The guys with natural instincts still have a gazillion hours sailing and sailing fast.

This is why we race – you get to line up repeatedly with other boats. If you cannot “feel” it then you should at least see how you are comparing to similar boats. If you are not going as well then you have a 99% chance it is the tiller and/or the sheet.

Next to the A, the F16 is by far the most sensitive boat I have sailed. It provides pretty obvious feedback when it accelerates or decelerates. Trim and helm adjustments are likewise almost instantaneous. If you make the boat go faster, it is almost always the right move. Other than that I use noise a lot. A loud noise from the wake and you know you are not balanced. There is a definite rhythm to the boat going through the waves and the sound of the wind. Slow beat means slow boat. When I have helm issues or the helm feels heavy, I know I am not sheeted properly; I’m pinching or doing something else to make myself slow.

No magic pills. Just time and being aware.