11 – Preparing to Sail 91 Section 11 Preparing to Sail clew aft, working the entire foot of the sail into the slot. Bend. To make fast a sail to a spar or stay. Also, a knot to Attach the clew to the outhaul and the tack to the goose- secure a line to another line or object. neck. Apply some tension on the foot with the outhaul. Final foot tension adjustments will be made when the sail is hoisted. Some masts and booms, especially those on 1 Some of the fun of sailing comes from preparing the boat cruising boats, have tracks instead of coves. Sail slides to sail: stepping the mast, bending-on and hoisting the fit onto the track. Using slugs or slides enables cruising sails, and getting under way skillfully and quickly. This boat skippers to lower the mainsail leaving it connected section discusses dos and don’ts in bending-on, hoisting, to the mast and flake it, accordion style, on the boom for lowering, and storing sails. storage rather than removing it after each day’s sail. Stepping the Mast 6 Install the battens in the bottom pockets. Preparatory to 2 Once launched, most large sailboats stay in the water for connecting the luff of the sail to the mast, run a hand extended periods. For these boats, stepping the mast is an along the entire luff to ensure that it is not twisted. infrequent occurrence. Boats that are not left in the water With slugs or slides on a cove of the mast, install them may have their masts stepped and removed frequently. one at a time working down from the head of the sail. Crew weight on the foredeck may damage lightweight When they are all entered, engage the stop in the cove racing boats if the mast is stepped with the boat on its that keeps them from falling out. Do not hoist the sail trailer or cradle. until ready to cast off. On windy days, with the sails raised and the boat on the mooring, the flogging of sails 3 If a boat on a trailer is moved with the mast up, be sure may damage the sail. The whipping of the boom back to check the area for overhead power lines. Do not rig or and forth can cause injury. When ready to hoist, make move the rigged boat in the presence of overhead power sure that the mainsheet is released and that the boom lines. is not constrained from rising. Check the main halyard to ensure that it is not fouled on the rigging and con- 4 When stepping the mast on a small centerboard boat nect it securely to the head of the mainsail. If the mast with the boat in the water, take care not to capsize the has a cove for a boltrope rather than a track, insert the boat. Boats are less stable with added weight near the boltrope at the head of the sail into the cove. Then hoist bow. Board the boat abaft the beam. Step in towards the mainsail, be careful to continuously align the sail the center of the boat, not on the gunwale. If the water with the cove at the entry to avoid jams. is deep enough, lower the centerboard. Stay aft of the mast and straddle the centerline when possible. Install Bending-on the Jib the rudder and tiller before raising the sails. 7 When bending-on a headsail, the tack cringle is first attached to the tack fitting. If the sail was properly Bending-on the Mainsail bagged, the tack cringle should be the first part to emerge 5 The mast and boom of most sailboats have grooves, called from the sail bag. coves, that will fit a bolt rope or slugs, small cylinders attached to the foot or luff of the sail. When bending-on 8 On small boats, the jib is often attached to the jib- the mainsail, slide the bolt rope or the slugs into the slot stay or headstay with plastic snap hooks or cloth tabs in the boom at the tack end, i.e., near the mast. Pull the with metal snaps. On larger boats, with roller furling, aluminum rods or tubes with one or more slots to Sail 92 11 – Preparing to Sail Main Halyard Jib Halyard Head Head Backstay Forestay Hanks Batten Pockets Leech f Luf Mainsail Slides Luf f Outhaul Topping Lift Leech Jib Reef Points Tack Clew Foot Clew Boom Vang Downhaul Mainsheet Foot Tack Winch Jib Sheet Halyard Winch Figure 11–1 Sail Terminology Sail 11 – Preparing to Sail 93 Head Hold sail down at A and A' and pull B and B' down to foot of sail Smooth out B B' wrinkles and repeat A A' AA' Tack Clew B B' Lay sail out on flat, clean smooth surface Now roll or fold sail Repeat until sail is end for end until it completely folded fits in bag with tack on top A CC' A' B D D' B' In Bag and Ready to Stow Figure 11–2 Folding a Sail 10 After bending-on sails on boats with engines, it may be accommodate a jib boltrope are used. Piston hanks are desirable to motor out to open water before hoisting sail. still in use in some areas. Jib hanks are connected to Hoist the mainsail first and then the jib. It is best to hoist the stay working from the tack to the head. Straddle the sails with the boat headed into the wind. the sail trapping the sail between your legs to keep the clew from going into the water. Take care to ensure that the sail is not twisted. Run a hand along the luff as the Folding the Sails hanks or snaps are attached to make sure that every one 11 The sails on many boats are folded, which is much is securely and correctly engaged. better than stuffing them into a bag. Often, the folding will take place at the end of the day on a dock or lawn 9 When reaching the head of the sail, securely attach area near the launch site. The sails should be folded so the jib halyard to the head cringle, making sure the jib that the creases are parallel to the direction of airflow halyard is not fouled. Then attach the jib sheets to the over them when in use. Creases at an angle to the airflow clew cringle. On large boats, use bowlines tied close to over them may cause the flow to detach from the sail at the clew. Where practicable, avoid using metal shackles the crease line. Figure 11–2 illustrates sail folding. and blocks to attach sheets to jib clews. Metal fittings on flapping jib clews can cause injury. It may be advisable 12 During manufacture, sail cloth is often impregnated to avoid hoisting the jib until underway and, similarly, to and coated to strengthen it and reduce its porosity. The douse the jib before entering a crowded mooring area. benefits of this process are gradually lost in service as Sail 94 11 – Preparing to Sail the sail is bent and creased by flapping when the boat 14 In the off season, when sails are removed from the boat, is head-to-wind and by folding the sails. To reduce this they should be washed, inspected, and repaired. In humid wear and tear on sails, an increasing number of small climates, precautions should be taken to store the sails boat sails are now being rolled rather than folded. The in a dry, well-ventilated place to protect against mildew. sails are rolled from head to foot, perpendicular to the Sails should be washed with a mild soap that has a ph as leech, and the battens are left in the pockets. neutral as possible, using a soft bristle brush, and then flushing with plenty of fresh water. The deck is a better 13 Cruising boat sails are generally made of heavy, durable place to wash sails than on grass because grass stains sail cloth that is tolerant to folding. On boats with jib are difficult to remove. Concrete may be too abrasive for roller furling, the jib that is rigged is stored rolled up on the sail material. Avoid walking on the sails at anytime. the headstay. Before leaving the moored boat after a sail, The sails must then be dried thoroughly before storing. tie a line around the roller furled jib to prevent it from Choose a relatively calm day so that drying can be ac- unfurling if a storm comes along. The mainsail being complished by flying the sails from the masthead using used is flaked on the boom, tied down, and protected a halyard. from ultra-violet radiation by a sail cover. Summary 15 Do not move a boat on a trailer with the mast up in the presence of overhead electrical power lines. Install the rudder before raising the sails. Ensure that halyards and sheets are not fouled before connecting them to sails. Be ready to cast off when hoisting sails. Roll or fold and store sails properly. Sail 11 – Preparing to Sail 95 Homework: Section 11: Preparing to Sail Name___________________________________ 1. Mainsails are normally: a) made of nylon because of its stretch resistance. b) folded or flaked after use with crease lines parallel to the luff. c) connected to the mast and boom by boltropes, slugs, or slides. d) connected to the boom by pushing the tack into a slot at the tack end and pulling the sail aft along the boom.