| If you're going to learn to sail, one of the first things you | | | | from being winched in when under load. In general if |
| need to understand is tacking. We need to learn how | | | | the wind is around 10 knots or less, two wrap turns of |
| to tack a sailboat because it's the way we maneuver | | | | the jib sheet on the winch will provide enough friction to |
| the sailboat around. The technical explanation of | | | | be able to tighten up on the sails if needed. At ten to |
| tacking a sailboat is when the boat turns such that the | | | | twenty knots, 3 wrap turns will be required. About |
| bow (front) of the sailboat turns through an imaginary | | | | twenty knots use 4 or more turns. |
| point of origin of the wind. If you were a sailboat and | | | | When placing more that 2 turns on the winch however |
| you were looking in such a direction that you felt wind | | | | there is a probability of over wrapping the jib sheet on |
| on one side of your face, then you turned so that the | | | | itself as it goes around the winch drum. This especially |
| wind was directly incident upon your face and then | | | | happens when you are pulling the jibsheet in fast. This |
| you continued turning so that the wind was on the | | | | creates a very tricky situation. The over wrap is |
| other side of your face, then, that would be a tack. | | | | difficult to release. Do not continue to tighten the jib |
| When we tack a sailboat the sails change to the other | | | | sheet with the winch hoping it will come out. It won't, in |
| side of the boat because the sails are always on the | | | | fact it will get worse. To remove an over wrap is quite |
| downwind side of the boat. Thus the tacking | | | | simple. If the tension is still low you can just wrap the |
| maneuver requires some fore thought, planning, | | | | loose end of the sheet backwards around the winch |
| communication with the crew and understanding of | | | | and pull. Sometimes the tension will be too high. In this |
| what is about to occur. | | | | case simply remove the tension created by the sail by |
| Some of the considerations regarding tacking are: | | | | steering the sailboat up into wind until the head sail |
| Traffic - all clear | | | | begins to luff (flap). Once the tension is gone the |
| An often overlooked safety precaution. There is a lot | | | | overwrap will be easy to release. |
| happening on a sailboat that you have to be aware of. | | | | Passengers - All clear and understanding what is |
| But also watch out for things not on the sailboat. Like | | | | happening |
| other traffic. A boat coming up behind or to the side | | | | Passengers are usually on board for the fun of the |
| can often be lost in the events happening on your | | | | experience, not to be scared off their perch. |
| sailboat. Form a habit of checking all around for traffic | | | | Therefore, inform passengers of what is about to |
| before making direction changes and especially during | | | | happen during the tacking maneuver so that they feel |
| tacking or gybing maneuvers. I physically call out loud | | | | comfortable with the flapping, heeling and turning. |
| an "ALL CLEAR" as I look around. In this way, you are | | | | Ensure passengers are out of the way of danger. |
| passing good habits onto your crew as well. | | | | They often won't know where the danger lies. |
| Gear stowed properly and change of heel angles from | | | | Plan the new heading |
| one side to the other. | | | | Plan where you want the new heading to be before |
| Those inexperienced crew just learning to sail and | | | | you begin the tack. You don't want to be searching for |
| passengers more used to terra firma tend to put | | | | the wind as you come around. Know first off where |
| things down expecting that the surface they placed it | | | | the heading goal is then execute the maneuver. Ensure |
| on will stay flat. Even while sailing on one tack, stuff | | | | that the new heading is sufficiently away from the |
| tends to be put down leaning against a surface that | | | | direction of the wind to provide an effective sailing |
| suits only for one heel angle. Change the heel angle to | | | | angle with the wind. Plan on at least 45 degrees off |
| the other side and there is usually a series of crashes. | | | | the true wind direction. It's easier however, if you're on |
| Before you tack, it's a good idea to have an appointed | | | | a close haul, to plan a 90 degree turn to windward. |
| crew member check below for things that might go | | | | Select a point directly abeam of your sailboat. You |
| crash. | | | | should plan on being headed towards that point at the |
| The Crew - who is doing what. | | | | completion of the maneuver. As an aside, even though |
| Sailing doesn't need to be a military run exercise, but it's | | | | you can sail 30 degrees off the wind, by the time you |
| a very good idea for everyone on the boat to know | | | | take into account that true wind is about 15 degrees |
| their roles and responsibilities. This should be | | | | behind the apparent wind, you'll quickly learn that a tack |
| communicated by the skipper. A tacking maneuver | | | | from one close haul to another is about 90 degrees. IE |
| usually requires two people. One to let the working | | | | (30+15)x2 = 90. |
| (down wind) jib sheet go as the boat comes through | | | | Semi-coincidently, a gybe from a 120 degree broad |
| the wind and the other person to tighten up on the | | | | reach to the other 120 degree broad reach is also 90 |
| new working jib sheet. It can be the same crew | | | | degrees. This is again due to about 15 degrees of true |
