Sailing RYA National Sailing Scheme

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Sailing RYA National Sailing Scheme
Seamanship Skills
Colin Legget
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The RYA National Sailing Scheme
Sailing with Spinnakers
Performance Sailing
Day Sailing
Start Racing
Seamanship Skills
Level 2
Level 1
DINGHIES KEELBOATS MULTI HULLS
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Royal Yachting Association

• Promoting Protecting Boating
• The RYA
• Benefits of Membership
• Cost of Membership

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Ropework
Fishermans bend A more secure way to tie to an
eye or spar used for securing to an anchor.
Same as a round turn and two half
hitches but with the first half hitch passing
under the round turns.
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Ropework
Sheet bend Secure together two pieces of rope of
unequal thickness.
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Ropework
Heat sealing whipping To prevent the end of a
rope from fraying and unravelling.
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Leaving Returning to a Beach
Leaving a windward shore
Launch the boat with sails hoisted. Push the bow
away and sheet in the jib as you climb aboard,
sailing away on a broad reach or run
Returning to a windward shore
Sail to windward, raise the centreboard and
rudder as the water gets shallower. Turn into the
wind and let out the sails to stop. Step over the
side when the water is shallow enough hold the
boat by the bow. Lower sails and take the boat
out of the water.
Leaving a lee shore
Hoist the jib ashore and hoist the main when
afloat hold the boat into the wind. Push off
and climb aboard quickly, steer onto a close
reach until away from the shore and in water deep
enough to lower the centreboard fully. Lee shore
dangers, and sailing in close proximity to
others.
Returning to a lee shore
Approach the beach and turn head to wind just
offshore. Lower the mainsail and sail in under
the jib alone. What about singlehanders?
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Leaving and returning to a jetty
Leaving and returning to a jetty

• If possible, approach on a close reach letting
  out sail to reduce speed.
• Always control your speed to reduce the risk of
  collision and increase control
• Plan an escape route so that if you find yourself
  sailing too fast in the final stages you can sail
  out and try again
• If you cannot turn head to wind in the final
  stage to stop, come in under jib alone.

Action on arrival at the pontoon?
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Leaving Returning to a Mooring
Head for a mooring on a close reach, letting out
the sails to slow the boat down as you approach.
Turn almost head to wind, stopping alongside the
buoy and secure the boat to the buoy. Raise the
centreboard, lower the sails and remove the
rudder.

• What is a mooring?
• How does it work?

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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Lying-to
Why? Used when you wish to de-power the boat and
hold it at a constant angle to the wind whilst
floating free. Is more stable than simply
lying-to with both sails flapping. How? Select
a point with clear water down wind/tide On a
close reach, cleat the jib aback and fully ease
out the main Hold the tiller to leeward, and
raise the centreboard half way Maintain a good
lookout and beware of leeway!
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Reef afloat
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Reef afloat
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Capsize Recovery
Helmsman and crew lower themselves into the water
between boat and sails. Make their way to the
stern and check the rudder is connected. Using
the mainsheet as a safety line, the helmsman
swims round to the centreboard and ensures it is
fully down. The crew finds the end of the upper
jib sheet and throws it over the hull to the
helmsman. Once he has the jib sheet, the
helmsman lets go of the mainsheet and climbs onto
the centreboard. The crew floats inside the boat,
holding onto a toe strap and ensuring the
mainsheet runs free. The helmsman stands with
his feet near the hull and leans back on the jib
sheet. The boat comes upright and scoops the crew
into the boat. The crew now help the helmsman in
over the side or stern.
Importance of staying with boat! Other
consideration?
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Capsize Recovery
Recovering from a capsize and inversion

• Danger to crew
• Loss of centreboard
• Rig to windward
• Grounded mast

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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres

• Be towed by a power vessel
• Sails?
• Centreboard?
• Weight?
• Steering?
• Communication?
• Alongside tow?

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Anchoring
Anchor, including principles and techniques for
different circumstances
Before you start, prepare the anchor, ensuring it
is attached to a strong point on the boat and
will run freely from the bow.

• Choose an appropriate anchorage
• Approach on a close reach, using the mainsheet to
  control speed
• Lower the jib or let it fly. Pay out the
  mainsheet to stop the boat
• Lower the anchor over the windward side and raise
  the centreboard
• When the anchor is holding, lower the mainsail.
• What if there is no bow fairlead?
• How much to pay out?
• What if the anchor does not hold?

CQR is a general purpose anchor. Grapnel folds
away very small
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres

• Sailing backwards
• Useful for leaving a crowded windward shore.
• Start with the boat stationary and directly head
  to wind
• Centreboard half down
• Push the boom out against the shroud, backing the
  main
• The sail will turn the boat away from the side it
  is set and drive the boat backwards
• Counter the turn with a little rudder, tiller
  pushed away from the boom
• Keep weight towards the bow to lift the transom
  clear.
• To sail away tiller towards the boom and sheet
  in on the sails. Straighten up on the tiller to
  steer onto course.

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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Sail in adverse circumstances - no rudder The
boat is steered by altering the balance and sail
setting. Affect of sails? Affect of
balance? Raise the centreboard by one third, and
reef the mainsail if necessary.
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Sail in adverse circumstances - no
centreboard If the centreboard is lost or
damaged you will need to use another method to
get the boat to point to windward and minimise
leeway. Move your weight to the bow to sink the
V-section of the boat to act as an improvised
board. Progress to windward is then possible.
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Knows how to prepare road trailer for use
and secure the trailer ashore
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Sailing Theory Background
Understands the following terminology

• Amidships
• Quarter
• Pinching
• Sailing by the lee
• Luff
• Bear away
• Planing
• Sternway
• Broaching

• Windward
• Leeward
• Abeam
• Forward
• Aft
• Ahead
• Astern
• To weather
• Downwind

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Sailing Theory Background
Knows and can apply the following IRPCS
Meeting other sailing vessels Meeting power
driven vessels Following or crossing a narrow
channel Action by stand-on vessel
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Meteorology
Sources of information on weather patterns for
the day

• TV forecasts
• Independent local radio broadcasts
• BBC 4 radio shipping broadcast (92.4 to 94.6 FM,
  198, 720, 756, 774 kHz)
• Radio 3 inshore weather forecast (90.2 to 92.4 FM
  _at_0655)
• Telephone forecast (Marine Call)
• Fax Forecasts (Met Fax)
• Newspapers
• Coastguard/Harbour Master
• Teletext (Shipping ITV p107, Inshore Waters ITV
  p108)
• Always keep a weather eye open and if in doubt of
  conditions worsening and becoming dangerous, do
  not launch.

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Applying weather forecasts in coastal waters
Pressure - 1033 mB RTemp max/min - 10/3 degrees
CWind speed - F1-4Wind direction - SWMax gust
in knots - 23 becoming 24Sea state -
WaveletsVisibility - Moderate
Shipping Forecast FORTIES CROMARTY FORTH WEST OR
SOUTHWEST 3 OR 4. MAINLY FAIR. GOOD Understand
local effects, and changing weather conditions
including fog
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Meteorology
Beaufort Wind Scale
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Meteorology
Beaufort Wind Scale
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Coastal (optional)
Can use local tide tables and is aware of tidal
streams
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Coastal (optional)
Understands rate of rise and fall of tides
Twelfths Rule
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Coastal (optional)
Understands rate of rise and fall of tides
Twelfths Rule
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Coastal (optional)
Has a basic understanding of charts and important
symbols
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Colin Legget
HAPPY SAILING