Sailing Action Process Flow Lists

Sailing Action Process Flow Lists
By M Thomas

Some day skipper candidates asked to see on paper the process flows for carrying out typical tasks on a sailing yacht. This sort of approach is perhaps less intuitive than learning the logic behind the required actions, but for those who think this way, it can be very reassuring to see things as logical lists.

Raising the Main Sail

Remove sail ties or unzip cover

Head boat close to wind rather than dead in to wind so that boom is to one side

Position crew ahead of mast or in cockpit

Release mainsheet & kicking strap (also known as the vang or kicker)

Free main halyard jammer to give slack at mast so that it can be removed from the cleat

Close jammer and pull up as crew if available sweat at the mast

Watch for jams e.g. batons catching in the lazyjack lines

Tension so that horizontal creases disappear

Release the topping lift

Tension the main sheet to get top batten parallel to the boom

Tension the kicker

Raising the Genoa

Check the position of the jib/genoa car and cleat the line

Let out the furling line under control around a winch

Take the leeward jib/genoa sheet around a winch 3 turns and pull out the sail

Winch in to correct position to get telltales flying evenly on both sides

Gybing

Helmsman looks around and calls 'stand by to gybe'

Release gybe preventer

Sheet in the mainsail

Prepare headsail sheets

When the main is in the middle, the helmsman turns the wheel and calls 'gybing'

Main & jib flip across

Ease out mainsheet

Re-rig preventer on the other side

Tacking

Helsman looks around and calls 'ready about'

Crew prepares sheets - windward take 3 turns, leeward take sheet out of self-tailer

Crew call 'ready', helm calls 'helms to lee' or 'tacking'

Release leeward sheet quickly as sail starts to back

Pull in new sheet

Crew change sides of the boat

Reefing

Send crew to mast (harness if rough)

Head boat on to close hauled course to keep sailing under headsail

Ease the kicker

Ease the mainsheet to leave mainsail flapping

Pull up topping lift if needed (where no rigid vang)

Take main halyard around a winch, lift jammer and ease out

Mastman pulls sail down and puts reefing cringle over the rams horn

Close jammer and re-tension main halyard checking for sailcloth not getting caught

Pull in, then winch tight, the reefing pennant line, checking for sailcloth not getting caught

Ease the topping lift

Pull in the mainsheet to start sailing again

Pull in the kicking strap

Take up the slack in the other reefing pennants and tidy all lines

Tie loose sail to boom with sail ties and reef notes

Man overboard under engine

Shout 'man overboard' and keep someone spotting at all times

Tack immediately and leave headsail backed

Throw danbuoy and horseshoe lifebelt

Press MOB button on GPS to provide a datum

Sheet in mainsail

Furl away headsail

Check for lines in the water

Start engine and return to casualty from downwind, MOB to leeward

Pick up using stern ladder if calm or by shrouds using lasso, spare halyard or handy billy from the boom

Keep casualty warm in dry clothes and head for nearest port

Heaving to

Reduce size of the headsail to jib or smaller

From close reach, tack without adjusting the sheets

As boat turns on to new tack, slowly turn wheel back until full lock to wind

Lock steering and put on the kettle

Saling goose winged with a poled out headsail

Rig inboard end of pole

Rig topping lift and downhall (foreguy) to the spinnaker pole bridle

Clip windward sheet in to jaws of pole

Raise pole to horizontal

Pull back on jib sheet to fill the sail

Martin Thomas BSc FCACommercially endorsed Yachtmaster & Cruising InstructorMember of the Royal Institute of Navigation & the Royal Naval & Royal Albert Yacht Clubhttp://www.solentsail.co.uk

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