GENERAL INFO
Instructional Guidelines
for
Teaching in Lido 14's
PHASE II - Leaving the Dock; Tacking and Heaving To
A. AT THE DOCK
1. Review briefly Phase I terminology -- mainsail, jib, sheets, tiller and rudder, points of sail.
2. Phase II terms. Point out and explain halyards, shrouds, forestay, boom vang, centerboard, outhaul, telltales, cunningham, gooseneck, and traveler. Define windward, leeward, starboard, port, forward and aft.
B. LEAVING THE DOCK
1. Sailing backwards. Any student who has completed Phase I should be able to take the boat away from the dock. The boat should be cast off from the dock with the bow pointing as close into the wind as possible. Both the main and the jib should be free. As the bow falls off the wind, steer the stern away from the wind to keep bow pointed into the wind by moving the tiller slightly to the side opposite the boom (keep the tiller parallel to the boom). Note that it will be easier to sail backwards if the weight in the boat is balanced.
2. Falling off. When you are clear of all obstructions and while sailing backwards, push the tiller to port (assuming a westerly wind) and the bow will fall off to port and the student can sail off on a beam reach. Have the student practice sailing backwards at least two boat lengths before falling off.
3. Gaining headway. In gaining headway, it is convenient and practical to sheet in the jib first, before the main, to be certain to have enough lee helm to clear adjacent obstructions.
C. TACKING
Explain the procedure for tacking (or coming about) to all the students in the following manner. This example has the student facing aft when tacking.
1. Tack from close-hauled. Explain that one tacks from a closehauled position with the wind on one side of the boat to a closehauled position with the wind on the other side of the boat, which is a turn of approximately 90 degrees. Beginners will find it helpful to pick a landmark 90 degrees windward of their current course before coming about.
2. Crew. Check to see if the crew knows how and when to release the jib sheet. When the student at the helm is prepared to tack and says "ready about" the crew uncleats the jib sheet and holds it tight but ready to release. When the crew has done this s/he responds "ready."
3. Tiller hand exchange. Explain the tiller hand exchange as follows: With the hand nearest the stern holding the tiller, as the student turns the boat and switches sides (facing aft) s/he switches hands (the student will have to let go of the mainsheet while switching sides) so that when s/he is on the "new" side the hand closest to the stern is grasping the tiller and the other hand may now hold the mainsheet. Note that the tiller can be raised. The sail and the student should cross the boat at the same time in opposite directions, and the student should end up forward of the tiller after the tack (to prevent the student from sitting on top of the tiller and preventing him/her from straightening out the boat). The tiller should be returned to the centerline of the boat to check the turn of the boat and prevent it from going beyond a close-hauled position (no more than a 90 degree turn).
4. Tacking maneuver. The student may now start the tacking maneuver with the command "helm's alee". Upon this command, s/he pushes the tiller toward the sail (gradually, not hard) and completes the tack as described above. Under no circumstances should the tiller be released. The crew should hold the jib taut after the command "helm's alee", until the jib is fully luffing, and only then release the jib and pull it in on the other side of the boat. In light winds the crew will have to help pull the lazy sheet through the fairlead.
5. Strong winds. The student should be cautioned not to oversteer the tack in strong winds. This is a major cause of accidental capsizes. Sheeting in and cleating the jib sheet prematurely can also cause similar problems. Advise the student not to tack in large waves, but wait for relatively flat water. The mainsheet can remain cleated during a tack in light winds, but should be uncleated in strong winds to avoid capsizes.
Tacking looking forward. The previous description is based on looking toward the stern when tacking. Tacking while looking toward the bow is also acceptable, and only differs in the tiller hand change. For this method, the student holds the tiller with the hand nearest the stern, and the mainsheet in the other hand. Then, as the student switches sides, s/he reaches behind his/her back with the hand holding the mainsheet and grasps the tiller with the same hand. Then, after straightening out the boat, the mainsheet can then be transferred to the other hand.
D. HEAVING TO
1. Heave to maneuver. The easiest way to heave to is to simply keep the jib cleated in during a tack. The student should say "Ready to heave to" instead of "Ready to come about". After the student comes about and the jib is backwinded, the student should release the mainsheet and slowly push the tiller to the lee gunwale (to avoid coming about again).
2. Reasons to heave to. The counteracting forces of a hove-to boat will result in a relatively balanced boat which will slowly drift downwind. The force of the wind on the jib pushes the boat off the wind while the rudder position heads the boat up into the wind. The maneuver can be used for such things as changing students at the helm, repairing damaged equipment, anchoring, or any other activity requiring a stable, non-moving boat.
