Sailing Student Resources

Transcription

1 ADVENTURES Cal Adventures Main Office: Daily Conditions Recording: Sailing Student Resources Welcome to the Sailing program at Cal Adventures! Everybody seems to have a different reason for taking sailing classes: some wish to buy a boat; others want to feel more comfortable sailing with people who already own boats; some have seen people sailing on the Bay and want to discover what they have been missing; and a few are simply looking to polish their rusty skills. Whatever your reason, we are pleased you chose Cal Adventures. In Basic Sailing we begin with the fundamentals. We assume that every student knows absolutely nothing about sailing. However, we move at a fairly fast pace. You learn everything from launching and rigging to capsizing and safe docking. We also include basic seamanship skills like knot tying and boat care. Additionally, Basic Sailing introduces you to the language of sailing. Most of the terms your instructors will use are defined in this text. Since these terms and skills are new to most students, do not hesitate to ask any questions at any time. Also, if at any time you require more attention, please let us know. We will do our best to ensure that your experiences in this class are as enjoyable as possible. Intermediate Sailing picks up where the Basic leaves off. Its goal is to help sailing students achieve the level of skill and self-confidence necessary to sail independently with guests in the demanding conditions of San Francisco Bay. The emphasis is on safety, adapting the skills learned in the basic class to the stronger afternoon winds and developing sailing judgment and a greater awareness of one s surroundings while on the water. You can hold on to this hand out and refer to it from time to time. It will be helpful if you decide to continue sailing with Cal Adventures. You may even find yourself digging this text out of your closet some day to review your knowledge of sailing terms. Good luck with the class and happy sailing! Your Sailing Staff 1

2 Proper Boat Care Proper respect for your boat is a basic principle of sailing. By developing and practicing good habits with our fleet of Coronado 15s (C-15s), you will lay a good foundation for that time when you may own your own boat. Here is a review of the sequence of events for launching, getting underway, and putting the boat away. A. Picking a boat Although our boats are well taken care of, it is always a good idea to inspect your boat before launching. (The sailor before you may have neglected to mention a broken part to the Rec Sup or may have forgotten to put the boat away properly.) The following items should be checked before heading out: The boat should have a plug that fits in the drainage hole on the center of the stern. The plug should be tied to a metal shackle or ring on the inside of the boat with a thin line and should have a small rubber gasket (usually red) to help make a watertight seal. Make sure your boat has a rudder with a tiller and a tiller extension. The rudder should also have a length of thin line tied to it. This line is used to help prevent the rudder from falling out of the boat in the event of a capsize. Check to make sure your boat has two halyards. The main halyard should through a block (pulley) at the top of the mast. The jib halyard should go through a block just below the point where the forestay meets the mast. Both ends of each halyard should be within the reach of a person standing on the boat. There should be four hiking straps inside the cockpit two for the crew between the mainsheet and the mast and two for the skipper between the mainsheet and the transom. It is generally a good idea to check for signs of excessive wear as well. Examples of this might include: fraying of the shrouds or forestay where they attach to the deck, torn or frayed hiking straps, splintered fiberglass (particularly on the bow and around the edges of the deck), loose or missing cleats, and excessively frayed lines (particularly on the end of the mainsheet or halyards). If you notice any issues with these items, please notify the Rec Sup as soon as possible and look for another boat. B. Launching 1. Check out with a Rec Sup before picking a boat to launch. 2. Grab your PFD these are required at all times on the dock or water. 3. Put in the plug. 4. Remove and fold sail cover. Put cover in the bucket near the sail locker. 5. Pick up a lifting sling and jib and place them inside the cockpit of the boat. 2

3 C. Rigging 6. Attach lifting sling, making sure to use the rings at the bottom of the shrouds and not the jib fairleads. 7. Make sure that the hoist is properly aligned and attach the hook to the lifting sling. 8. Check the plug again! 9. Untie the boat from the trailer. 10. Hoist the boat into the air and use the bow line to control spinning so the mast and shrouds are not banging against the hoist. 11. Have your crew member on the dock to grab the bowline and tie the boat to the dock. 12. Enter the boat carefully, by walking on center of foredeck, and disconnect the lifting sling. 13. Return the sling and trailer to the yard. 1. Make sure the boat is on the leeward side of the dock and facing into the wind. 2. Stabilize the boat by lowering the center board and installing the rudder. Don t forget to secure the rudder to the boat using the safety line as well. 3. Slacken the mainsheet and boom vang and unroll the mainsail. 4. Tie the aft end of the halyard to the head of the mainsail using a bowline. 5. Hoist the mainsail until it reaches the very top of the mast, and secure the halyard to the cleat on the mast. 6. Unroll the jib onto the fore deck and attach the tack, hanks, and jib sheets in that order. 7. Attach the jib halyard to the head of the jib and hoist the sail making sure to get proper tension by using a trucker s hitch to gain extra purchase. 8. Tighten the boom vang. D. Putting Boats Away 1. Lower jib and then mainsail. Make sure both halyards are secure. 2. Tightly roll the mainsail and secure it to the boom using the mainsheet. 3. Attach lifting sling and have one person control the hoist while the other holds the bow line to prevent the mast and shrouds from swinging into the hoist. 4. Pull the plug. Hose the boat off thoroughly and return to proper yard space. 5. Put sail cover on the mainsail. 6. Flake jib and return it to the sailing shelves. 7. Check back in with a Rec Sup. If you noticed any broken or failed parts on your boat, please let us know so we can get them fixed quickly as possible. 3

