The remarkable course stability of the Pearson Ariel

[pbryant]

I had someone ask recently: "Does the Ariel have weather or lee helm?" My answer was: "Neither! If the sails are properly balanced, she'll sail a straight course on that point of sail forever without ever touching the helm. Properly configured and canvassed, she's a self steering boat." They didn't believe me.

I've sailed a lot of fin keeled boats, and one of my biggest complaints is their tendency to perform continual "S" turns while on a reaching course. In aviation, we call that nasty habit a Phugoid oscillation (http://www.centennialofflight.gov/es..._II/TH27G1.jpg). Airplanes do that dance in pitch, poorly behaved sailboats do it in yaw.

With proper sail trim, the Ariel is so rock solid on course that one can release the tiller and steer her over long distances for hours and hours with the main and jib sheets alone. I recently sailed from S.E. Farallon Island back to Pillar Point Harbor (Half Moon Bay, CA) the entire distance without ever once touching the tiller. And that was in 8 foot swells and 5 foot windwaves! I only had to adjust an inch here and and inch there on the sheets to bring her all the way back home, all the while with the tiller folded up and out of the way. That's how a sailboat should handle.

My friend doubted that degree of stability, so I shot two short videos to prove the Ariel's capability. (I intentionally chose a day with heavy chop in anticipation of the argument: "Yeah, but will the boat hold a heading when disturbed by wave action?")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXUUrLENQn4&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNo16sFBVag&feature=plcp

Just trim the sails, and watch her follow the wind! I've got an autopilot, but frankly, if I'm steering a point of sail, I don't really need it.

Am I overly exuberant, or is this a truly remarkable quality?