Sailing 101 - The First Day without the motor

[cuisto]

BOB,

Seems youre having a rough go to start. I hate feeling and looking incompetant, it feels so small but you will get past it.

The best advice i could offer is to find someone with more experience even just a bit, to spend a day with you getting familiar with the boat, the theory (wind makes me go this way etc) the lines et al.

You could learn in ours what it would take you months on your own because you are worried about screwing something up. It really is very easy to become a proficient novice once you get past the stupid mistakes we ALL make when learning something new.

Get yourself a sailing buddy you can practice with a bit and once you are more at ease I all but GARANTEE your wife will follow suite.

It really is painfull to hear the frustrations you are having.

There are surely members closer to where you are, but I would happily give you a full weekend off sailing, powering, docking, and simple but great onboard cooking lessons. I am no PRO but a very capable Week ender!

[Trouts Dream]

A stored, forever tightened outhaul might lead to a prematue streched and baggy sail, so their theory goes.

Got me wondering if I have an overtightened outhaul. I just assumed it was the beer and old age.

[Bawgy]

I am a good distance from you but will offer to take you out on my boat . Go to a marina with lots of sailboats and ask for a crew spot for the day . Post your name on a board there and I am sure you will get some response. I believe we have some members here on Lake lanier. NOt sure where you are at but I am sure someone can take you out . Your dealer should have offerd this service

[Beam's Reach]

Don't worry, by the end of the summer you'll feel much better.

The first few times I went out, I couldn't remember which line did what, couldn't start my motor, then realized the battery switch was off, tried to dock with all foils up and ended up with no control and spun around so that I was making my approach backwards downa 35' channel on a 26' boats. I looked so foolish that 7 people were waiting on my dock to help me in.

Now I come in after a day of single handing and nobody on the docks or their boats even looks up because they know I can do it alone.

Just relax and take your time. Very few mistakes are really as serious as they seem at the time. And you'll learn something from all of them. And there is no greater resource that the guys here....cause we've all made pretty much every mistake you can imagine.

(Although I did discuss the boat purchase with the Admiral before I wrote the cheque)

[Hardcrab]

Trout,
"Got me wondering if I have an overtightened outhaul. I just assumed it was the beer and old age".



Thanks, I needed that

[tangentair]

I have a little different take on this also - I am not sure anyone addressed fully his lines aft and does not reach the top questions. The main usually does not reach the top for two reasons, a tangle and the downhaul or Cunningham is tight. When raising the main, loosen the Cunningham or downhaul first then before attaching the halyard hold each end in your outstretched arms and look to heaven ( a little prayer here is optional but often needed) - usually there is a crossing or twist of the two lines and you will have to clear it or the main will stop about 8 inches from the top and be hard to raise. Sometimes you will do this and forget the prayer and it will tangle out of spite – no humor here intended. Once the main has been pulled fully skyward and the halyard tied, cleated, or clamped off the use the Cunningham/downhaul to adjust the luff that is to say - that by hauling or easing the line, the tension in the luff can be changed, thereby shifting the point of maximum draft of the sail forward or aft, optimizing sail shape—and therefore—performance. While this is a primarily a racing feature, you should learn to sail right rather than unlearn a bad habit later.

Lines aft, the main halyard goes through a pulley at the top of the mast (where the twisting and crossing and passing behind and around the mast etc occurs) and descends to a mast mounted winch and cleat on most masts. On lines lead aft, the winch is relocated to a point on the cabin top near the cockpit, the halyard is lengthened and goes through a block at the base of the mast to turn its travel back toward the cockpit and the cleat is replaced with some sort of clamping device. Either way you should be able to haul up the main with out the winch 99% of the time. If it is too hard, use sail lube on those plastic thingies (sail slugs) and as far up the mast track as you can reach.

Topping lift in the way, You do know that once you have raised the main, you remove the topping lift and secure it out of the way some place and before you drop the main you reattach it right? That is so the boom does not fall into the cockpit. There are other uses for the topping lift once it is disconnected, like holding up a whisker pole, but you should tie it off at the base of the mast for now probably.