4 Key Concepts A. Sailing Attitude and Etiquette This topic is of great importance to us so that our students are instilled with a courteous attitude around boats and other sailors. The following are a few suggestions: Help out others with rigging or whatever. You will surely be helping yourself with the extra practice. Make sure that all equipment is properly stowed before going home. On the water, know your rights, but do not push them on others. In other words try to avoid situations that could result in a collision. Never butt in line to pull your boat out of the water before someone else. Give assistance to any one on the water in distress when conditions permit doing so safely. B. Basic Terms of Sailing bow - the front of the boat. bow line - (also: painter) a line attached to the bow of the boat; commonly used to tow a boat or secure it to the dock. bowline - a knot used to form a fixed loop at the end of a line; commonly used to tie halyards to sails and to secure the rudder safety line to the transom. cleat - a device used to secure the end of a line; commonly found on the mast for securing halyards and on the dock for tying up boats. course - the direction the boat is being steered. falling off - (also: bearing off, bearing away) altering course away from the wind by pushing the tiller away from mainsail. jibing - (also: gybing) turning the stern of the boat through the eye of the wind so that the sails swing from one side of the boat to the other; this is initiated by falling off. halyard - a line used to raise and lower a sail. heading up - (also: hardening up, coming up) altering course towards the wind by pushing the tiller towards the mainsail. heeling - the mast and boat lean toward (to windward) or away from (to leeward) the wind direction. irons - a condition in which the boat is pointing into the wind so that the sails cannot fill and the boat stalls for lack of propulsion. JIFL - a way to trim the sails; acronym for just in from luffing. leeward - describes the side of an object further away from the wind. line - a rope. luffing - when the sail starts to flutter like a flag in the wind. 4

5 PDF - Personal Floatation Device; a device designed to assist the wearer in staying afloat while in the water. point of sail - the position of the boat relative to the direction of the wind. port - the left side of the boat as viewed by an observer on board facing the bow. port tack - the course one sails when the mainsail is on the starboard side of the boat, wind on starboard side. reefing - reducing sail area for more control in heavy winds. sheet - a line used to trim (pull in) and ease (let out) a sail. sling - a device used to lower or raise a boat into and out of the water with the crane; it consists of three lines with hooks on their ends attached to a strong metal ring in the center with a float. starboard - the right side of the boat as viewed by an observer on board facing the bow. starboard tack - the course one sails when the mainsail is on the port side of the boat, wind on port side. stern - the back of the boat. tacking - turning the bow of the boat through the eye of the wind so that the sails swing from one side of the boat to the other; this is initiated by heading up. windward - describes the side of an object closer to the wind. C. Wind Beginning sailors often find that their greatest challenge lies in becoming familiar with the wind. You may never before have had any need to notice the wind, unless it was messing up your hair or blowing freshly raked leaves around your yard. But it is essential for the sailboat skipper to be aware of the wind s direction and velocity. Sailors become adept at feeling the breeze on their face or body and taking note of other visual indicators of wind direction. Try this. Choose an open place on the dock, close your eyes, and locate the wind. See if you can feel the changes in its velocity and direction. Watch to windward for the dark patches on the water where fresh puffs of wind stir up small ripples. Look for other true wind indicators such as flags, smoke, cloud movement, windsocks, or waves. Look at boats tied to the dock by their bow painters, as they will tend to point into the wind. Soon you will learn to tell the wind direction by manipulating the sails on your boat. With practice, you will develop a constant awareness of the wind. We describe wind direction by stating where the wind is coming from. A westerly comes from the west and an easterly comes from the east. Similarly, if we say the wind is astern, we mean that it is striking the stern of the boat first. Sailors generally measure wind velocity in knots, or nautical miles per hour. One knot is roughly equal 1.1 miles per hour. On summer mornings the South Sailing Basin tends to have light winds of around 5 knots. By the afternoon, the heating of the Central Valley 5

