Fair Wind Sailing School Sailing Lessons: Beginning Sail Trim
Sail trim can be one of the great mysteries of effectively sailing a vessel propelled solely by the wind. Ask someone who has been on a racing vessel, or even just watched a racing yacht, and you are likely to hear how much work sailing is or how the sails need constant adjustment. This view is really incorrect — sail trim can be as difficult or as simple as you want to make it. While it may be true that a racing sail boat trying to achieve every last tenth of knot of boat speed does require a fair amount of sail trim adjustment, that is certainly not true for the typical day sailor out for a pleasurable afternoon or even for a cruiser making a passage. In these situations, it is not uncommon to set the sails (and the autopilot for that matter), sit back and enjoy the day, the water, the boat and your sailing companions. This article describes for the beginner a simple method of sail trim that can be used to effectively and safely sail a boat on any point of sail without lots of trim work (subsequent articles will address more sophisticated methods of trim that also do not require a lot of work).
To start, you must know your points of sail. The sail trim techniques described here are based on your boat’s relative position to the wind, in other words, your point of sail. Next, we will also assume that at a beginning level you won’t be sailing in strong wind, so for now we won’t discuss techniques to use when the rig is overpowered. We’ll assume you are sailing in light to moderate winds for your boat. We’ll follow a very simple procedure — set the mainsail to a predetermined position and then set the foresail so it is parallel to the mainsail. Done!
Let’s start our trim lessons with the mainsail. First, let’s simplify the sail controls. For now we will leave the main traveler centered on the boat and the boom vang in one position. All our mainsail trim, then, will be with the mainsheet. For our purposes, we will assign three and only three possible sail trim positions for the mainsail. The first is “all the way in” with the boom at the center line of the boat. The second trim position is “all the way out” with the boom as far out as it will go before the mainsail is against the spreader. The final position is “half-way”; midway between the two extreme positions. Those positions are easy to understand and to execute using just the mainsheet. The only question remaining is when to use each position. We’ll use three rules to determine which trim position to use:
- Rule One: use the “all the way in” position when you are sailing close-hauled.
- Rule Two: use the “all the way out position” when you are sailing lower than a beam reach (i.e. broad reach or running).
- Rule Three: use the “half way” position all the rest of the time (i.e. close reach and beam reach).
That’s all there is to it. No constant tweaking or adjusting. Just set once and sail. Using just these three positions and setting the sails just once will keep your boat moving at good clip and allow you to have fun while sailing!
With our mainsail trimmed, now let’s turn our attention to the foresail. We’ll use just two rules to get our foresail into a reasonable trim position.
- Rule One: the curve of the foresail should be parallel to the mainsail. This rule does not require precision — just get it close. With just a little practice you will get quite close - just be sighting between the two sails.
- Rule two is even easier: when you take the mainsail out, take the foresail out too. Conversely, when you pull the mainsail in, sheet in the foresail too. How far, you ask? Just follow Rule One — simple!!
Using the above procedure, the beginning sailor can sail reasonably efficiently by setting both sails just once for each point of sail. This takes a great deal of mystery out of sail trim and allows for significantly more enjoyment on the water.
Captain Dave Bello is President of Fair Wind Sailing School. He has raced & cruised for more than 20 years. Fair Wind offers sailing lessons (http://fairwindsailing.com) & sailing charters (http://fairwindsailing.com/sailing_charters.html) in the BVI, US Virgin Islands, Florida & the Chesapeake Bay.
Fair Wind Sailing School Sailing Lessons: Intermediate Sail Trim
In this lesson I will present a detailed perspective on sail trim, introducing the use of tell-tales and more sail controls, while keeping the relative time spent on sail trim to a minimum.
Novices begin sail trim with the mainsail. More advanced sailors start sail trim from the most forward sail on the boat. For a typical Bermuda Sloop, the most common rig today, that means the jib or foresail. We will also introduce sailing by the tell-tales — the little pieces of green and red yarn, cloth or ribbon hanging in about the middle of the sail. To begin, we put our boat on a steady course and while on that course we sheet the sail to the “all the way in” position. At this point, the “inside” tell-tales, those closest to the centerline of the boat, should be pointing straight back in line with the motion of the boat and parallel to the water, while the outside tell-tales will be flopping about. To properly trim our headsail, we will ease the sail slowly out. Eventually, the tell-tale movement will change with the inside tell-tales flopping about and the outside tell-tales flowing back in a straight line parallel with the water. When you have reached this point, stop easing the sail and gently (and slowly) trim in until both sets of tell-tales are streaming aft. This is the ideal trim position. One final note on headsails, many will have several sets of tell-tales and it can be difficult to get all sets streaming aft simultaneously. For our purposes, we will trim to the bottom set of tell-tales when there are two sets and to the middle set when there are three sets of tell-tales.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the mainsail. We will still use just our mainsheet for trimming our mainsail at this point, continuing to avoid adjustment of the boom vang and traveler car. We will center our traveler car amid ship and leave it there. At this point, with the headsail already trimmed, you are likely to see a big “bubble” along the luff of our mainsail where the headsail has turned the wind into our mainsail if the mainsail is trimmed out. The goal of mainsail trim is to get the mainsail tell-tales, located on the leach of the sail, usually along the battens, to stream back parallel to the water. The procedure is similar to headsail trim above: start with the mainsail all the way in and gradually ease the sail out until the tell-tales are streaming aft. As with the headsail, they may all not stream aft simultaneously. Try moving in and out — slowly — if you still can’t get them all flowing, concentrate on the tell-tales from mid-sail to the top of the sail — that is where you will find the strongest wind.
