5

We Will Learn Many New Terms in this Session

• Bow, stern, port, starboard, aft, fore

• Mast, boom, main, jib, centerboard, rudder, tiller

• Tack*, head, clew

• Luff*, leech, foot

• Halyard, sheet

• Upwind, downwind, reaching

• Tacking*

*Many sailing terms have multiple meanings. In this session, we learn two

meanings for the term tack, and two meanings for the term luff

6

A Boat Has Four Sides and Two Relative Directions

Port Starboard

Bow

Stern

Fore

Aft

(Top View)Port and starboard denote the sides of the boat withthe bow forward. If looking at a boat coming towards you, the side that appears on your right is the other boat's port side.

7

The Capri 14.2 You’ll Be Sailing Has Two Sails, Mast,

Boom, Centerboard, Rudder and Tiller

Main

Jib

Centerboard

Rudder

Tiller

Mast (vertical spar)

Boom (horizontal spar)

ForeAft

We dont have Jib sails on our boats but it is a good thing to know about as we may get some in the future. Likewise goes for centerboards.

8

Sails Have Three Edges and Three Corners

*Similarly for the main sail

Jib*

Clew

Tack

Head

Leech Luff

Foot

ForeAft

The same goes for a main sail

9

Halyards are Lines that Raise and Lower Sails,

Sheets are Lines that Trim Sails In and Out

ForeAft

Halyard

(attaches to top of mast)

Port and Starboard Sheets

(controlled by crew)Jib*

Clew

Head

Leech Luff

Foot

*Similarly for the main sail

Tack

We just have a single main "sheet" (rope) on the main sail, used for pulling the sail in (tightening up) or letting it out (easing the sheet). We do have a halyard for the main sail.

10

The Skipper Sits Aft, Crew Sits Fore, and Both Sit

Opposite the Boom and Face ForwardBow

Stern

Fore

Aft

Wind

Skipper

Crew

We want to sit as far to the stern as possible as this raises the bow up and prevents diving down and into/through the waves as much.

With 1 or 2 sailors- sit as pictured. with 3 or 4 sailors- place 2 on the side facing the sail and the 1 or 2 others on the opposite side to balance out the weight.

11

The Skipper Steers With the Tiller and Trims the Main

Sheet, Crew Trims the Jib Sheet and Watches for TrafficBow

Stern

Fore

Aft

Wind

Tiller

Main Sheet

Jib Sheet

On our boats, the tiller controls both rudders (the blades that go into the water and steer the boat)

If you push the tiller one direction, the boat will turn the opposite. Therefore, if you want to turn to the left (or to port), you will pull the tiller towards yourself.

12

There are Many Cues for the Direction and

Strength of the Wind

UCLA

MAC

Wind

Trees

Flags

Sails

Ripples

and

dark

patches

Birds

Traditionally, the wind in Dominica comes out of the North, or from the right when facing the water at Coconuts. However, it is very shifty and can change back and forth at a split second and you must be ready for these rapid wind direction changes.

13

We Can’t Sail Closer Than About 45° to the

Wind

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

14

We Will Learn To Sail Upwind, Sail a Reach, and Sail

Downwind*

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Upwind

Reaching

Dow

nwind

*We Will Avoid

Sailing Directly

Downwind Until

Later in the Course

15

We Use Sheets to Trim the Sails All the Way In When

Sailing Upwind

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Upwind

We Pull the

Sheets Tight to

Trim the Sails In

Remember- Sheet is the sailing term for the rope that controls the sail's movement towards and away the midline of the boat.

16

We Use Sheets to Ease the Sails Mid-Way Out When

Reaching

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Reaching

We Ease the

Sheets to Let the

Sails Mid-way

Out

17

We Use Sheets to Ease the Sails All the Way Out When We

Sail Downwind

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

We Ease the

Sheets to Let the

Sails All the Way

Out

Dow

nwind

18

We Don’t Have Brakes So We Use Safety Position to Stop

the Boat

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Upwind

Safety Position

Step 1: Point

Upwind

Step 2: Luff

(Ease) the Sails

Turning directly into the wind will also stop the sailboat, but this is prefered.

20

When Rigging We Will Use a Cleat Hitch to

Secure Halyards After Raising the Sails

1. Wrap the rope around the cleat one time. 2. Make an 8 over the cleet 3. Right before finishing the 8, twist the rope under itself so the the underside of the rope will line up in the same direction as the previously made 8, place over the clear and pull tight. It is seen that the 2 lines line up as in the 4th picture and go under a single line that holds them down together. wrap up the extra line (rope) and tuck it away neatly.