6 draws in cold air from the ocean, producing fifteen to twenty-five knot winds, a fairly stiff breeze. The wind is typically much lighter in the winter, except during storms. The Beaufort Wind Force Scale (commonly referred to as the Beaufort Scale) provides a handy way of describing wind velocity. Categories of wind strength are defined by observations of conditions on land or on the water: Beaufort number: Description: Wind Speed (knots): Winds Speed (MPH): Wave Height (feet): 0 Calm Light Air Light Breeze Gentle Breeze Moderate Breeze Fresh Breeze Strong Breeze Near Gale Sea conditions: Calm. Sea surface smooth and mirrorlike. Scaly ripples. No foam crests. Small wavelets. Crests of glassy appearance, not breaking. Large wavelets. Crests begin to break with scattered whitecaps. Small waves with breaking crests. Fairly frequent whitecaps. Moderate waves of some length. Many whitecaps. Small amounts of spray. Long waves begin to form. White foam crests are very frequent. Some airborne spray is present. Sea heaps up. Some foam from breaking waves is blown into streaks along wind direction. Moderate amounts of airborne spray. Land conditions: Calm. Smoke rises vertically. Smoke drift indicates wind direction. Still wind vanes. Wind felt on exposed skin. Leaves rustle, vanes begin to move. Leaves and small twigs constantly moving. Light flags extended. Dust and loose paper raised. Small branches begin to move. Branches of a moderate size move. Small trees in begin to sway. Large branches in motion. Whistling heard in overhead wires. Umbrella use becomes difficult. Empty plastic garbage cans tip over. Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind. 6

7 8 Gale Strong Gale Storm Violent Storm Hurricane Moderately high waves with breaking crests forming spindrift. Wellmarked streaks of foam are blown along wind direction. Considerable airborne spray. High waves whose crests sometimes roll over. Dense foam is blown along wind direction. Large amounts of airborne spray may begin to reduce visibility. Very high waves with overhanging crests. Large patches of foam from wave crests give the sea a white appearance. Considerable tumbling of waves with heavy impact. Large amounts of airborne spray reduce visibility. Some twigs broken from trees. Cars veer on road. Progress on foot is seriously impeded. Some branches break off trees and some small trees blow over. Temporary signs and barricades blow over. Trees are broken off or uprooted, saplings bent and deformed. Poorly attached asphalt shingles and shingles in poor condition peel off roofs. Exceptionally high Widespread damage to waves. Very large vegetation. Many patches of foam, roofing surfaces are driven before the wind, damaged. Asphalt tiles cover much of the sea that have curled up or surface. Very large fractured due to age amounts of airborne may break away spray severely reduce completely. visibility. Huge waves. Sea is completely white with foam and spray. Air is filled with driving spray, greatly reducing visibility. Very widespread damage to vegetation. Some windows may break. Mobile homes and poorly constructed sheds and barns are damaged. Debris may be hurled about. 7

8 THE THREE BASIC ELEMENTS OF SAILING Regardless of the type of sailing you choose to pursue, or the conditions under which you pursue it, mastering these three fundamental elements will facilitate your sailing and are applicable to any situation. A. Balance In order for your boat to sail as efficiently as possible, it must be balanced properly. When sailing dinghies like the C-15 (which has a flat bottom) a properly balanced boat should sit flat in the water. There are a few things that the skipper and crew must do to achieve this. They are: B. Helm 1. The skipper should always sit forward of the tiller to avoid being stern heavy and to make steering easy. The skipper should also sit opposite the sail to balance the force of the wind in the sails. Sitting opposite the sail will also make it easier to see potential hazards nearby. 2. The crew must sit wherever necessary in order to keep the boat flat. Because the wind is dynamic and continually changing, the crew s position in the boat may change frequently to meet the changing needs for balancing the boat. 3. Avoid heeling to either windward or leeward. Sailing with the mast perpendicular to the water is most efficient. On light wind days a slight heel to leeward will help induce the shape of the sail. The helm of a boat refers to its steering, and in most cases is controlled with a tiller and an extension, which in turn move the rudder. Simply put, a boat will turn opposite the direction you push the tiller. While this concept may seem simple, its practice can prove challenging due to the awkward joint between the tiller and its extension. The best advice is to continue to practice until your muscles have memorized the movements. As a rule of thumb, lightly hold the tiller and don t think too much. A final note: There will be moments when a novice sailor may feel overwhelmed at the helm, at these times more than any other, it is important to continue steering. Feel free to let go of any other controls, but never let go of your tiller! C. Sail Trim For now, remember the phrase Just In From Luffing (JIFL). JIFL refers to the ideal position of the sail regardless of boat course and the wind direction. Sails are trimmed with sheets by either pulling them in (sheeting in) or easing them (sheeting out). Knowing when to sheet in or out is based on your ability to recognize a luffing sail. A sail is said to be luffing when it shakes or quivers in the wind. A flag flapping in the breeze is an extreme example of luffing. On sailboats the luffing is subtler and recognizing it 8

