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Thursday, 8 December 2011
Monday, 5 December 2011
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Monday, 28 November 2011
Thursday, 24 November 2011
Three Tips to Remove a Jammed Line From a Sailboat Winch
You and your sailing crew are short tacking up a narrow channel with shoals to the left and moored boats to the right. You get your crew ready for the next tack, come about--and the head sail sheet jams onto the sailboat winch! What would you do next?
Jammed turns on a head sail sheet winch-called "overriding turns"-are caused by a sheet line that leads at a downward angle to the winch drum. When this happens, the wraps on the drum can bunch up so tight that they are almost impossible to remove. Use one of these fast, easy methods to remove an override:
1. Luff Up Method
a. Point up into the wind for a few seconds to luff the head sail and take tension off the sheet.
b. Remove the turns by hand.
c. Fall off the wind and build up speed for the next tack.
2. Line and Block Method
a. Tie a rolling hitch onto the jammed sheet between head sail clew and winch.
b. Mount a snatch block aft of the jammed winch.
c. Lead the line to the snatch block and to an open winch.
d. Grind on the winch to remove all tension on the jammed sheet.
e. Remove the override by hand and re-wrap the sheet onto the winch.
3. Emergency Method
a. Cut the jammed sheet forward and aft of the winch.
b. Lead the bitter end of the cut sheet through the block and around the sailboat mast.
c. Tie a rolling hitch onto the leeward sheet. You can tack with this rig until you clear all dangers.
Prevent Future Sheet Jams
Avoid future overrides by leading head sail sheets in an upward direction to the sheet winches. Use one of these easy techniques:
* Reposition each Genoa block along the track to bring it closer to and lower than the sheet winch.
* Insert an intermediate block between the existing Genoa block and the sheet winch.
Sailboat winch overrides are part of life on any small cruising or racing sailboat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2381009
Jammed turns on a head sail sheet winch-called "overriding turns"-are caused by a sheet line that leads at a downward angle to the winch drum. When this happens, the wraps on the drum can bunch up so tight that they are almost impossible to remove. Use one of these fast, easy methods to remove an override:
1. Luff Up Method
a. Point up into the wind for a few seconds to luff the head sail and take tension off the sheet.
b. Remove the turns by hand.
c. Fall off the wind and build up speed for the next tack.
2. Line and Block Method
a. Tie a rolling hitch onto the jammed sheet between head sail clew and winch.
b. Mount a snatch block aft of the jammed winch.
c. Lead the line to the snatch block and to an open winch.
d. Grind on the winch to remove all tension on the jammed sheet.
e. Remove the override by hand and re-wrap the sheet onto the winch.
3. Emergency Method
a. Cut the jammed sheet forward and aft of the winch.
b. Lead the bitter end of the cut sheet through the block and around the sailboat mast.
c. Tie a rolling hitch onto the leeward sheet. You can tack with this rig until you clear all dangers.
Prevent Future Sheet Jams
Avoid future overrides by leading head sail sheets in an upward direction to the sheet winches. Use one of these easy techniques:
* Reposition each Genoa block along the track to bring it closer to and lower than the sheet winch.
* Insert an intermediate block between the existing Genoa block and the sheet winch.
Sailboat winch overrides are part of life on any small cruising or racing sailboat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2381009
How to Tack Through the Wind Smoother, Faster, And Easier!
Did you know that you can learn to sail like a pro when you tack without the worry of confusing calculations or using a steering compass? These little-known sailing tips make tacking a snap and will make sailing to windward lots of fun with greater speed and performance.
Sailing close hauled means you keep the true wind at a 45 degree angle to the boat. When you tack, the bow passes through the wind to place the wind at a 45 degree angle on the other side of the boat. Your small sailboat tacks (turns) through the true wind a total of 90 degrees.
Instead of using lots of fancy addition or subtraction, use an easier, more natural method called over-the-shoulder "aim" points. Follow these three easy steps to tacking success:
1. Steady up on your close hauled course. Stand in front of the tiller or behind the sailboat wheel so that you face the bow. Keep your shoulders square (perpendicular) to the center-line of your boat.
2. Look over your shoulder to the windward side (upwind). Find a house, tree, pier, hill, mountain peak, or some other fixed point that you can use as your "aim" point.
If out of sight of land, use the well defined part of a cloud as your "aim" point. If no clouds are available, study the angle that the waves will make to the boat after tacking.
3. Tack the boat through the wind and turn the boat onto the "aim" point. Once you steady up, adjust your sailing course so that the luff of the mainsail lies just on the edge of a flutter.
To do this, ease the boat up toward the wind until the luff of the mainsail just begins to flutter. Fall off just a bit until the flutter stops. Now you are right on the edge of the wind. Your boat should accelerate like a thoroughbred at a racetrack!
Learn to sail better than ever before with simple, easy-to-use techniques that work on any sailboat of any size anywhere in the world. You will become a more confident, skilled sailing skipper and enjoy better speed and performance--wherever in the world you choose to sail.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4858445
Sailing close hauled means you keep the true wind at a 45 degree angle to the boat. When you tack, the bow passes through the wind to place the wind at a 45 degree angle on the other side of the boat. Your small sailboat tacks (turns) through the true wind a total of 90 degrees.
