Past Lessons...
The points of sail (a boat's position to the wind) is a phrase that decribes the angle or heading (the direction your boat is traveling) your boat is on in relation to the wind.
Learning the points of sail is the key to controlling the winds power to move your boat on a chosen course. You can change your point of sail by moving your bow closer to the wind or away from it.
Last month we talked about port and starboard tacks. There you learned which tack you are on by which side of the boat the wind is coming from, but where off that side of the boat is the wind coming from?
No matter what
point of sail you're on you must set your sails differently for each point.
The first point of sail is called close hauled. This is when your
bow is as close to the wind as it can be before it starts to luff and enters
the no sail zone. The sails must be hauled in tight to keep them from luffing.
When the wind is blowing directly over the side of your boat, abeam or 90 degrees away from the bow, your point of sail is called a beam reach. Your sails will be let out about halfway.
The third basic point of sail is called running. This is when the wind is coming from behind or from astern. It can also be referred to as before the wind with the wind pushing from behind. When you're running before the wind, the sails are no longer acting as airfoils. In the months to come we will learn about airfoils and how the wind powers the sails. When running, all the power is coming from the wind pushing on the sail's surface. In this point of sail the boom and sails are all the way out, approximately 90 degrees to the side of the boat.
Now, go out and try these three points of sail, on both tacks. Practice them over and over. Check out other boats and see if you can describe what tack they're on. Say to yourself "that boat is on a beam reach starboard tack" or " close hauled on a port tack".
If you plan to go sailing by yourself make certain that you have permission from your parents and/or your sailing instructor. While your learning it is better to have a friend along who knows how to sail or have someone in another boat helping you. Once you get the basic understanding of how to sail, you will be able to sail by yourself.
Remember: Always wear your PFD (Personal Flotation Device).
Last month we talked about the three main points of sail which are close hauled, beam reach and running. There are two more points of sail which cover the angles between the three mentioned points of sail.
The fourth
point of sail lies between close hauled and beam reach. This is called
close reach. The boom and sails should be set about halfway between
being pulled in tight for close hauled and let out halfway for a beam reach.
The fifth point of sail is called broad reach and it lies between beam reach and running. The boom and sails should be eased out further than halfway for a beam reach, but not all the way as far as for running.
Look at the diagram to get a better idea of the points of sail. Repeat what you did last month and go out and try these new points of sail, on both tacks. Practice them until you are comfortable.
Always remember to check your rig over carefully, wear appropriate clothing, and go over the safety check list: tell someone where you're going, life jackets for everyone on board, paddle, bailer, sunscreen, wristwatch, tool bag, extra length of line, compass, whistle and an anchor if you're going far from shore.
Here's an important tip: When leaving the dock or mooring, always face forward on the windward side of the boat. The boom and mainsail will be on the opposite side of the boat from the wind. With your weight being on the windward side of the boat it will help to prevent the boat from heeling over, give you better control of the boat and you will be in a more useful position in the case of a knock down caused by a sudden guest of wind. When facing forward feel the wind on one cheek and steer the boat with your leeward hand (the one away from the wind) on the tiller.
Remember - Always wear your PFD (Personal Flotation Device).
Last month we talked about the three main points of sail, which are: close hauled, beam reach and running. There are two more points of sail which cover the angles between the three above-mentioned points of sail.
By now you should
have a good feeling of how the boat handles in all the points of sail,
but for those of you who couldn't practice due to the winter months let's
go back and learn some steering knowledge so that when you leave the dock
you can control your boat to follow a desired course.
If you haven't had the chance to sail during the lessons you will need to know how to steer your boat and adjust your sails using the sheet lines.
The tiller is a handle that connects to the rudder under the stern of the boat, which controls the direction of the boat. When you take on the responsibility of the helm (tiller) you are the skipper and a whole new world of challenging experiences and adventures will soon begin.
Steering. The tiller is not like a steering wheel of a car or bicycle - when driving those, when you turn the wheel right you go right. When using a tiller you push the tiller one way and the boat will go in the opposite direction. For example, if you want to steer to the left (port), you push the tiller to the right, to starboard. It takes a while to get use to a tiller, but with a little practice it will become natural and automatic.
When turning near an object or another boat you must give yourself enough room. Take notice of the stern when turning - you will see that it swings out a little in the same direction of the turn. This is because the boat is pivoting around the front edge of the keel or centerboard - not the rudder. So if you're close to a dock you might bump into it with your stern.
When you first leave a dock or mooring it will take awhile to gain forward motion. You need forward motion to be able to steer. Water must be flowing across the rudder for it to be able to change the boat's course. While the boat is gaining momentum, keep the rudder straight until you are moving more forward than sideways, then begin to steer.
As you are steering the boat on a steady course, you need only make small motions of the tiller back and forth to keep it on course. Wind, waves and current combined will keep shifting your boat off course. By moving the tiller slightly, you will be able to overcome the shifting. The only time you will need to move the tiller hard to one side or the other is when jibing or tacking. We will learn about this in future lessons.
My sailing dictionary defines trim as when you adjust the sails to the point of sailing by hardening or easing the sheet so that it produces maximum driving force.
Here is a handy rule for any point of sail for both the mainsail and jib. Let the sail out until it begins to ripple (luff) along the front edge of the sail. Once you have reached the luff point, pull the sheet in just enough for the luffing to stop. Then the sail is at its maximum driving force.
Knowing how to trim your sails properly will give you the ability to get the most out of the wind. In sailboat racing It is the distinction between winning or loosing. In cruising it can cut many hours off a long distance destination.
Here are some handy hints and rules to help you trim your sails.
For both the mainsail and jib let the sail out until the front edge of the sail starts to ripple. At this point the sail is called luffing. Once you have reached this point, pull in the sheet line just enough for the luffing to stop. This is when the sail is properly set, and is getting the most power out of the wind.
If your not sure your sail is set properly, use this saying "when in doubt let it out", then pull it in just enough to stop the luffing. Always keep looking at your sails and say to your self "is my sails out all the way to the luff point."
Always set your jib first then the mainsail.
When the jib
and mainsail are set correctly, the two sails will lay parallel to each
other, see diagram for example of parallel lay shape.
If you pull the sail in to far the boat will slow down, this is called stalling. This is when a sail has lost its wind and no longer acts as an airfoil giving you forward drive. We will discuss airfoil and how it powers the sail in future topics.
Luffing will only happen at the front edge of a sail. If you notice rippling on other parts of the sail, it is usually caused by the reaction of the boat on the water that moves other parts of the sails. For trimming you will only be concerned with the forward edge of the sail.
In February and March we learned all the points of sail, close hauled,
close reach, beam reach, broad reach and running.
Here is a summary of the points of sail and how to trim them. When the boat is sailing close hauled, it will be close to the wind as possible. the sail will be pulled in tight to stay just inside the luff point. The sails will be close to the centerline of the boat.
As you move your bow farther away from the wind, or fall off, toward a close reach, ease your sail to the luff point. Every time you change your course you will need to ease and trim the sails. As you continue to fall off from a beam reach, to a broad reach, to a run, you will need to ease out the mainsail and jib as far as it can go before luffing.
So, as the boat falls off or turns away from the wind through all the points of sail, you will need to ease your sails bit by bit until you see a hint of luffing, then trim in a little bit to set them perfectly.
Here's a reminder, if you plan to go sailing by yourself make certain that you have permission from your parents and/or your sailing instructor. While your learning it is better to have a friend along who knows how to sail or have someone in another boat helping you. Once you get the basic understanding of how to sail, you will be able to sail by yourself. Don't forget to use the safety check list that we learned a few months back, every time you go boating.
