AgentBlack.Net

Anatomy of a Spinnaker Set: Part 3 – The Poleless Jibe Set So the tactician decided to jibe set too late to get everything set up (figures). No problem, we’ll just set the spinnaker without a pole and sort it out later! This is strictly a light to moderate air maneuver and we’re gonna need to practice this one. The idea is the same as a jibe set, but the setup is the same as the bear-away set. We hoist the spinnaker without the pole as the boat turns down and rotate it around the front of the boat through the jibe, then set up the pole on the new windward side. Sounds simple doesn’t it? 1. Approach to Layline Tactician – boned it. Who needs tacticians anyway? Everyone else – set up is the same as a bear-away set. If we knew we wanted to jibe by this point, we would have set up for a jibe set. Bow – You’ve probably hooked up the sail on the port side already. This is fine and will sort itself out. Get started as soon as possible as you have

Anatomy of a Spinnaker Set: Part 2 – The Jibe Set The jibe set is a potent weapon when executed properly. We will typically use it in a large right hand shift or when rounding in traffic as it allows us to sail away from the windward mark on port jibe. The set-up is the reverse of a bear-away set. The spinnaker is set on the starboard side and the pole is set up to port. The boat is jibed around the mark before the pole is raised. 1. Approach to Layline Tactician – decide what spinnaker we will be using and what type of set we will do. Call for the sail on deck. Hopefully the tactician will recognize the need for a jibe set at this point. This almost never happens. Runners – Go below and get the proper sail. Pass forward to the rail. Bow – Get started as soon as possible as you have a lot of work to do. Trip the pole so the jaws are open. Clip the spin gear together (if you have the halyard on the rail already, clip that on too) and hel

Anatomy of a Spinnaker Set: Part 1 – The Bear-Away Set The bear-away set is the typical set we will use at the windward mark. It involves turning the boat downwind around the mark, but not jibing. The spinnaker is set on the port side of the boat (for a port rounding) and the pole is set up on the starboard side. The only time we would not do a bear-away set is in a large right hand shift (if the wind direction has veered or shifted to the right while facing upwind). 1. Approach to Layline Tactician – decide what spinnaker we will be using and what type of set we will do. Call for the sail on deck. Runners – Go below and get the proper sail. Pass forward to the rail. Bow – hook up the spinnaker while still on port tack if at all possible. Clip bag to lifelines. Attach port and starboard spin gear making sure that it is clear of everything. Bring halyard to the rail. If you are close to layline, hook it up. If not, clip halyard to the lifel

Anatomy of a Tack Changing direction going up wind 1. Ten seconds before the tack Tactician: “We’re headed, we should tack.” Helmsman: “Alright everyone we are going to tack.” Everyone Else: Stay on the rail and hike hard. 2. Five seconds before the tack Helmsman: “Get ready to tack” or “Ready about.” Jib Release: Leave the rail first and go to leeward winch. Runners: leave the rail next and go to companionway. Jib Trimmer: Leave the rail and go to cockpit side of windward winch. Grinder: Go to rail side of windward winch. Stand forward of winch facing aft with outboard foot against the chock and shoulders centered over the drum. Everyone Else: STAY ON THE RAIL and hike even harder. 3. Three seconds before the tack Anyone who is not in position announce it loudly. Jib Release: Take handle out of winch and unwind a couple of turns without easing the jib. Runners: Load new runner onto winch with th

The Anatomy of a Takedown: Part IV – The Letterbox Drop This is the takedown for when things are way out of control, like when there is so much wind that we don’t even want to put a jib up, we just need to get the chute down—fast. The letterbox drop works a lot like the leeward takedown, but without a jib up, we need to hide the spinnaker behind the main, so we run the lazy guy over the boom and down the companionway. The advantage is it keeps people off the foredeck and collapses the sail as it comes down. This works on either jibe, and the mark is probably irrelevant at this point, but we’ll assume that we are going downwind on port jibe and will not be putting up a jib (yet). The exact timing of all of these maneuvers will be soon—very soon—but only as soon as everyone is ready. 1. The Setup Once we realize things are out of control: Bow – Grab the lazy guy (hanging off the starboard side of the sail) and run it aft, over the boom, under the foot of the main

The Anatomy of a Takedown: Part III – The Mexican Takedown Why they call this the Mexican Takedown, I don’t know, but it’s probably a good story. The Mexican is a great trick to have up your sleeve because you usually pick up a boat or two when you pull it off (or lose four when you mess it up). The Mexican is similar to a weather takedown, but you use it when you are coming into the leeward mark on starboard and will have to jibe to go around it. This will let you hold the inside position until the last possible moment and pass any boats you are overlapped with. Basically it goes jib up, pole down, jibe, chute down. Like the weather takedown, the sail and all the gear will come down on the port side of the boat and be ready for a bear away set at the next mark. The exact timing of all of these maneuvers will vary with windspeed, boatspeed, and competition, but the harder it is blowing, the sooner everything has to happen. This is a good one to talk through quickly once we know its

The Anatomy of a Takedown: Part II – The Leeward Takedown (Stretch & Blow) Sounds dirtier than it is. This will be our standard takedown when we are reaching into a leeward mark (because its light air or because the tactician missed the layline) or when it’s a little too breezy to feel comfortable with the weather takedown. It can be done on either jibe, but assume here that we are reaching into the leeward mark (which we will round to port) on port jibe. Basically the way it works is jib up, pole forward, blow the halyard and chute down to leeward. Unlike the weather takedown or the Mexican, everything comes down on the starboard side of the boat, so it will have to be re-rigged upwind to be ready for a bear away set at the next mark. The exact timing of all of these maneuvers will vary with windspeed, boatspeed, and competition, but the harder it is blowing, the sooner everything has to happen. 1. The Setup About three quarters of the way down the leg (or as soon as the b

The Anatomy of a Takedown: Part I – The Weather Takedown The weather takedown is the ideal takedown because it allows you to carry the spinnaker to the last possible moment. Also since the sail comes down on the port side of the boat (usually), all of the spinnaker gear is in the correct spot for a bear-away set at the next windward mark. This is the takedown that we will usually use when coming into the leeward mark on port jibe for a normal port rounding. The exact timing of all of these maneuvers will vary with windspeed, boatspeed, and competition, but the harder it is blowing, the sooner everything has to happen. 1.The Setup About three quarters of the way down the leg (or as soon as the back of the boat figures out that we are coming in on port jibe) Bow and Mast – drag the jib around to the starboard side of the boat (it will most likely be on the port side) making sure to get the front of the sail on the right side of the foreguy(line that pulls the

Anatomy of a Jibe For when we are going this way and we need to go that way but the big colorful sail attached to the pole is in the way. 1. Ten Seconds Before the Jibe Tactician – “Okay, let's get ready to jibe.” Bow – Grab the lazy guy and pull enough slack into it to reach the bow. Position yourself on the bow in front of the forestay facing back with the lazy guy in your leeward (side opposite where the pole currently is) hand. Announce that you are ready. Mast – Raise the inboard end of the spinnaker pole above the mark on the mast (at the top exit box). Spin Sheet Trimmer – Load lazy sheet onto windward cabin top winch and take slack out. Stand between the winches just aft of the companionway and fly the spinnaker with both sheets. Guy Trimmer – Load lazy guy onto leeward primary winch (three turns, handle in, high gear) making sure that the bowman has enough slack to reach the bow. Do not pull sla