Many of us have experienced the end result of this week’s question up close and personal, a knock down, those who haven’t sooner or later will.  Understanding what happened and why along with the forces involved will go a long way towards preventing it from happening again.  So, the Question of the Week.

On a Sunday afternoon under clear skies and settled weather you are running downwind having lunch in the cockpit with your quests.  The boat is moving along nicely on a starboard tack at 6 knots in a 12k breeze.  As you are getting ready to wrap up lunch you make the decision to head up and start for home, as your bow comes around you begin to harden up the sheets when suddenly you are knocked flat!  The boat quickly rounds up, stands upright again with the sails and sheets flogging.  Bedlam reigns for a few minutes as you slowly regain control of the sails and get underway.

The question is what happened, where did all the wind suddenly come from out of a clear sky?

Answer on Monday or maybe Sunday evening.