9 requires practice in order to become proficient. Luffing is first noticeable when the leading edge of the sail begins to billow out toward the windward side of the boat. Finally, remember that sail-trim is constantly changing. What was proper trim may be completely wrong in as little as a few seconds. With practice you will develop a sixth sense for sail and boat trim. Points of Sail A sailboat can go in any direction except straight into the wind and a few degrees on either side of that. Specifically, there is a zone of about forty-five degrees on either side of the wind (ninety degrees altogether) in which the sails will not fill. This is sometimes referred to as the no sail zone or no go zone. When a boat is pointed in this direction it is said to be in irons. A boat in irons will eventually lose all speed and may even begin to drift backward. Pointing the boat in any other direction will allow the sails to fill. The boat behaves differently as it sails in different directions relative to the wind. Therefore, it behooves the sailor to have names for these directions. Collectively these names are called the points of sail. While one can sail a boat without knowing these terms, one cannot talk about sailing without them. The next diagram shows all the points of sail. Just outside of the irons zone, it becomes possible to fill the sails, and the boat will begin to move, provided the sails are hauled in close aboard. This point of sail is called, appropriately, close hauled. A boat sailing straight away from the wind, or dead down wind, is said to be running or on a run. A boat sailing on any course in between running and close hauled is reaching. There are three kinds of reach. When the wind strikes the boat perpendicular to its centerline, the boat is on a beam reach. Any boat sailing between a beam reach and close hauled is on a close reach, and any boat between a beam reach and a run is on a broad reach. Note that the diagram to the right is symmetrical about the wind. For example, there are two beam reaches, one with the wind hitting the starboard side first, and one with the wind hitting the port side first. The former is called starboard tack, 9

10 and the latter a port tack. This is how you talk about which direction you are sailing. Also, port and starboard tack have important implications for determining right of way, so pay attention! All boats sailing are said to be on either a port tack or a starboard tack. These definitions are based solely on the position of the mainsail. A boat s tack is defined as being the opposite of the side to which the mainsail sits. In other words, when a boat has its mainsail to port, the boat is said to be on a starboard tack and vice versa. BOAT HANDLING A. Tacking Tacking is turning the boat so that the bow passes through the eye of the wind and the sails change sides. Tacking is an upwind turn: 10

11 Here are some important things to remember when tacking: B. Jibing 1. Head up and sheet in before you tack. This will keep speed up. 2. Let the sail tell you when to change sides. In other words, after the boom changes sides, you should change sides too. This will keep the boat balanced. 3. Hold on to both the tiller and the main sheet while you are changing sides. You will have more control over power and course. 4. Always communicate with your crew or skipper. Jibing is turning the boat so that the stern passes through the eye of the wind and the boat changes tack. The sails are guided by the skipper and crew to the opposite side. Jibing is a downwind turn: 11

