This book demystifies the skill of good sail trim with the aid of superb color diagrams and photograph, to enable racers and cruisers alike to sail efficiently and get the most out of their boats. A trimmers job is to achieve the most amount of power, while keeping in mind the balance of trim between sails. The mainsail will need to be eased further than you think. Downloadable sail trim guides articles quantum sails. The seventh edition includes over 200 information packed pages. The next time you find yourself somewhere back in the fleet in the cheap. Bearing off 120 and deeper, the traveler should be all the way out and at this point start to ease the mainsheet. Learn about sailing knots, sail trimming and the basics of water rigging with our hand picked range of books. If the telltales hang down or if the leeward telltale spins, the sail is overtrimmed. Conversely, the sail will probably need to be trimmed in lulls. If you have a self tailing winch, run the jibsheet through the self tailing groove and jam it into the cleat on top of the drum.
Let me caution the casual reader who may be interested in sailing first take a basic class or read an introduction book, because there is no help here with sail terms or getting your feet wet. This is the infamous winged keel from australia ii, the first nonamerican boat to win. Sailing book the best of sail trim boating sailboat safety vintage book distressed paperback editing by charles mason 1975 boat articles cliftonsupplycompany 5 out of 5 stars 1,682. The mainsheet is the most important single sail trim control on the boat. It is both the spiritual predecessor of assisted sail trim as well as a standalone proofofconcept for a winchless, self contained mainsheet system. Because of the effects of apparent wind and the change wind speed with altitude the. We experimented in local waters off long island for several years before embarking on blue water adventures. Youll learn how to trim and shape control performance upwind and downwind, for. Heading up will also reduce the power, whereas if you trim on or bear away you increase this. Aug 27, 2018 the annapolis book of seamanship is a classic in its own right, and has a place as a reference aboard any cruising sailboat. Set them up soft for light conditions to make them baggier. Jun 29, 2020 incorporated in the textbook are useful illustrations and exceptional photographs of complex sailing concepts. Trimming the sails capturing the magic of the everyday to enjoy it again tomorrow.
The self trimming capability makes the wingsail ideal for an autonomous sailboat because. We catch up with david from harken and learn more about this amazing new system that aims to make short handed cruising much easier. First there is no mention of self tacking jibs, which after some experience have. Dec 08, 2011 when trimming the sail during the tack, start with two turns on the winch. Regarded as something of a black art, good sail trim can mean the difference between winning and losing a race or reaching harbour before the tide turns. Sail trim is an important part of learning to sail, because left to its own devices, a sail will flap like a flag.
There is a manual mode, which allows the operator to tune and trim, or. North u trim book written by bill gladstone, the north u trim book covers every facet of sail trim, boat speed, and boat handling. Jun 01, 2006 this practical introduction to trimming sails is written to help owners and crew sailing on all types of boats, from dinghies to offshore cruisers. Dont be afraid to let the sail out until it is against the shrouds and spreaders. Welcome to the nauticed sailing school free sailing course on basic sail trim the content here is a representation of our other nauticed sailing courses. Dec 09, 2020 sail trim and shape are pretty easy to master. The vane spins at right angles to the ground and can lock to the trim tab in. The bulk of the book consists of photo sequences illustrating metho a good knowledge of sails and sail trim makes for a faster and more comfortable passage not to mention a betterlooking. Sailing however is not all science but rather an artform. Instead, you get 20 pages on poorly simplified and misrepresented fluid dynamics granted, i was an aerospace engineer in college, 30 pages on different kinds of boats, 15 pages about a new automated sail trim on some crazy german boat, and 2 pages that with no real explanation dictate. Best books on sail trim there are many cruising sailors out on the water every weekend whose grasp of sail trim is rudimentary at best. Sep 01, 2005 you would think a book entitled sail trim might actually have more than a few pages on that topic. Conglomerating clippings from the magazine produced a very uneven book, sometimes conflicting, and frequently pitched to people of widely different experience. The wingtail unit acts like an airplane flies, except that while the elevators on a planes tail send it climbing up or gliding down, the angle of the tail makes the wing pull left or right.
When the tension on the sheet increases, add two more turns, then grind it home. Downloadable sail trim guides july 12, 2018 with detailed instructions, illustrations, and photos, these downloadable guides are a musthave resource for every sailor. Sailing can provide adventure, relaxation, recreation, and just good old fun. Basic trim is achieved by simply easing the sail until it.