Lastly, let me point out that there are conditions such as very light winds, wet sails, heading dead down wind, etc., when the tell-tale trim method may not work. When you are sailing in these conditions, my advice would be return to simpler rules of trim until you are ready for the advanced trim methods.
Captain Dave Bello is President of Fair Wind Sailing School. He has raced & cruised for more than 20 years. Fair Wind offers sailing lessons (http://fairwindsailing.com) & sailing charters (http://fairwindsailing.com/sailing_charters.html) in the BVI, US Virgin Islands, Florida & the Chesapeake Bay.
Haines Hunter Oneowners
Haines Hunter has been a well respected name in the Australian boating industry for many years now. They make a wide range of boats for both family cruising and fishing. They are renowned for their quality and innovative design. Even now as early models are getting on in years, the quality of manufacture still shines through. If you are in the market for a good quality used cruiser or fishing boat, then a oneowner from the Haines Hunter range will easily meet most requirements.
The Haines Hunter Breeze offers versatile affordable boating for families. The Breeze is available in seven sizes from 4.62 metres to 6.4 metres. These boats provide a versatile option for young families wanting to get into boating. Whether you want to do some fishing in the harbour or cruise up the rivers, the Haines Hunter Breeze range will suit your needs. Brand new, these boats are available with a number of different options, so if you’re in the market for a good used boat, bear in mind that there may be differences in appointments from boat to boat. It will pay to inspect a number of boats before making any final decision.
The Patriot range of Haines Hunters caters for the fisherman. You can easily walk right around the boat and there is easy access to the bow. The Patriot range is available in 650, 680 and 800 size models. These boats are all deep sea worthy and you’ll feel comfortable getting out through the heads and into the open water. They have plenty of room both in the cabin and on the deck and are ready for some serious sports fishing.
If you’re in the market for a good sized family boat that is also suitable for dropping a line over the side, then you might want to check out some boats in the Classic range. The Classic range is perfect for a spot of fishing with the family over the weekend. There’s plenty of room in the cabin for overnight stays, making it a versatile family boat. The Classic is available in four models: the 530, 580, 600 and the 650.
If you want a boat for some serious family cruising, then the Horizon range offers luxury weekend boating. These boats are perfect for spending weekends on a secluded part of the river or lake, or anchored in the harbour when you want to be seen. These boats have luxury appointments with all the instruments and navigational aids you’ll need for safe family boating. The hull provides a soft ride which will be sure to keep your friends and family happy out on the water.
Haines Hunters are a popular choice in Australia, and have been for many years, so it should not be too hard finding a good quality boat that is right for you.
New and one owner used boats classifieds. Discover the benefits that come with buying a used boat with just one owner. We save you time and money by listing them all in one place. http://www.oneowner.com.au
Sea Doo . It’s All Fun
Dream of getting out on the water and getting wet? Want to hit the waves hard and have the sea spraying behind you as you power past all other boats on your favourite stretch of water? Want a watercraft that you can enjoy just as much on your own as you can with your family and friends? Then perhaps you need to take a wet and wild ride on a Sea Doo.
Personal watercraft have been popular for a long time and their popularity only appears to be increasing. In the early days, these personal watercraft mostly took the form of single person, stand up jet skis. Today, larger sit down models built for two people or more are becoming increasingly popular. One of the biggest names in this extreme water sport is Sea Doo.
Sea Doo have an extensive range of personal watercraft to suit many different uses. At one end of the scale you have the massive 2-seater inter-cooled, supercharged 215 horsepower RXP designed for pure thrills and high speed riding. This rocket on water has a dry weight of 385 kilograms and is 307cm long, 120cm wide and 109cm high. It’s got a fuel capacity of 60 litres and has Direct drive with forward, neutral and reverse transmission and electric VTS
Tips For Buying A One Owner Boat
Boating is a great pastime to get involved in; however with the price of new boats these days, it can also be quite expensive. If you’re considering getting out onto the water, your best option might be to buy a good one owner boat to suit your budget. There are many things you’ll need to consider when buying a boat, so here we provide some useful tips.