12 Here are some important things to remember when jibing: 1. Speed increases as you bear off downwind. So be in control of your steering. Don t forget to ease your sheets out as you bear away. An accidental jibe can cause the boat to capsize. 2. Keep the boat balanced by centering your weight as you fall off to a dead run. 3. Switch your hands on the tiller before jibing. You can let go of the main sheet when you do this. This will prevent a scramble for the helm after the jibe. 4. After you have found a dead run, stay on that that course and grab the mainsheet tackle to guide the sail from one side of the boat to the other. Be certain that you control the movement of the sail from one side of the boat to the other! If the wind does it, you have lost control and are risking a capsize! An accidental jibe results when the wind switches the sail, thus surprising the skipper and crew. 5. It is very easy to capsize accidentally when coming out of a jibe as well since the boat is in such an unstable condition. The best way to avoid capsizing after a jibe is to use careful, deliberate movements and to maintain control of the boat throughout the maneuver. In other words, never let go of the tiller! 6. Once the sail crosses over, the boat s momentum will tend to turn it up into the wind. You can prevent this by anticipating the dramatic change in direction and compensating with your tiller. Be ready to pull the tiller away from the sail to prevent the boat from turning up into the wind. 7. Always communicate with your crew or skipper. C. DOCKING The primary rule to remember when docking is that docking is done with respect to the wind, and not necessarily with respect to the dock. If you don t know the wind s direction, you can t come in to the dock safely. Because boats have no brakes the challenge is to control your speed with the trim of your sails. The ideal approach is one that allows you to accelerate and/or slow your boat as needed without compromising your course. This is done by approaching on a close reach from the leeward side of the dock, thus allowing you to both luff your sails (slowing), and fill them (power-up) as needed. A close reach is found by easing the mainsail out so that it luffs freely. The boom is neither over your head (in the center of the boat) nor is it pressed against the shrouds. This is also known as the safety position when the jib is also eased out and luffing. Once you feel you have the necessary momentum to reach the dock, you should luff your sails completely so as to slow the boat as much as possible. Developing the ability to find the appropriate course, and then gauging your speed to the dock takes time and will come with practice. 12

13 If you have some free sailing time, here is a good drill to help you. Find a buoy, and imagine that it is a dock. Make your approach just as you would a dock and try to make light contact. This smaller target will help refine your docking skills. You should remember these rules no matter where you are sailing. It is easy to get accustomed to our consistent westerly at the South Sailing Basin. Once in a while during the spring and fall the wind will blow from the east or the south. Don t let this confuse you: always dock on the leeward side! D. Sailing Upwind We know that sailboats are limited in how close to the wind they can sail. The technique for sailing to a point directly upwind requires that you sail as close to the wind as possible (close hauled), tacking back and forth in a zig-zag pattern until you arrive at your destination. Learning to sail close hauled, while challenging, can be one of the most rewarding experiences in sailing. It differs from all other points of sail in two ways. First, it requires very specific steering; the difference between success and failure is subtle and can be a matter of just a few degrees. Second, unlike all other points of sail in which you first steer your course and then trim your sails, close hauled sailing is accomplished by first trimming your sails (all the way in: close hauled) and then steering your course. The challenge is to control the luffing of your sails by heading up (sailing closer to the wind) until the sails luff and falling off (sailing away from the wind) until the sails fill. This technique is called feathering. Concentrate on keeping the jib full and play the main to keep speed up. The keys to success include: small tiller movements, consistent sail-trim (particularly the jib), and quick responses to shifting wind and luffing sails. Safety That safety is important goes without saying. More than anything else, common sense will insure your safe enjoyment of this sport. Two items worth noting though: first, always wear a PFD (personal flotation device) when you are near water regardless of your swimming ability; and second, respect the outdoors and the Bay. To forgo either is foolish. A. Right of Way Rules Within sailing, there is a body of rules that come into play whenever two or more boats meet. Of these, the two most important points are as follows: Avoid collisions: Try to always follow the rules. However, avoid a collision, even if it means breaking the rules. Safety is the number one concern! 13

14 Hierarchy of power: A disabled craft has the right of way over a human powered craft like a kayak which has the right of way over a wind powered craft which has the right of way over a motor driven craft. A boat that is restricted in its maneuverability has right of way over all vessels with greater maneuverability. For example, a tanker or a tug towing a barge has very little maneuverability, so give them room! Similarly, you must also yield to boats with a greater draft or vessel depth when their movements are restricted to a channel. A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE BASIC RULES OF THE ROAD IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IN INCREASING YOUR CONFIDENCE AND SKILLS IN SAILING. There are also three basic rules that apply specifically to sailboats. The following diagrams demonstrate the various options the yielding boat has in avoiding the boat with the right of way (these rules are to be followed in the order given here): 1. Port/Starboard: A port tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard tack boat. 2. Windward/Leeward: A windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat. 14

15 3. Overtaking/Overtaken: A boat clear astern shall keep clear of a boat clear ahead. B. Capsizes Capsizing is an inevitability when sailing small boats, and happens to even the best of sailors. Because you can expect to capsize with some frequency, it is an important goal for you to become comfortable with capsizing. The first thing to talk about is how to prevent a capsize. Capsize Prevention (use these in the order presented and in concert with each other. Avoid extreme reactions and try to stay in control): 1. Hike out: Put your feet under the hiking straps and lean out and over the water. 2. Ease sheets: Let the mainsail out a little. 3. Head up: Turn into the wind slightly. Once Capsized: 1. Sailors should check that all crew are OK. 2. Stay with the boat! It will float, you may not. Think of it as a large PFD. 3. Righting Procedure: a. Before righting the boat it is important that no one be standing in the cockpit or on the mast. These positions can drive the mast into the shallow bottom threatening to bend or break it. b. One person on the centerboard, pulling on the jib sheet so that the stopper knot is up against the fair lead, should lean out as far as possible being careful not to bounce on the centerboard. c. The other person should hold on the lower hiking strap. They should not exert any pressure that would work against the efforts of the person on the centerboard. d. As the boat is righted, the person in the water should be pulled into the boat. The person on the centerboard, if unable to get back into the boat 15