This book is a collection of articles from sail magazine in the 1970s and 1980s. As soon as the sails are eased and sailing lower downwind angles even as little as 30 ease the traveler down in 3 increments until the boat balances and drives well. Jul 12, 2018 downloadable sail trim guides july 12, 2018 with detailed instructions, illustrations, and photos, these downloadable guides are a musthave resource for every sailor. Explanations are short, clear and simple, with useful illustrations. May 01, 2019 at the same time ideally with a second crew, quickly pull in the jib sheet on the other side so that the jib is not blown flapping far out to the side. One of the goals for our book, the art and science of sails, is to connect the theoretical with the practical. To enjoy yourself on a sailboat, you need to know the basic sailing maneuvers, sail positions, and rules of the waterway for when you encounter other vessels. Wow this book has finally answered all of my more technical questions about trimming sails. Pull on the main sheet trimming until the sail is around 45 degrees away from straight back. The rig contrasts starkly with the bermuda rig which is prevalent on western sail boats.
Then, shove off with one hand on the tiller to begin steering immediately. This edition was published in 2000 but as far as i can tell all the articles are from 1968 1989. It encompasses mainsails and headsails, and explains the effect of various controls on the shape and performance of the sails. Place about three turns of the jibsheet leading from the clew of the sail around the winch drum load it with one hand in a circular motion in a clockwise direction if you have a selftailing winch, run the jibsheet through the selftailing groove and jam it into the cleat on top of the drum. Weve crossed the atlantic three times in three years and were so pleased with our choice of ketch rig. And, it pays to know what to bring aboard and what to leave on shore. This is where well coordinated trimming counts, especially with a big asymmetric. Traditional riggingsailpowerillustrated navigationthe new book of sail trimsail and rig tuningthe. Books on sailing knots, sail trimming, and rigging force 4 chandlery. Courseunderstanding rigs and riggingsail trim and rig tuningsail trimmainsail.
This book provides information in a summary format. Another version of wind vane self steering on sail boats is known as the vertical axis vane and usually, because of the inferior steering force output compared to servo pendulum devices it makes use of a trim tab hung off the rudder to control the course of the boat. To get the fastest speed we need the shape the sail for the best airflow. In this trimming sails video you learn how to trim your sails for easy sailing when the wind is behind the boat and pushing you downwind. While physics can make you sail better, a good intuition will make your boat sail best. Numerical and experimental studies of sail aerodynamics. Whether it is tips on getting around the racecourse, trimming your sails or cruising techniques we aim to document our knowledge to help improve your sailing. If you then need to discuss your performance or new sails with your onesails sail maker you have all the information you need. However, simply keeping your sails full is only part of the story and often leads to oversheeting, i.
Get some great tips, learn the theory and see the guys in action. Easing the sheet has the opposite effect more speed and less pointing ability. Add to favorites mccoy vasematte sail boat motifperiwinkle bluepedestal basecornflower blue40s markart decoflared top rimropelike trim early. While the fundamentals of sail trim havent changed much over time, the equipment and some of the techniques have.
Our offshore sailing school videos teach you how to trim sails and how to set. The touch trim is a mainsheet trimming and easing system that is fully operated by pushbutton. All self steering systems rely on the same physical principles. Jul 03, 20 beyond that, it also discusses the finer points of trimming your sails, slowing down and speeding up, and anchoring and mooring, among other things. Exploring the art of wayfaring simply and gracefully through life. An understanding of the physics of aerodynamics will help us better trim and set our. But the angle of a sail relative to the air moving across it, the wind in other words, is controlled and adjusted by means of ropes and pulleys. Assisted sail trim from jeanneauharken yachting world. By trimming the sail on more you decrease the twist and power up the sail to allow you to point higher. The main trimmer must keep track of the boats heel angle, speed and pointing ability, and how the mainsail is affecting each.
Sep 05, 1995 this was one of the first books i read about sail trim and i nearly gave up the sport on the spot. To get an idea of how to do this, imagine that you are sailing upwind in medium air with the main at its most powerful setting. Trimming the sheet when the boom is over the boat pulls down on the leech, tightening it and removing twist. Aug 04, 2010 sail trim is the art of setting sails in response to the varying conditions imposed by the wind, waves, boat speed and desired course. A useful accompaniment to other books in the rya stable such as the rya day skipper and competent crew practical books that address the rya course syllabi. The junk rig, also known as the chinese lugsail or sampan rig, is a type of sail rig in which rigid members, called battens, span the full width of the sail and extend the sail forward of the mast while relatively uncommon in use among modern production sailboats, the rigs potential advantages of easier use and lower cost for bluewater cruisers have been explored by individuals such as. However, for anyone who sails alone or cruises short handed over long distances the benefits can be immeasurable. The science behind your sail trim scuttlebutt sailing news.
Why a self trimming wingsail with tail control is different than a manually controlled wingsail. Use our how to section to search for content and read about topics of interest to you. The mainsheet not only adjusts the angle of the sail to the wind, it also affects twist when sailing close to the wind. Here we see the effects of the sheet tension on twist. Second, the mainsheet controls the angle of attack the sail s angle to the wind. The sail s top telltale will be on the verge of stall, disappearing occasionally behind the leech, but flying most of the time. It takes thousands of hours of sailing to get the kind of knowledge contained in this book.
