Sail Course ® Part 2, Forces Section 11, Preparing to Sail

Sail Course ® Figure 11–1 Sail Terminology

Sail Course ® Preparation for sailing: Steps, techniques, preparations in getting the small sailboat ready to sail. Stepping the mast. Mast stepped on small boats from outside the boat while ashore or onboard the boat once launched. Beware of power lines. Lower centerboard if possible and stand on centerline while stepping the mast with boat in water. Bending on the main. Slots in boom and mast hold bolt rope or plastic slugs. Slide foot along boom, attach clew to outhaul, tack to gooseneck. Free main halyard, attach to head, and hoist main, feeding slugs or slides into slot or track. Insert sail stop. Bending on the headsail. Attach tack cringle—on top in sail bag, to tack. Attach jib piston hanks in same direction working from tack to head. Attach jib halyard to head; jib sheets to clew using bowlines. Folding the sails. Fold on deck, dock, or lawn with creases parallel to air flow. Beware of folding on newly mown lawn as the grass might stain the sails. Main on larger boats usually flaked over boom with battens parallel to boom and covered with sail cover. Rolling sails to avoid creases is becoming popular to reduce creases.

Sail Course ® Figure 11–2 Folding a Sail

Sail Course ® Bending-on the Mainsail 1.Attach foot to boom Tack cringle to tack fitting Some are “loose footed” 2.Pull clew aft Outhaul 3.Attach halyard 4. Attach luff to mast 5.Pull luff up Easiest if headed into wind Avoid jams 6.Insert Battens 7.Don’t allow sails to “flog”

Sail Course ® Bending-on the Jib 1.Tack should be first out of sail bag 2.Attach tack 3.Attach sheets (bowline knot) 4.Attach halyard 5.Bend on sail as pulled up 6.Don’t allow sail to “flog”

Sail Course ® End of Section 11 slides