16 as it comes up, should be assisted in over the transom. If conditions are rough, it is better to bring the person in over the windward side to avoid another capsize. e. If for some reason the boat comes up without any one in it, the individual that is not on the windward side should get to the transom of the boat, grab on to the hiking strap, and work their way into the boat. Windier conditions will dictate that they climb in at the windward shroud. They should be encouraged to push the tiller to leeward. Once in, they can help the rest of the crew in to the boat. Regaining control once the boat is upright is of great importance. If you do not regain composure quickly, the boat may soon capsize again. As the crew or skipper following capsize you should check that everyone on board is OK. Make sure that everyone is ready for more sailing. If you are cold or tired, come into the dock and take a breather. C. Reefing 1. Make sure that mainsheet, boom vang, and reef outhaul (line under the boom that will pull new reef clew to aft end of boom) are free to run. 2. Raise the sail until the reef tack is 6 to 8 inches above the gooseneck. Cleat the halyard and tighten the down haul. The luff of the sail should be tight with the new reef tack right at the boom s inboard end. 3. Pull the new clew to the boom end using the reefing outhaul. (Pull tight!) The boom should be parallel to the water. 4. Roll up the sail and secure it to the boom with the reef ties using square knots. 5. Adjust boom vang. D. Heaving To Heaving to is a method for stalling the boat on the water. It can be effective when you need to rest or make repairs but are not near a dock. 1. Heaving to is accomplished by sheeting in the jib tight and cleating it. 2. Proceed with a slow tack easing your mainsail as the boat comes head-to-wind. 3. As the boat continues through its tack push the tiller to leeward slowly and secure it. Be careful not to accidentally tack back. 4. Finally, be aware of hazards to leeward. A boat that has heaved to will continue to move through the water. E. Crew Overboard Occasionally when sailing, crew (or skipper) can be lost overboard, and although unlikely, if and when it does happen you will be grateful to have this skill. Many techniques exist for recovering people overboard. We teach a method similar to docking so as to reinforce the two skills. 16

17 Having lost someone overboard on any vessel you should: 1. Throw flotation toward the person (if available). 2. Yell, Crew overboard! 3. Assign a spotter to maintain the person in sight at all times. The maneuver: 1. Sail away from the person on a beam reach or a low close reach a distance of 6 to 8 boat lengths, or if your skills permit, as short a distance as possible to complete the entire maneuver. 2. Tack and continue to fall off to a broad reach 2-3 boat lengths downwind of the crew overboard. 3. You are now in a position to proceed on a close reach course to the person in the water, controlling your speed and approaching as you would in a docking situation. The goal is to stop your boat on the leeward side of the person overboard. 4. Try not to go in irons, stalling your boat before reaching crew overboard. 5. When picking them up out of the water, do so from the windward side of the boat so as to avoid capsizing. The following diagram shows the course to take to rescue a crew overboard. F. Hypothermia Hypothermia is a condition during which the body has lost its ability to maintain its core temperature (i.e., you are getting too cold). The effect is to slowly shut-off the body s various systems and left untreated can lead to death. What makes it particularly tricky is that it often goes undetected by the victim because judgment and coordination are among the body functions that slip away. Treat a victim of hypothermia by warming them up slowly to avoid shocking their system. If dressed in wet clothing, disrobe and dry them. Blankets and external heat 17

