Jcanracer wrote:
So, I have become a victim of my own hubris. It was my belief that I could sail my Revo11 without amas. For calm weather, that's actually true. For winds 15 knots and over, well... you be the judge:
You actually sailed quite well -- the only problem you had was not paying attention to the sail while you were changing direction. This would have happened with any of the kayaks.
When sailing, I always take my down wind foot off the Drive and plant it in one of the scallop grooves -- gives better leverage to lean upwind. The upwind foot is kept at the base of the pedals to keep the fins pointing straight down so they act as a daggerboard. This gives you less side slip and actually slows any changes in heeling, thus allowing a little more reaction time.
When sailing downwind I usually try to sail at least 20 degrees off straight downwind to discourage any shifting winds (especially lake winds) from giving the accidental gybe. When executing the gybe, I pull the sail in while gybing and let it out the other side. This keeps it from whipping across and flipping the boat. If it gets too windy you can always head upwind and tack to change direction. Yes, it's a little slower, but much more predictable!
The more experience you get, the easier it gets to stay upright. The Revo 11 is not an easy boat to sail in more lively winds -- I thought you did a great job. You don't need any amas!