Pbo sails expert ian brown from onesails gbr questions why we need to actively trim sails and looks at the principal sail trim controls that influence sail s. A self trimming wing works totally differently, its controlled by its tail, like the wing on a plane. Oct 30, 2001 one of the twopart gladstone performance racing series, this book discusses sail trim, boathandling, preparation and tuning. Rya sail trim handbook for cruisers by rob gibson a concise and easy to read paperback that talks the cruising sailor through the sail trim process and techniques. The texts most distinguishing feature is its userfriendly spreads in which instructional topics are selfcontained on opposing pages throughout the book. A wind vane self steering system is not an essential piece of equipment on a sail boat. The final step in mainsail trim is continual evaluation of the sail s power. Trimming the sheet affects the twist in the headsail and also the overall power. Mar 05, 2019 at the best sail trim, air flows smoothly past the luff on both sides of the sail. Pull the sail in to add power and ease the sail out and to reduce power. In its most traditional form the junk rig is carried on an unstayed mast i. Apr 01, 2021 to sail to windward, a sailing vessel must sail about 4550 degrees off the wind and change direction by tacking or zigzag. The telltales then stream back horizontally on both sides of the sail, as you can see in this photo. This complete guide for cruising yachtspeople demystifies the sailmakers jargon, explaining how to choose the right sails and keep them in good repair.
Jun 11, 2020 to fix the situation, its necessary to ease out the aftmost portion of the sail. Our yankee is on a furler and our staysail is hanked on, so if we have a problem, we have maximized options. The sheet exerts a large downwards force on the leech of the sail when the boom is directly above it, much more than the kicker. Quite simply, this book sets the industry standard, which is why sail magazine named it best in class. If you have a selftailing winch, run the jibsheet through the selftailing groove. The best bang for your buck on sail trim is the laminated pamphlet. Good sail trim can mean the difference between winning and losing a race or reaching harbor before the tide turns. Eldrid super tip by keeping a sailing diary you can learn the best settings for your boat and your sails which improves your boat speed. Your sails will have the correct angle to the wind and you.
Flat sails generate less power and also create less drag. Five books on sailmaking, canvas workers guide, sail repair manual, as well sail making and some rigging supplies, are available from sailrite 305 w vanburen, columbia city, in 46725. The best 8 dinghy sailing book for beginners and experts. One of the first things many of us were taught is a flappy sail is not a happy sail. Plus weve added a bonus module 5 to discuss the highly relevant americas cup winged sail configuration and its advantages with reduced drag and improved angle of attack using diagrams to.
But, if this is impossible, trim your sails just the way you would if you were sailing under the same wind conditions out on the water. This practical introduction to trimming sails is written to help owners and crew sailing on all types of boats, from dinghies to offshore cruisers. Written by one of the leading experts in safety at sea, this book contains all youd want to know about sailing and sailboats, but where it really shines is in its coverage of weather, piloting and navigation. These are the little colorful strings on your sails. You should trim the sheet until the top batten is parallel to the boom. It is madeup of a number of articles written by experienced sailers with their own beliefs in what is important and what works best. On a sailboat, a trim tab is an adjustable surface on the trailing edge of the keel used to provide additional lift by altering the flow of water off the keel. On a larger boat, get the jib sheet on a winch as soon as it is hard to pull in, and start cranking the winch fast to trim the sail to the new heading. By understanding and using a few key aspects of physics, you can make your boat sail not just faster, but better. Now, when you are sailing, start with the foresail and ease the sheet slowly until the luff just breaks, then harden up just enough to remove the break.
May 17, 2020 one of the goals for our book, the art and science of sails, is to connect the theoretical with the practical. G99 rya sail trim handbookthe rya sail trim book is an all new title and is. Where else can you get a room full of experts quickly explaining the key to proper sail trim under many different situations. It is the compliment to the acclaimed north u racing tactics. Involve all of your team in writing some notes after every time you sail and you will soon have a detailed database. This book, i hope, will cut through the tangle of conflicting opinions and contradictory hearsay surrounding the subject of self steering. The red telltale is on the near side of the jib to port, and the two green telltales are showing through from the other side of the sail starboard. Dec 11, 2015 a sail management package is available that can raise and furl the sails. Turn the boat to the left port or right starboard so its about 90 degrees off the wind. North sails has a wealth of information that we want to share with you. Take the guesswork out of grooming your neckline and look your best everyday.
1698 707 1499 498 400 365 1339 236 392 556 938 342 925 797 610 1092 1028 151 1656 751 1432 1476 521 574 1505