreaming straight back and the top telltale is stalled, you havewhat I think is the best set-up for going to windward. You canexpect some backwinding from the genoa; this has little affect onyour up-wind progress.

When steering the boat to windward, you have to concentrate,really concentrate on those genoa luff telltales. Assuming thegenoa fairlead has been adjusted properly you have only to watchthe centre telltales. Steer a course so that the leeward telltaleis streaming straight back and the windward is breaking orfluttering. As the wind is constantly shifting you will have toreally concentrate on those telltales. You should never"just hold" the tiller extension. Continually test theleeward telltale by heading up slightly, when it starts to break,hesitate for a couple seconds before bearing off. As you continuedoing this you will find that you will gain position to windward,maintain good boat speed and give your crew a chance to tell youthat your pinching. I also find that sitting on the leeward side,although your weight may be in the wrong place, gives enoughadded visibility and comfort to allow you to really concentrateat the job of going fast up- wind. Sitting to leeward also allowsyou to watch for those starboard and port tack boats.