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Sailing Tips from
the Pros
WHAT TO DO, IF?
HERE
ARE SOME WAYS TO GET OUT OF SOME PRETTY DIFFICULT
SITUATIONS
SPINNAKER
RIPS - EASE AFTERGUY TO HEADSTAY. DO NOT EASE SHEET.
2 TO 3 PEOPLE PULL CHUTE DOWN ON TO DECK. HELMSMAN
SHOULD DRIVE AT A 150° APPARENT WIND ANGLE TO BLANKET
CHUTE BEHIND MAINSAIL. BOWMAN GETS NEW CHUTE ATTACHES
BAG NEAR BOW. LOWER POLE AND ATTACH AFTERGUY TO
NEW CHUTE. DETACH SPIN SHEET FROM OLD CHUTE AND
REATTACH TO NEW ONE (OVER THE TOP OF OLD CHUTE).
DETACH SPINNAKER HALYARD FROM OLD CHUTE, ATTACH
TO NEW ONE AND HOIST. PULL AFTERGUY AND SHEET ON
IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID A WRAP THEN EASE SHEET TO ALLOW
SPINNAKER TO BE FULLY HOISTED. THEN TRIM.
CHUTE WRAPS
FORESTAY - BRING MAIN TO CENTER. DRIVE DEAD DOWN
WIND OR SLIGHTLY FAVOR LEE SIDE. TRY TO DIRECT THE
WIND FROM THE MAINSAIL TO UNWRAP THE CHUTE. KEEP
TENSION ON THE SPIN SHEET AND AFTERGUY.
STEERING BREAKS
WITH CHUTE UP - IF BOAT HAS GYBED, DETACH THE SPINNAKER
POLE FROM THE SPINNAKER. GET RUNNERS ATTACHED PROPERLY
SO MAST STAYS UP. PULL LEE SIDE AFTERGUY TIGHT UNTIL
SPINNAKER CLEW IS DOWN NEAR DECK. EASE BUT DO NOT
LET RUN THE WINDWARD SPINNAKER SHEET AND GUY. THE
BOAT SHOULD SETTLE DOWN ABEAM TO THE SWELLS ONCE
FORWARD MOMENTUM IS LOST AND THE MAINSAIL HAS BEEN
EASED OUT. AFTERGUARD SHOULD ONLY PAY ATTENTION
TO REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE STEERING SYSTEM. WHEN
THE SPINNAKER IS CONTAINED ON THE LEE SIDE PULL
IT IN JUST AS YOU WOULD ROUNDING A LEEWARD MARK.
REPAIR STEERING. WIN RACE.
SPINNAKER HALYARD
LETS GO OR BREAKS - DRIVE SLIGHTLY TO WINDWARD TO
AVOID RUNNING OVER SPINNAKER. EASE MAIN TO SLOW
DOWN BOAT. EASE AFTERGUY TO HEADSTAY DO NOT LET
GO. DRIVE BOAT UP ALLOWING MAIN TO LUFF BUT MAINTAIN
1 TO 2 KNOTS OF BOATSPEED FOR CONTROL. DO NOT EASE
SPINNAKER SHEET. PULL SPINNAKER IN FROM LEEWARD
LUFF TAPE UNTIL THE REST OF IT CAN BE PULLED IN
FROM CENTER. KEEPING THE AFTERGUY AT THE HEADSTAY
AND TENSION ON THE SHEET SHOULD PREVENT THE SPINNAKER
FROM FILLING WITH WATER. IF ITS WINDY AND WARM (AS
IF) RESET THE CHUTE ON A NEW HALYARD.
HAVE
FUN AND SAIL FAST
This will be
my 25th Ensenada Race.
My fastest time was Midnight Friday aboard Vicki
the Andrews 70 in 1998.
Slowest was aboard Sports Page a Morgan 27 in the
late 70s. We led our class, but only made it to
San Diego on 1pm Sunday (Saturday Start). Best finish
2nd Overall, 11th to finish on a CF 37in the mid
70s. Right behind Ragtime, just in front of Hana
Ho(SCZ 50) and Warrior the 46' IOR boat.The sled
Drifter had a 0 rating back then. We didn't have
negative numbers for monohulls yet, so they corrected
on us by 2 minutes.
Bueno vientos,
Esteban Steiner
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