Been a busy few months at Devon Sailing Experiences. Wewould like to share this new video with you of our light wind sailing from Salcombe back to Plymouth this August. The trip was one of our 2-day experiences with four onboard.
The yacht is under full main sail with a code zero (explanation below). This enables the yacht to sail in very light breezes. In this instance, the yacht had a true wind from the west of 6-7 knots and we were sailing at 5. This allows us to keep sailing when others turn their engines on. With light winds come flat seas, so it is possible to keep moving at a decent speed so long as the wind is on a close reach or close hauled (see below). The video shows the yacht on a close reach.
The Code Zero
The code 0 is an asymmetric sail developed for a tight reach in light wind sailing. It has the most upwind performance from this sail type. The luff is as straight as possible, and the sail is flatter than other spinnakers. Due to the flatness of the code 0, it is usually made with a wire luff for strength, and of a heavier, less stretchy fabric than normal for a spinnaker. Due to the tight luff and flat cut, the code 0 can be fitted for roller furling.
Racing code 0 asymmetrics can come in different sizes and cambers for varying angles and wind speeds. Manufacturers offer similar cruising code 0 designs under different names, such as the screecher and reacher for upwind and downwind respectively.