Instead of using lots of fancy addition or subtraction, use an easier, more natural method called over-the-shoulder "aim" points. Follow these three easy steps to tacking success:
1. Steady up on your close hauled course. Stand in front of the tiller or behind the sailboat wheel so that you face the bow. Keep your shoulders square (perpendicular) to the center-line of your boat.
2. Look over your shoulder to the windward side (upwind). Find a house, tree, pier, hill, mountain peak, or some other fixed point that you can use as your "aim" point.
If out of sight of land, use the well defined part of a cloud as your "aim" point. If no clouds are available, study the angle that the waves will make to the boat after tacking.
3. Tack the boat through the wind and turn the boat onto the "aim" point. Once you steady up, adjust your sailing course so that the luff of the mainsail lies just on the edge of a flutter.
To do this, ease the boat up toward the wind until the luff of the mainsail just begins to flutter. Fall off just a bit until the flutter stops. Now you are right on the edge of the wind. Your boat should accelerate like a thoroughbred at a racetrack!
Learn to sail better than ever before with simple, easy-to-use techniques that work on any sailboat of any size anywhere in the world. You will become a more confident, skilled sailing skipper and enjoy better speed and performance--wherever in the world you choose to sail.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4858445
Monday, 21 November 2011
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Top Sailing Tips
Here's a quick and handy guide to help you brush up your sailing skills.
Sea sickness - If you're feeling a little under the weather don't struggle up into to the top bunk. The best way to help you feel better is to stay low! The motion is less evident there. Try to stay horizontal, and if there are no sea berths onboard, throw some cushions on the floor and lie there. You'll feel better in no time.
Think tank - Your tank may look full, but many yachts will come to a surprising halt even when the fuel level gauge looks full to burst. The best thing to do is to run a column in your log book for your engine. Keeping a check of fuel fills and oil changes means there will be no more guess work.
Stormy weather - Bad weather is a common worry for sailors. The most effective method of avoiding the effects of bad weather at sea? Avoid sailing altogether. Check local weather forecasts before setting out and try not to sail for a few days after a storm. Inevitably there will be times when getting caught in bad weather is unavoidable. So, it's therefore essential to know how to keep your crew and boat safe.
Look no hands - You'd be surprised how many people only use auto pilot on passage. Having a free hand to stow a sail or prepare lines is really useful, especially for a small crew. Just remember to make a point of keeping an eye on what's going on around the boat at all times.
Boom Boom - It's important to respect the boom. The most common sailing injuries are a result of not being aware when the boom is about to swing. To avoid injury or being knocked overboard, remember to be conscious and respectful of the boom at all times.
A steady course - You're out at sea and a ship is approaching. You are the give way vessel. All you need to do is make a slight alteration to ensure a collision does not take place. But imagine how the skipper of the other ship feels. He's wondering whether you've made the safest decision. The answer? Show him your sidelight if it's dark. If it's light, 20 or 30 degrees and a steady course should put his mind at rest.
Knot to be forgotten - Good sailing knots are essential to sailing. The figure eight knot is a good stopper knot. The figure eight will ensure, especially in windy weather, the jibsheet and the mainsheet remain in the cabin. Other useful knots to learn are the bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches and the reef knot.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2692256
Sea sickness - If you're feeling a little under the weather don't struggle up into to the top bunk. The best way to help you feel better is to stay low! The motion is less evident there. Try to stay horizontal, and if there are no sea berths onboard, throw some cushions on the floor and lie there. You'll feel better in no time.
Think tank - Your tank may look full, but many yachts will come to a surprising halt even when the fuel level gauge looks full to burst. The best thing to do is to run a column in your log book for your engine. Keeping a check of fuel fills and oil changes means there will be no more guess work.
Stormy weather - Bad weather is a common worry for sailors. The most effective method of avoiding the effects of bad weather at sea? Avoid sailing altogether. Check local weather forecasts before setting out and try not to sail for a few days after a storm. Inevitably there will be times when getting caught in bad weather is unavoidable. So, it's therefore essential to know how to keep your crew and boat safe.
Look no hands - You'd be surprised how many people only use auto pilot on passage. Having a free hand to stow a sail or prepare lines is really useful, especially for a small crew. Just remember to make a point of keeping an eye on what's going on around the boat at all times.
Boom Boom - It's important to respect the boom. The most common sailing injuries are a result of not being aware when the boom is about to swing. To avoid injury or being knocked overboard, remember to be conscious and respectful of the boom at all times.
A steady course - You're out at sea and a ship is approaching. You are the give way vessel. All you need to do is make a slight alteration to ensure a collision does not take place. But imagine how the skipper of the other ship feels. He's wondering whether you've made the safest decision. The answer? Show him your sidelight if it's dark. If it's light, 20 or 30 degrees and a steady course should put his mind at rest.
Knot to be forgotten - Good sailing knots are essential to sailing. The figure eight knot is a good stopper knot. The figure eight will ensure, especially in windy weather, the jibsheet and the mainsheet remain in the cabin. Other useful knots to learn are the bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches and the reef knot.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2692256
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