I've only ever had loose-footed jibs on the Broads, but to be honest I usually tack without backing the jib anyway, not generally having a highly-trained crew.
IIRC (it's a long time ago) we used to back the jib only if the boat wouldn't tack as it saved having to push her off the bank! Beating up the mouth of the Thurne is quite good fun -- beating down from the Potter Heigham end is only feasible in my experience, with the tide in your favour... at about seven o'clock in the morning, to make sure you don't meet any motor-boats coming the other way! :-) It would be a lot easier if there wasn't all the bungaloid development to steal the wind - actually <on-topic> Potter is quite a good warning of what the canal system might have become if the leisure era had developed earlier, when there would have been no check on riparian ribbon development. </on-topic> -- Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie == Sean [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