This is a cleatA general term for a rope on a boat is a "line". (it becomes a sheet when controling a sail, and a halyard when it is used to raise a sail)

21

We Will Use a Figure 8 as a Stopper Knot to

Prevent Jib Sheets from Running FreeWe also tie the end of the main sheet like this

26

We Will Change Direction By Tacking

Wind

Skipper: straightens tiller,

trims main sheet

Crew: trims port jib sheet

4

Power

Channel

Power

Channel

Skipper: “Ready

about?”

Crew: “Ready”

Skipper: “Helms

alee,” pushes tiller

away, boat turns

towards wind

Skipper: eases main, moves

to starboard side as sails luff,

changes hands for sheet and

tiller

Crew: releases starboard jib

sheet as jib luffs, moves to

starboard side

1

2

3

Tacking is also called "coming about", and denotes turning when you turn by moving the front of the boat (bow) through the wind direction and finish the manouver on the other side. Other commands often used are: 1. Skipper: "Prepare to come about". allowing the crew to get in position. 2. Then the skipper asks "Ready to come about?" 3. The crew then responds: "ready". 4. The Skipper then calls "coming about" and pushes the tiller as in the example.

27

We Will Sail A Figure-8 Course To Practice Tacking

Wind

28

Avoid Collisions By Remembering “Tiller

Towards Trouble”

Wind

Boat A avoids collision by

pushing tiller towards

kayak and tacking away

Remember push/pull the tiller direction opposite to the way you want to get. This will become second nature to you in time.

29

When Docking, Point Directly At Dock, Ease Sails All

The Way Out When a Few Boat Lengths Away

WindUCLA

MAC

We dont have a dock as of now, but the beach is to be seen as a dock, and a similar manouver performed. remember the direction of the wind in relation to how you will turn the boat against the land.

30

Push Tiller To Turn Towards Wind When ! Boat

Length From Dock

WindUCLA

MAC

31

Let The Boat Glide To A Halt Along Side The Dock*

WindUCLA

MAC

*Tip: pull the tiller towards you once head-to-wind to pull

boat closer to the dock.

33

We Coil Lines And Stow Them Neatly

1. make nice coils without twists. leave some line at the end ( a few feet) 2. wrap the remaining line around the coiled bunch a few times. 3. make a small loop and pass it though the top circle of rope formed by the wraps 4. flip it down over the top circle as shown. 5. You should have a nice coiled line that will stay untangled and in good condition.

2

We Will Learn Many New Terms in this Session

• Windward*, leeward*

• Head up, fall off

• Heel in, hike out

• Close hauled, close reach, beam reach, broad reach, run

• Gybe

*Many sailing terms have multiple meanings. In this session, we learn two

meanings for the term windward, and two meanings for the word leeward

3

We Sometimes Refer to the Windward And Leeward Sides

of a Boat

Wind

Windward

(side

opposite the

boom)

Leeward

(same side as

boom)

4

We Sometimes Refer to the Windward Boat And Leeward

Boat

Wind

Leeward Boat Windward Boatfirst boat hit in the path of wind

second boat to be hit by the wind...blocked by the windward boat

5

The Boom Always Points Toward The Leeward Boat

Windward BoatLeeward Boat

Win

d

6

Heading Up is Turning Towards the Wind, Falling Off is

Turning Away from the Wind

Wind

Heading Up Falling Off

Towards the wind direction. Also termed "pointing up"

Away from the direction of the wind

7

A Gybe is a Change in Direction by Turning Away from

the Wind (A Tack is Toward the Wind)Wind

Skipper: quickly eases

main sheet

Crew: trims port jib sheet

Skipper: crosses over

just as boom nears

center, changes tiller and

sheet hands

Crew: crosses over and

releases starboard jib

sheet

Skipper: “Gybe ho!” Centers

main to control boom, pulls

tiller to fall off

Crew: prepares to release jib

and to change sides as boom

crosses over

Skipper: “Ready to gybe?”

Crew: “Ready”

4

3

2

1

Power

Channel

Power

ChannelJust as in tacking/coming about, it is often customary to have the Skipper to state: "prepare to gybe" before asking "ready to gybe," allowing the crew to get ready and prepaired.