18 sources are useful. Be careful if using a warm bath or shower to use warm water, and under no circumstances should they be given alcohol or caffeine. Additionally, don t rub them to warm them, nor should you raise their extremities, each of these tend to circulate the cold blood from the extremities to the core. The best advice is to be aware of the risk and to dress accordingly. Always over dress and wear layers. Avoid cotton. Once wet cotton does not serve to keep one warm. In fact, it will cause cooling to happen quicker than wool, synthetics or even bare skin. Wet suits are provided at Cal Adventures and we encourage you to use them. During summer afternoon conditions, you (and your guests) are required to wear them. If you are feeling very cold, please approach a Rec Sup or other Cal Adventures staff member to ask for assistance in warming up. SAILING IN STRONG WIND AND BIG WAVES Waves are created by the wind s friction on the surface of the water. The amount of time the wind blows and the fetch (the distance the wind travels over the water) determines the frequency and steepness or height of the waves. Strong wind and big waves go hand in hand. Here in the South Sailing Basin, (a straight 8 mile shot from the Golden Gate) the waves get quite large. Sailing on them is challenging. When renting, be dressed properly and make sure that your sail is reefed and your crew overboard and capsize skills are sharp before venturing out into the waves on a windy day. A. Sailing Upwind On Waves: Because waves travel from the same direction the wind blows, their energy works against your efforts in sailing upwind into them. As a result you must compensate being knocked down by the waves by: 1. Sailing close hauled and heading up on the face of a wave as the boat is lifted to the top of the wave. Heading up combats the tendency of the boat to be pushed sideways by the energy of the wave. 2. Falling off slightly over the back of the wave as the boat drops down into the trough. Falling off prevents the bow from falling into the trough once the wave passes underneath the boat. These are subtle maneuvers that vary with each wave. Larger waves require more extreme reactions and smaller waves require less or even no reactions. Also, make sure that your centerboard is all the way down. This provides lateral resistance and lift that will help the boat sail to windward. Sail trim and balance are also important to successful wave sailing. Play the sails. Keep them full and do not let them luff. Luffing causes the boat to slow down and thus allows 18

19 the waves to have their way with you. Always keep the boat balanced and flat. A balanced boat is a fast boat. When tacking in waves, try to tack as quickly as possible on the top of the wave. This will allow you to head up into the wave, tack and fall off down the back side of the wave. It keeps the boat on the water and balanced. If the opportunity presents itself, tack on a flat spot of water where wave judgment and timing won t be as important. B. Sailing Downwind On Waves: Sailing downwind on the waves can be exhilarating and dangerous. The energy of the wave works with the wind in moving the boat and thus the boat travels faster. The waves also move faster than the boat passing underneath the boat causing the boat to pitch fore and aft, roll side to side, and yaw back and forth. These three movements pitch, roll, and yaw work against the balance of the boat and may cause a capsize. Your goal is to minimize these effects. Minimize pitch by sailing a broad reach at an angle downwind across the waves. This will enable you to keep your sails full and your speed up. It also allows you to look aft at the waves approaching so that you can, as the stern is lifted, fall off and surf downwind in front of and on the face of the wave. Wow! Minimize roll by ensuring that you fall off as the stern is lifted by the approaching wave. While surfing, try to steer a course that is perpendicular to the wave face. Beware of an accidental jibe. Waves have been known to cause a boat to spin out of control, jibe, and capsize especially when the boat is on a dead run. Minimize yaw, the tendency for the stern of the boat to slide sideways around a pivot point, by raising the center board half way as soon you fall off to a broad reach. When the centerboard is half way up, its length points toward the back of the boat. This, in turn, prevents the boat from spinning around the pivot point of the centerboard when it is all the way down. This also reduces drag because the centerboard is not extending as deeply into the water allowing the boat to go faster. Raising the centerboard will also allow you to jibe on waves with more control and safety. Jibing on waves can be dangerous if not done in control. If at any time you are not feeling in control while sailing downwind in waves, avoid jibing and tack instead. If, however, jibing is required, remember these things: 1. Pull the center board half way up. 2. Go back to basics and jibe like you were taught from the beginning (see Jibing ). 3. Jibe, if possible, while surfing. The wave will be carrying you, speed will be up and the sail will come over easily. 4. Minimize the time spent on a dead run. 19