What do you want to do out on the water?
The first thing you’ll need to consider is what it is you want to do out on the water. Do you want to go fishing? Do you want to explore the bays, harbours and rivers with the family? Do you want something that will get you from A to B in the quickest possible time? Do you want to experience the thrill of sailing and battling the elements? These are all very important questions to answer before you even start looking. Boats are highly specialised vehicles and a boat that suits one type of use may not be at all practical for another kind. Speak with your family and ask what they want from their boating experience. When you’ve done this, then it’s time to start your research.
Work out your budget
Okay, so you’re buying a good one owner boat, but you’ll still need to determine how much you can afford to spend. Even used boats can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars so you need to set your budget and stick to it. No matter how much you have to spend, you are sure to find something that you can enjoy out on the water.
Inspect some boats before you buy
Before you decide on your boat, you’ll want to inspect quite a few. Don’t jump in and buy the first boat you come across. When you inspect a boat, firstly look to see that it has been properly maintained and well looked after. A boat that has not been well loved will be easily spotted. Check to make sure it is clean inside and out. This goes for the equipment too. Everything should have been well cleaned after each outing.
Engine troubles can end up costing a fortune to fix so make sure the motor, whether an outboard or inboard, has been well maintained. Ask to hear the engine running. Does the engine start straight away? Does it sound like it is running properly? If you are not mechanically minded, take someone along with you who is.
You’ll also need to check on what equipment will come with the boat. Does it have the necessary safety gear such as life jackets, flares, radio and anchors?
Buying your boat
When it comes to buying your boat, you’ll need to treat the exercise just like you’re buying a car. Check how much registration the boat has, and if it’s a trailer boat, check the trailer’s registration too. As with buying a car, you’ll also need to check that the boat has no encumbrances by doing a REVS check. When organising your REVS check you’ll need the boat’s Hull Identification Number (HIN), the engine number and the registration number.
It will also be a good idea to organise for a professional inspection of the hull and engine before handing over your cheque.
You’ll also need to consider marine insurance. Organise this before you take possession of the boat.
If you follow these simple suggestions and use your own common sense, you’ll be sure to get the most out of your boating experience. Remember, do your research first and don’t just jump straight in at the deep end.
oneowner is a specialised online classified site for new and one owner used boats. Enjoy the benefits that come with buying a used one owner boat. http://www.oneowner.com.au
Haines Signature Range
The Haines name has been associated with building high quality trailer boats in Australia for many years now. Haines has built a reputation for building durable boats at a price that is well within the reach of many keen mariners. Here we take a look at the Haines Signature range of boats.
The Haines Signature range of boats starts with the 5.0 metre 500C. The top of the range Signature is the flagship 770C.
The Signature 500C
The Signature 500C is the smallest in the Signature range at 5.0 metres. The 500C is a great day boat and includes plenty of storage space for a boat of this size, including a small cabin. The boat can handle up to a 90hp 4 stroke engine and can easily be towed behind the average family sedan or four wheel drive. This is a great entry level boat for the young family.
The Signature 770C
The Signature 770C offers plenty of room for fishing or for entertaining. In fact, this trailerable boat looks much bigger than the actual dimensions suggest. It can sleep four people with two by two berths making it a great weekend sleepover boat for the family. It has a stowaway deck table for entertaining and at 7.7 metres long has plenty of room and storage space. The Signature 770C is capable of carrying 500 litres of fuel and 200 litres of water. All up the boat weighs around 2,200 kg and can handle a single outboard of up to 250hp, twin outboards of up to 150hp each or a stern drive engine of up to 320hp.
Some of the features of Signature boats
Some of the features you can expect from the Signature range of trailer boats include:
Pros Tips For Building a Boat
To get a good boat, one must start with a good design. Any person equipped with basic woodworking tools, some experience and patience should be able to get his or her dreamboat translated into a real life of excitement and action. Boats do not go out of fashion. After a few years, if your taste or requirements should change, you can always sell your boat and start a new- one. The building of your own boat is a challenge, but if you meet it, the reward is the deep satisfaction of a self-made life afloat.