The wind direction changes across the stern of the boat. The boat will chage tacks (to be discussed later but mean changing from port tack to starboard tack, and vice versa)

8

A Gybe Results in a Large Change in Angle

of Sails for a Small Change in Heading

Wind

Gybe Tack

Change in Angle of Sails 180°

<1°

15°

Required Change in

Heading

90°

Gybe TackA Gybe is a lot harder on a boat as the sail will swing very fast from one side to the other. It is usually done when sailing withthe wind behind you "running/surfing". When gybing, it is often recomended that the main sheet be pulled is as the gybe is being performed to restrict the sail's range of swinging, therefore protecting the crew from a fast moving sail across the entire boat as well as maintaining the boat's condition.

A tack/coming about is often slow but effective unless very high winds, as one must turn through the wind and go into the no sail zone known as irons before coming out on the otherside and regaining control of the wind. it is better for the boat and less rushed, therefore prefered under all directions or "points of sail" unless going away from the wind known as "running/surfing".

9

Try Pushing the Boom Out and Pumping the

Tiller When Stuck “In Irons” (in No Sail Zone)

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

10

Hauling as Close to the Wind as Possible is Called Sailing A

Close Hauled Point of Sail

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Clo

se H

auled

Trim Sails in All

the way

Point of sail= direction of travel in realtion to the wind

11

Reaching Close to the Wind is Called Sailing A Close

Reach Point of Sail

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Close Reach

Clo

se H

auled

Sails Slightly

Eased

12

Reaching with the Wind on the Beam is Called Sailing A

Beam Reach Point of Sail

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Beam Reach

Close Reach

Clo

se H

auled

Sails Eased !

Way Out

13

Sailing a Broad Angle to the Wind is Called Sailing

a Broad Reach Point of Sail

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Beam Reach

Broad Reach

Close Reach

Close

Hauled

Sails Eased "

Way Out

14

Running Away From the Wind is Called a Run

Wind

No Sail Zone

45°

Sails Eased All

the Way Out and

on Opposite Sides

(Wing and Wing)

Beam Reach

Ru

n

Broad Reach

Close Reach

Close

Hauled

15

Wind

Push Tiller to

Head Up

Sit Further

(Hike) Out

Ease the

Sheets

In a Gust We Can Ease the Sheets, Hike Out, And Head

Up to Avoid a Capsize

16

We Will Use a Four-Step Process to Right a

Turtled Boat

Step 2: skipper

climbs center-board;

crew releases sheets

Step 1: skipper and

crew hold center-

board and lean back

to bring boat into

capsize position

Step 4: Crew is pulled

aboard boat by hiking

strap, then helps

skipper aboard over

stern

Step 3: skipper

leans back to right

boat; crew holds

hiking strap

Our boats dont have centerboards, but do have 2 pontoons (the white floats on each side). First, turn the boat to point into the wind and release the main sheet from the cleat (locking mechanism for the main sheet). Stand on the pontoon floating on the water and pull the "pull line" (tied at the front of the trampoline) over the top. Hold it and lean back to turn the boat upright again. Climb aboard and maintain control of the boat.

Never leave the boat if you capsize. In case of need for rescue, it is much easier to find you if you are with a large visable object (the boat)

***NEVER LAND ON THE SAIL NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN A CAPSIZING!!!***

Our boats shouldn't turtle (totally flip) with the white float atop the masts

17

We Will Sail A Loop and Alternate Tacking and

Gybing

Wind

Tack

Gybe

2

We Will Learn Many New Terms in this Session

• Starboard tack, port tack*

• Stand-on vessel, give-way vessel

• Battens, outhaul, cunningham, boom vang

• True wind, wind of motion, apparent wind

• Tell tales

*Many sailing terms have multiple meanings. In this session, we learn a third

meaning for the term tack.

3

A Boat is on Starboard Tack if the Boom is on the

Port Side, Otherwise it is on Port Tack

Wind

Starboard TackPort Tack

Wind hits the port side of the sail

Wind hits the starboard side of the sail

4

Rules of the Road Aid in Preventing

Collisions Between Two Vessels

• Rules categorize vessel responsibilities

– Stand-on vessel: responsibility is to maintain course

and speed. Typically this is the less maneuverable

vessel

– Give-way vessel: responsibility is to maneuver to

avoid collision with stand-on vessel. Typically this is

the more maneuverable vessel

• Both vessels have a responsibility to avoid

collisions

5

A Sailboat is Usually the Stand-on Vessel

When a Power and Sail Boat Meet

Exceptions:

• Large vessels in narrow channels (law of gross

tonnage)

• Towing vessels

• Vessel not under command

6

Remember OTW When Two Sailboats Meet

(On The Water)

OIs one boat

Overtaking

the other?

