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Traveler usage?
Hi Sasha,
There is nothing wrong with using your traveller to reduce weather helm. It is a quick way of reducing the angle of attack of the sail, (the angle between the apparent wind and the sail). This is one quick step step in the process of ''blading out''. It is a very good way to go since when you drop the traveller in building winds rather than ease the mainsheet, you are not ''powering up'' the sail (see explanation above). This should reduce both heeling and weather helm and may be all that you need to do in a gust.
On raceboats in gusty conditions, we are constantly playing the traveller with the changes in windspeed and to a great extent use the traveller to steer the boat in big winds and waves.
If you are sailing in heavier winds for a sustained period, tightening the halyards, backystay, and outhaul, combined with moving the jib lead a notch or two aft, will further reduce weather helm and heeling up to the point that you need to reef or change down to a smaller jib.
Jeff
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