YCC Sailing course for beginners.pdf

Sailing Course for Beginners

This electronic version has been prepared using the 1988 revised version of the original YCC

“Summary of the Sailing Course” of 1969. It contains chapters on trapeze sailing and spinnaker work

and a multi-language dictionary instead of the original English/French/German terminology list.

Author: Hartmut Hugler, March 1988.

Translation: Dennis Grier

Arrangement and typing: Sheila Ray

Electronic edition: Tomasz Ładziński, March 2005

YCC Sailing Course for Beginners

Table of Contents:

1. Basic Principles ..................................................................................... 3

1.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 3

1.2 Nautical Terminology ........................................................................................ 3

1.3 The Boat............................................................................................................. 3

1.4 The Boat and the Wind ...................................................................................... 4

1.5 The Boat’s Course in Relation to the Wind ....................................................... 5

1.6 Elementary Manoeuvres .................................................................................... 6

1.7 Practical Suggestions ......................................................................................... 8

2. Safety in Navigation .............................................................................. 9

2.1 Basic Safety Rules ............................................................................................. 9

2.2 Possible Accidents ........................................................................................... 10

2.3 Suggestions ...................................................................................................... 10

3. The Manoeuvres.................................................................................. 11

3.1 Going About..................................................................................................... 11

3.2 Gybing.............................................................................................................. 13

3.3 Getting Under Way .......................................................................................... 15

3.3.1 Casting off from a buoy ........................................................................... 16

3.3.2 Launching from a shore ........................................................................... 16

3.4 Picking up a Mooring....................................................................................... 18

3.5 Man Overboard ................................................................................................ 20

3.6 Heaving to........................................................................................................ 22

3.7 Reefing ............................................................................................................. 23

3.8 Trapeze Sailing ................................................................................................ 23

3.9 Spinnaker Sailing ............................................................................................. 26

3.10 Rules and Regulations on the Lake.................................................................. 30

4. Sail Trim and Stability ....................................................................... 32

4.1 Action of the Wind on a Sail............................................................................ 32

4.2 Balance of a Sailing Boat................................................................................. 33

4.3 Stability ............................................................................................................ 34

4.4 Drift.................................................................................................................. 35

5. Trim Techniques and Effects............................................................. 36

6. Basic Knots .......................................................................................... 37

7. Sketch of a Dinghy .............................................................................. 38

8. Winds on the lake of Geneva ............................................................. 39

9. Sailing Dictionary................................................................................ 40

10. Ten Golden Rules for YCC Dinghy Sailors...................................... 42

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YCC Sailing Course for Beginners

1. Basic Principles

1.1 Introduction

There are two main categories of sailing boats:

Keel boats, where stability on the water is obtained by means of a weighted

keel placed under a buoyant hull. Seagoing yachts are mostly keel boats.

Dinghies, the balance of which is regulated by weight of the crew. These

rather small boats are ideal for lake sailing.

We shall limit ourselves here to the study of the second category. However, most of

the theoretical aspects and the principles of manoeuvring which are discussed are also

applicable to larger boats.

1.2 Nautical Terminology

When sailing, it is essential to know the terminology used to describe the boat fittings

as well as the precise terms used to define the various manoeuvres.

This terminology has been used for a long time in sailing and its advantage us that it

permits orders given to be clearly understood and executed precisely.

At the end of this pamphlet you will find a list of the most important terms many, of

which are used in this course.

1.3 The Boat

The ‘hull’ allows the boat to float. Because of its long, narrow and symmetrical shape,

it moves most easily in a forward direction. The ‘centre board’ is a sort of vertical

wing in the middle of the hull which improves this tendency towards forward motion

and reduces sideways movement to a minimum.

The ‘rigging’ comprises the support and control cables, wires and ropes – all the

cordage that is needed to keep up the mast and regulate the sails.

The vertical ‘mast’ supports a horizontal ‘boom’ which can swivel from one side of

the boat to the other. The ‘main sail’ is held between these two. In order to control the

direction of the main sail, a rope called the main sheet is attached to the end of the

boom. Note: a sheet is always a rope, never a sail.

The ‘jib’- a triangular sail - is stretched along a wire running from the top of the mast

to the front of the boat. Jib sheets at the free angle of the triangle control this sail.

The ‘helm’ or the ‘tiller’ is the device which makes it possible to steer the boat. It is

attached to a streamlined vertical board plunged in the water, called a ‘rudder’ which

swivels on a vertical axis. By pushing the tiller to the left, the boat will steer to the

right and vice versa. The rudder loses its effect at angles greater than about 45°.

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YCC Sailing Course for Beginners

Fig.1

1.4 The Boat and the Wind

In the following drawings and explanations, we only mention the main sail. However,

the principles remain the same for the jib. The division into two or more sails

increases the efficiency and flexibility of the craft.

a) The wind comes from the aft (behind). The mainsheet is eased out. The wind’s

force on the sail is directed towards the front of the boat and pushes it forward.

b) The wind blows from the side. In order to fill the sail, the boom should be hauled in

(with the main sheet) towards the middle of the boat.

The force of the wind on the sail can be represented as a single force F which can be

broken down into a propulsive force Fp which makes the boat go forward and a

perpendicular force Fd abeam which makes the boat drift sideways. Since resistance

to the forward motion is much weaker than resistance to sideways motion, the boat

will move forward in a direction almost perpendicular to the wind, with a slight

sideways drift, and will ‘heel’ to ‘leeward’ under the effect of force Fd.

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YCC Sailing Course for Beginners

c) The boat turns close to the direction of the wind. The main sail has to be hauled in

even more. The boat still advances but with a stronger lateral component (more drift

and a greater tendency to heel).

d) The boat turns very close to wind, into the forbidden angle. The sails will

eventually start flapping and the boat will lose speed and stop.

Fig.2

1.5 The Boat’s Course in Relation to the Wind

On a sailing boat, everything depends upon the wind. The various directions the boat

takes in relation to the wind, as illustrated in Fig.3, are called ‘points of sailing’.

Each one of these points requires a particular setting of the sail. The points of sailing

called ‘running before the wind’ require easing out of the sheets and the exact setting

of the sails in general is not critical. However, when sailing close to the wind, the sails

are hauled in to a maximum and the speed of the boat depends much on the actual

setting.

If we come too close to the wind, the boat will drift sideways more than it will

advance. We enter a forbidden zone, the ‘beating’ zone, where one has to zigzag if

one is to move against the direction of the wind. This forbidden angle varies from 90°

to 110° depending on the boat.

It is essential, on a boat, always to be aware of the wind direction. An effective means

to indicate the direction of the wind and to be constantly informed on its changes is

the use of a burgee, a small f lag at the top of the mast and/or ribbons fixed to the

shrouds.

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