There are no adjustments to the halyard or topping lift during a maneuver. They are secured (and not released except to reef) until you take down the sail. The main sheet traveler controls where the boom is in relation to the wind, you should read up in positioning it amidships, starboard, or port to achieve better sail shape. And the vang, the pulley arrangement from the mast base to the boom is also used to control sail shape, unless you are sailing down wind when it can be loosened from the mast base and secured to a lifeline stanchion base to prevent the boom from swinging across the cockpit when it is not intended for it to do so. (accidental gybe) The out haul streatches the foot of the sail and I agree that the foot should be stored loose to preserve sail shape. While many of us are far from the tweaking sail shape stage, again you should learn it right rather than relearn it.

What to do with the fenders – I don’t know, I just toss them over the lifeline and tie off the bottom with a small line – Some people have fancy holders, I like to have more fenders on board than I have places to put them. I have been know to dock by the Braille method on more than one occasion.

[Beam's Reach]

"dock by the Braille method "

I'll have to remember that one!

[tangentair]

"dock by the Braille method "

I'll have to remember that one!

There is a special technique on night manuvers also

[Trouts Dream]

Topping lift in the way, You do know that once you have raised the main, you remove the topping lift and secure it out of the way some place and before you drop the main you reattach it right? That is so the boom does not fall into the cockpit. There are other uses for the topping lift once it is disconnected, like holding up a whisker pole, but you should tie it off at the base of the mast for now probably.

Tang
I leave my topping lift on all the time. My topping lift is tied around a small cleat on the ned of the boom. It is adjusted so that when the sail is raised the topping lift has slack in it and I don't have to remember it when I lower the mainsail. I can also shorten it extensively when the sail is down so the boom is higher and then I swing the main sheet over to one of the side stanchions when motoring or at rest. The only time I take my toppoing lift off is when removing the boom for travel and then I only take it off the end of the boom. I find this a simple method but then my wife finds me a simple man. (That is a compliment right?)

[c130king]

Ditto what Trout said. My topping lift is permanently tied and not really adjustable...unless I untie the knot on the cleat at the end of the boom and then pull the boom higher and retie.

For me it is not necessary to adjust.

As for the outhaul. I also never adjust this. Just don't see a need to. When I take the main off the mast the tack is disconnected from the gooseneck. This relieves any "pressure" that may be stretching the foot.

And I don't fool with the outhaul for making the sail baggy when sailing off the wind.

Just my $.02 (or approximatley .01 GBP... ) worth.

Jim

[Beam's Reach]

Two clips in my topping lift. One at the bottom end that leaves enough slack for when the sail is fully raised, and one about 18" up that holds the boom up over my dodger (and my head) when motoring with without sails. I just have to clip one or the other to the end of the boom.

[tangentair]

Whatever works on the topping lift. The same with leaving the downhaul tied and the outhaul fixed - but a beginning sailor probably should understand the reason these rigging features exist and why they are important. (IMHO at least) Of course, there has to be balance between the amount of information and the learning curve, so that the learning is enjoyable and it is likely different for every individual. Some people can learn to sail in San Fran Bay, others might do better on a sun fish on a 5 acre pond. However, DDB seems to be committed to sailing by the Chapman method (Charlie not the book) so I felt it might be helpful to point out a few misconceptions. I really think he is headed for a Disney movie of the week.

[Hardcrab]

Ditto the other Ditto's as to a fixed topping lift. Upper clip for the boom end strap, and another hung 8" lower for mast "stowage" to the starboard lifeline.

[pokerrick1]

I am EXTREMELY glad I got rid of my topping lift when my lazy jacks were installed - - - because - - - twice I asked someone to hold onto it while I did something else and twice it wound up at the top of the mast - - - requiring lowering the mast to retrieve it. Good riddance toppinp lift!

Rick

PS Of course you have to have something, but the lazy jacks replace it.

[Bawgy]

My topping lift is secured at the top of the mast permenantly and is tied of through a block at the end of the boom to a small cleat . I have it marked with a sharpie as to the length it needs to be to clear the bimini and get the sail fully deployed