How Are You Feeling?

Feel is not something that can be measured, calibrated or tracked on a spreadsheet. So, what is it anyway? Let’s explore one of sailing’s great mysteries.

MIKE INGHAM

In sailing, we talk a lot about “feel.” But what is that anyway? Is it something natural, a sixth sense we are born with? Or is it more about nurture, something we can define and learn? Lately, it’s been one of my favorite regatta-dinner discussions. I’m learning that most of us use the term too generically to describe what we can’t define. We apply it to others: “Sue was so fast today in the waves; she has such a good feel for it.” We describe our own experiences, like, “The boat felt sluggish today; we did not do very well.” But both uses are cop-outs. Can’t we be more specific about why Sue is so fast in waves? What exactly makes the boat sluggish, and what can we do about…

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Sailing World (Digital) - 1 Issue, Fall 2022

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