TAre boats on

opposite Tacks?

No

Yes

Give-way: port tack

Stand-on: starboard tack

No

Yes

Give-way: overtaking

Stand-on: overtaken

WGive-way: Windward

Stand-on: leeward

7

Can You Apply OTW To Determine the Stand-on

and Give-way Vessel for Each Example? Wind

Give-way Stand-on

Stand-on Give-way

6 knots

4 knots

Give-way

Stand-on

Stand-onGive-way

Example 1 Example 2

Example 3 Example 4

8

Sailboats Should Almost Always Give-way

To People Powered Boats

People powered boats include

– Kayaks

– Sculls

– Rowboats

Exception: overtaking boats should always give-

way to overtaken boats

9

The Main Sail Has Battens to Hold Shape in the

Leech

Battens

Leech

Foot

Luff

ForeAft

on our boats, the boom is also a batten. Be careful with them as they are thin fiberglass and can be easily broken if mishandled.

10

The Cunningham (or downhaul) Tensions the Luff

Leech

Foot

Luff

Cunningham

ForeAft

11

The Outhaul Tensions the Foot

Leech

Foot

Outhaul

Luff

ForeAft

(our boats don't have outhauls)

12

The Mainsheet and Boom Vang Tension the Leech

Leech

Main Sheet

Boom Vang

ForeAft

All of the pulleys on a boat are known as "blocks". the last one that the main sheet passes through at the stern of our boats has a "cam-cleat" which is a set of 2 gripping spring loaded wheels which clanp down and hold the sheet from being let out. to let the sail out, just pull downward, which will manouver the sheet out of the cam-cleet and be free to let out "easing the sheet". (one can pull in the sail while it is still engaged in the cam-cleat)

(we don't have boom vangs on our boats)

13

Rule of Thumb: the Heavier the Wind, the

Tighter the Rig

• In heavy wind, let the larger crew member

tighten the rigging:

– Halyards

– Cunningham (downhaul)

– Outhaul

• This de-powers the sails by flattening their

shape, allowing more wind to spill out

14

The Apparent Wind is the Sum of the True Wind

and Wind of Motion

Apparent wind:

0 + 12 = 12 knots

Apparent wind:

10 + 12 = 22 knots

True wind:

12 knots

Speed of Motion:

10 knots

Speed of Motion:

0 knots

15

Sailboats Are Propelled by Apparent Wind

Motion

True

Apparent

16

Strings Called Tell Tales On Each Side of Sail

Aid in Sail Trim For Upwind Points of Sail

Jib

Leech

Luff

Foot

Outside tell tale (dashed

line indicates tell tale is

on opposite side of sail)

Inside tell tale

ForeAft

17

Both Tell Tales Will Stream Straight Back

When Sails Are Properly Trimmed*

Jib

Leech

Luff

Foot*It’s okay if inside luffs

up on occasion

ForeAft

This goes for our main sail as well

18

For Close-Hauled Sailing, Fall Off if Inside

Luffs or Head Up if Outside Luffs

ForeAft

Jib

Leech

Luff

Foot

Jib

Leech

Foot

Head up since

outside tell

tale is luffing

Fall off since

inside tell tale

is luffing

ForeAft

This goes for our main sail as well

19

For Other Upwind Points of Sail, Sheet in

Direction of Luffing Tell Tale

ForeAft

Jib

Leech

Luff

Foot

Jib

Leech

Foot

Sheet-out

since outside

tell tale is

luffing

Sheet-in since

inside tell tale

is luffing

ForeAft

This goes for our main sail as well

20

Remember “When in Doubt, Let it Out” To Trim

When Sailing Off the Wind

Wind

Ease jib until it

begins to luff

(Let It Out)

1

2 Sheet-in jib until

it just stops

luffing

Trim main until

parallel to jib3

This goes for our main sail as well

21

We Can Use the Tiller, Sails and Body

Weight to Steer the Boat

Tiller Sails Body

Weight

Head Up Push Ease jib, sheet

in main

Heel in

Fall Off Pull Sheet in jib,

ease main

Hike out

22

We Will Use The Figure-8 Method For Person-

Overboard Recovery

Wind

Yell “person-

overboard,”

fall off onto a

beam reach

1 Keep your eye

on victim, sail

5-7 boat

lengths away

2

Tack and

immediately

fall-off to get

down wind of

victim

3

Watch victim and

carefully plan to

approach on

close reach,

pointing directly

at victim

4Luff the sails

to stop the

boat with

victim to

leeward, help

aboard over

stern

5