| member if necessary but timing needs to be right. The | | | | wind and apparent wind difference. Thus if you're |
| old working jib sheet should be released when the luff | | | | broad reaching and want to gybe around to a broad |
| (leading edge) of the head sail begins to fold in on itself. | | | | reach on the other side, pick a point 90 degrees to |
| You can see a distinctive cave-in effect at the front | | | | beam in a downwind direction. That should be your |
| of the sail. When you see this it's time to let go the | | | | new goal heading as you gybe over. |
| working jib sheet and unwind it completely from the | | | | Don't Turn too Fast. |
| winch. | | | | I once raced sailboats with an ex-submarine captain in |
| Simultaneously the new working jibsheet (the sheet | | | | Houston Texas who would turn the boat through a |
| about to be on the downwind side once the tacking | | | | tack extremely slowly. When asked why, he had |
| maneuver is completed) needs to be tightened up. The | | | | several good reasons. |
| faster it is tightened up, the faster the boat can regain | | | | (1) Look behind you as you come about. If you are |
| its speed on the other tack and the less effort it takes | | | | leaving swirling water eddies behind the rudder, these |
| to tighten. If the new working sheet can be pulled in to | | | | are a sum of kinetic energy that was previously in |
| the final setting, before the load comes on the sail from | | | | your sailboat but has now been released to the water. |
| the wind the less winching needs to be done. Sailing is | | | | What does that mean? It means that you have lost |
| about harnessing the wind not fighting it. So get that | | | | momentum and slowed down your boat more than |
| new working jib sheet in fast. | | | | you needed to during a tack. A nice steady turn will |
| Inexperienced crew just learning to sail will pull on the | | | | leave the kinetic energy in the boat. |
| loose jib sheet and then try to wrap the sheet around | | | | (2) The swirling water eddies left a signature in the |
| the winch. The problem is that the tension comes on | | | | water that could be picked up by submarine hunting |
| the jibsheet very fast as the boat turns onto its new | | | | satellites. Not that this is relevant to sailing really but it |
| heading. Often that crew member will be left with a | | | | was just his well formed habit. |
| rope burn. Ensure the new working jib sheet winch is | | | | (3) Getting the jib sheet pulled in tight fast will get your |
| pre-wrapped with the required amount of turns. | | | | sailboat back up to speed faster. The most efficient |
| Communication | | | | way for your crew to get this job done fast is when |
| Communicate between the crew and skipper and | | | | there is low back tension from the head sail and the |
| passengers is paramount. The proper commands are: | | | | boat is not heeling. A slow turn allows them to |
| Skipper: Prepare to Tack | | | | complete their job done before the real tension from |
| Skipper: Ready about? | | | | the wind comes on the head sail at the end of the |
| Crew: Ready | | | | tack. |
| Skipper: Tacking | | | | Just goes to show you that slow is faster. As the |
| Of course there can be other communications going | | | | tortoise! |
| on between those commands and responses | | | | Swinging boom - danger |
| regarding instructions and requests to hold etc. But | | | | A big danger is the swinging boom. Many crew have |
| these are the standard commands to announce during | | | | been knocked overboard and knocked unconscious |
| the procedure so that everyone on board knows | | | | by the swinging boom. Although a tack is considerably |
| what is happening. | | | | less dangerous than a gybe because of the speed of |
| Managing the Winches | | | | the boom is lower, it is still a serious concern. Ensure |
| When self tailing winches are not installed, you'll need a | | | | crew and passengers are informed to be aware and |
| crew member to "tail" the jib sheet as you wind it in. | | | | clear of the boom. |
| Tailing means to hold and pull on the jib sheet | | | | Dangerous whipping lines during the maneuver |
| downstream of the winch so that the back tension | | | | Of considerable danger are the jib sheets whipping |
| provides sufficient friction of the sheet against the | | | | back and forth. The speed of the whip can be in |
| winch drum to be effective. More modern boats have | | | | excess of 100mph (160kph) and can catch an eye |
| self tailing winches. These have a grove at the top of | | | | with out remorse. The lines whip as the tension comes |
| the winch in which to slot the sheet into after several | | | | off and the head sail starts to flap. To prevent the |
| wraps around the winch drum. The slot traps the | | | | whipping, don't release the working jib too early - wait |
| sheet and provides the back tension. | | | | for the fold in the luff. And tighten the new working jib |
| It's important for the crew members doing the work | | | | up as fast as possible. As you can see there are |
| during a tack to understand the high tension that will be | | | | many considerations in the tacking maneuver. As you |
| on the jib sheets. Releasing the jib sheet too early can | | | | learn to sail better, these considerations become |
| cause serious rope burn as the sheet takes out. When | | | | second nature. The only way for that to happen |
| winching in, the number of turns pre-placed on the | | | | however is to get out on the water and practice. |
| winch is important. Too few turns will prevent the line | | | | |