The example in this article was a boat we built that we liked to call `Swell Time.` The first step in building this boat, after selecting the materials, was to make full-size frame patterns. The frames are molded three inches thick, and cut from one-inch stock. The bottoms of all frames are cut with a 15
The Bayliner 194 Is Now A Good Oneowner Opportunity
The Bayliner 194 has now been around long enough to provide some good one owner opportunies. As with most boats in the Bayliner range, the Bayliner 194 Classic Runabout looks great out on the water. Bayliner has a reputation for making high quality boats and this one is no exception. Whether you want to go fishing, cruising the harbour or skiing on the river, then the Bayliner 194 Classic Runabout may just suit your requirements.
At 5.7 metres long this Bayliner runabout is propelled through the water via a 3.0 litre Mercruiser inboard engine giving it the power required for skiing behind as well as for cruising at fast rate of knots and for fishing in the open water.
Construction
The Bayliner 194 Classic Runabout has a fibreglass mono hull with foam flotation. There is a transferable 5 year structural deck warranty and a transferable limited lifetime structural hull warranty. So bear this in mind when considering a one owner or used boat.
Fixtures on the Bayliner 194 Classic Runabout include:
Mustang 2000 Bluewater. Fishing and Family Fun
If you are looking for a trailer boat that is versatile enough to take out into the deep water for some serious fishing one weekend and then take it on a leisurely family outing the following weekend, then you may want to take a close look at the Mustang Bluewater 2000.
This boat is equally at home outside the heads fishing as it is cruising the bays, rivers and harbours with the family onboard. The Bluewater 2000 is a 6 metre half cabin with an 8 person capacity. It can handle up to a 200 hp outboard engine and has capacity for 185 litres of fuel.
The cabin is quite large with a distinctive bulbous design and as a result there is plenty of headroom and enough storage space in the cabin for a weekend away on the water. The cabin is also fairly well appointed with a 2.1m bunk and a well built, quality finish. The cabin is also carpeted and lined throughout for that extra level of comfort. The galley is adequately decked out for an overnight stay on the water and includes a propane stove and cutting board. The only real problems within the cabin appear to be the square edges on the table which you have to keep an eye out for when moving around and the undersized drink holders that unfortunately will not hold a stubby cooler.
For shelter from the elements, the Mustang Bluewater 2000 also has a collapsible bimini top that works well to keep both the sun and the rain from spoiling your trip. There’s also an extension available that brings the cover right down over the cockpit so if you’re buying a used boat check to see whether this extended cover is included with any boat you are looking at buying.
Overall, the Mustang Bluewater 2000 offers the serious fisherman the best of both worlds. You can keep the family happy with a pleasant cruise one weekend and then impress the members of your local fishing club the following weekend.
Features at a glance
Some of the features of the Mustang Bluewater 2000 include:
What Is The Best Way To Maintain Your Boat Investment?
Just about everything we own these days requires some form of maintenance to keep in top-notch shape. Houses need general repairs and once those are done, there are always leaves to rake or lawns to mow. Cars need regular trips to the garage to correct wear and tear problems or to have routine oil changes and tune ups. Boats are no different, and anyone who owns one knows that water and weather are unforgiving, and your water vehicle will need its own fair share of TLC. Regular boat maintenance goes a long way to maintaining smooth-running engines and keeping your boat looking its best.
What Kind of Tasks To Expect
There is other boat maintenance that should be done daily, for those who cruise the water often, or at least once a week if you tend to keep your boat moored at dock more than you are out on the water. Some regular boat maintenance tasks include looking over dock lines and fenders for signs of wear and chafing. Try not to depend on the hired help at the marinas and docks to look out for these things, as they are not always well trained. Washing is also a regular part of boat maintenance and should be done once a week to remove dirt and grime. Feet on decks bring on a fair share of dirt that runs down the sides of the boat when it rains, leaving streaks on the hull. Some locations require you to wash the hulls of your boats before putting them in the water to prevent invasive species.
Boat maintenance includes making sure everything mechanical runs well. Check the oil level of your engine first, and then start the motor to let it run until warm and at operating temperature. Do the same with your A.C. power generator, but do let it run for at least an hour and turn on everything to give it a heavy load. Go the distance with your boat maintenance and check all your batteries to make sure they are not anywhere in the lower operating levels. Safety is a big part of boat maintenance. Make sure all your navigation lights are working, by turning them on and walking around your boat to make sure each light functions properly, and check your horn. You will also want to make sure all your electronics are working, especially anything related to navigation and safety. They may have been working fine last time you were out, but that does not guarantee they are working this time.
Inform yourself on a complete, recommended list of boat maintenance and get in the habit of going down the checklist as often as you can. While having a boat and getting out on the water is fun, taking care of your vehicle with a good boat maintenance routine keeps your boat running well and keeps you and your passengers safe.
Susan Love enjoys boat recreation and is a regular contributor to http://BoatCoverGuide.com - A comprehensive information guide on how and where to purchase boat covers.