20 PHYSICS OF SAILING A. Apparent wind The apparent wind is the wind that you feel as the boat is moving. It has two basic components: the true wind and the induced wind. True wind is the wind you feel when standing still. It is the wind that blows flags on buildings and makes waves on water. An anemometer on land measures the speed of the true wind. Induced wind is the wind created by a moving object. It is felt by a person on or in that object. The dog with his head hanging out of the car window feels the induced wind with a velocity equal to the speed of the car: provided, of course, that the true wind is zero. Thus, with a true wind of five knots and an induced wind of five knots, a person traveling on a bike, directly into the direction of the true wind, will feel an apparent wind of ten knots. If the bike is then turned around to the opposite direction, traveling with the true wind at the same speed of five knots, the apparent wind perceived would be zero knots. This is why it feels as if the wind has died or eased when you sail downwind. This applies to sailing as well. In general, as you point your boat higher into the breeze, the apparent wind increases. As you fall off to lower points of sail, the apparent wind decreases. When running, apparent wind makes accidental jibes easy. Apparent wind is greatest when close hauled, causing the need for the crew and skipper to hike out to keep the boat balanced against the weight of the apparent wind in the sails. B. Neutral helm, Weather helm, Lee helm You know that you must position your weight so that the boat is balanced and sailing flat on the water. Balance is also important in terms of sail trim and fine tuning. In order for the boat to sail well, the boat s rigging and centerboard must be coordinated so that the skipper feels no tendency for the boat to turn or pressure on the tiller, when sailing a straight course with proper weight distribution and sail trim. This is referred to as neutral helm. Theoretically, the skipper should be able to let go of the tiller and the boat will continue to steer a straight course. Everything is balanced. Weather helm is the tendency for the boat to turn into the wind on its own with the tiller amidships. It occurs most often when the boat heels to leeward and when the rigging is not tuned or properly balanced. The skipper must compensate by steering a course that corrects for the turning to windward. This is done by steering a course that would normally turn the boat to leeward, in essence causing the boat to sail a straight course. However, it puts unnecessary pressure on the rudder and causes the boat to sail 20

21 slower. Weather helm is most noticeable on larger boats but it can also often be felt on our C-15s. Lee helm is the opposite of weather helm. It is a tendency for the boat to turn downwind when the tiller is put amidships. It is most often caused by a jib that is too large for the wind conditions. It is best remedied by putting up a smaller jib or head sail. In any case, balance on all fronts (sail trim, weight distribution, and centerboard trim) is of primary importance for efficient sailing. C. Center of Effort and Center of Lateral Resistance Center of effort (CE) refers to the focal point of the force of the wind in the sails. The main and jib, working together, will have a CE somewhere between the middle of each sail. Center of lateral resistance (CLR) refers to the focal point of the force of the water working against the centerboard. In order for the boat to sail efficiently with neutral helm, the CE and CLR must be in line with one another (CE above the water and CLR below the water). This is best accomplished with proper weight distribution, sail trim and centerboard adjustment. The CE can be shifted aft (sailing with a mainsail only) or it can be shifted forward (sailing with a jib that is too large). When it is shifted aft, adjust the centerboard to the up position so as to align the CE and CLR and to minimize weather helm. When shifted forward, change or lower the jib to avoid lee helm. D. Sailing Without A Rudder Sailing without a rudder can be accomplished with the understanding that by inducing weather and lee helm, the boat will turn upwind or downwind. By inducing neutral helm, the boat will steer a straight course. Before attempting to sail without a rudder, raise the centerboard half way. This will prevent the boat from spinning out of control around the axis or pivot point of the fully lowered centerboard. 21

22 Weather and lee helm can be induced in two basic ways: 1. Shift CE forward or aft by using the main and jib independently. Sheet in the main and ease the jib to head up (CE aft). Ease the main and sheet in the jib to fall off (CE forward). 2. Heel the boat to leeward to turn upwind. Heel the boat to windward to turn down wind. As the boat displaces the water, heeling either to leeward or to windward will induce weather or lee helm. The friction of the water on the hull causes the hull to travel slower than the rigging above and thus causes the boat to turn away from the direction of the heeling. Use this in combination with sail adjustment to steer and turn your boat. Remember, adjusting your weight and sails will initiate turns. After the turns begin, you must counter with the opposite maneuvers to keep from spinning out of control. Neutral helm is accomplished by striking a balance between the main, the jib, and your weight distribution. Mastering sailing without a rudder takes a lot of practice. Always get approval from the Rec. Sup. before you attempt it and be sure to tie a rudder to the inside of your boat in case want it later. Never attempt it near the rocks or on days that are too windy to get the rudder back in place. Once you get the feel for sailing without a rudder, you will have a much greater understanding of balanced sailing and the interactions between the wind, the sails, and your weight. Sailing opportunities after the basic and intermediate classes At the UCAC, students will be exposed to a variety of conditions. After successful completion Intermediate Sailing, students are eligible to rent sailboats at the UCAC. Rentals can be purchased by the hour or as a 2-3 month pass. Upon completion of Intermediate, a wind rating of under or over 15 knots will be given. Please adhere to your rating and sail in conditions that are appropriate for your skill level. This is for your safety. Cal Adventures also offers a variety of other outdoor and aquatic classes and activities. At the UCAC, we also offer classes, private lessons, rentals, clinics and trips in sea kayaking, windsurfing, and paddleboarding. Cal Adventures also arranges custom teambuilding and ropes course programs in addition to overnight camping trips and rock climbing classes. If you have questions, please call our office at