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When you're hit with a gust or puff of stronger wind, the apparent wind shifts aft, so you feather up to stay close hauled and take advantage of the apparent wind shift. This keeps the boat sailing as efficiently as possible, since, when you're sailing close-hauled, you can't trim in the sails to adjust for the wind shift.
T34C is also correct, that by falling off, from a close-hauled position, you'll be turning more perpendicular to the wind, effectively exposing more sail area, and increasing the heeling force. If you're really worried about heeling too much... ease the main sheet.
__________________
Sailingdog
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
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