CHAPTER 8
TIP
If the jib wire takes up the strain of the forestay to support the mast on your boat, DO NOT shorten sail by lowering the jib or the entire rig may collapse.
Club 420: The easiest way to shorten sail on a Club 420 is to cat-rig your boat. Attach the jib halyard to the jib tack pin and tighten the jib halyard.
Laser: The easiest way to shorten sail on a Laser is to disconnect the clew and Cunningham from the sail and wrap the sail around the mast several times. You should experiment with some of the techniques described to find what works best in different conditions.
Optimist: The easiest way to shorten sail on an Optimist is to remove the sprit pole, either tie the peak of the sail down using the sprit control line, or let the peak flap in the breeze. Make sure you secure the sprit in the boat.
For short distances, it is often easiest to scull the boat. In sculling, you move the tiller and rudder repeatedly back and forth, using it like a fish tail at the stern. If you have lowered the sails, they should be furled or stowed so they won’t blow in the water or get in the way.
SHORTENING SAIL When the wind is too strong and your boat is heeling too much, you should shorten your sail. Your boat will go just as fast and will be more in control with less sail area exposed to the wind. Different boats may require different techniques to reduce sail area.
LOWERING THE JIB: As long as the mast isn’t supported by the jib wire, the easiest way to reduce sail is to simply lower the jib. With just the mainsail up, however, the boat is no longer in balance. The wind pressure on the mainsail will tend to rotate the bow of the boat toward the wind, and you will feel weather helm. To compensate, you will need to steer with the tiller pulled slightly away from the mainsail to keep the boat sailing straight. Not all boats will sail to windward with the jib down.
REEFING: The area of the mainsail may be reduced by lowering the sail partially and securing the lower portion to the boom. This is best accomplished while on a close reach or while hove-to with the mainsail luffing. (To learn how to heave-to, see the next chapter.)
LOWERING THE MAINSAIL: The most significant way you can reduce sail is to lower the mainsail. With just the jib up, however, the boat is longer in balance. The wind pressure on the jib will tend to rotate the bow away from the wind, and you will feel lee helm. To compensate, you will need to steer with the tiller slightly pushed towards the mainsail to keep the boat sailing straight.
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