define some terms please

[mr31]

we were on the downwind leg when i was hearing-
"were too deep", " hotter "

[Sailormon6]

It sounds like the person speaking thought the boat was being steered on a course that was too directly downwind, and he wanted the boat steered more to a broad reach, to increase its speed. "Hotter" would be a way of saying, "steer a faster course." A broad reach is generally a faster course of sail than dead downwind.

[mr31]

ok, thank you

[nolatom]

Downwind sailing/racing is always a balance between getting to the mark by running directly (which is slower) or indirectly by broad-reaching at greater speed (which is faster, or "hotter", but consumes more distance). Somewhere between the two there's the "perfect" balance...those who can figure out that balance are the sailors who do well on the leeward legs of a race.....

[6string]

When on your down wind leg, you want to power up your rig by slightly reaching up (going hotter) and then running off or steering down. Feathering up and down through out that leg of your race, you go slightly further but do it in less time because of the increased speed you maintain. Try this in a light weight boat and you will feel the effects more so than in a keel boat. I race scows, a very nimble boat, and you can feel and see a big difference when using this method vs just staying at a particular angle to the wind.

Sail Fast

Jeff

[Sabre66]

Same as "heating it up"