Sailing RYA National Sailing Scheme

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Sailing RYA National Sailing Scheme
Start Sailing Level 2
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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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres

• The 5 essentials
• Sail setting
• Balance
• Trim
• Course made good
• Centreboard

Whenever one factor changes, check the other four!
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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
Coming alongside a moored boat

• Prepare mooring lines and deploy fenders if
  carried.
• Approach your destination on a close reach.
  Always plan an escape route!
• Control speed using the main sheet, letting the
  jib flap
• Ease the sheets as you turn the boat gently
  alongside
• Raise the board as the crew secures the boat.
• Wind against tide?

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Sailing Theory Background
Rule of the Road

• Power boats head on

• Port tack gives way

• Drive on the starboard side

• Windward boat gives way

• Overtaking boat gives way

• Power boats crossing

• Power gives way to sail

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Ropework
Bowline Used to create a temporary eye in the
end of a rope

• Make a crossing turn and hold with your fingers,
  with the standing part underneath the bitter end
• From underneath, pass the bitter end through the
  loop, around the standing part and back down the
  loop
• Hold both parts that went through the loop, and
  pull against the standing part to tighten.

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Ropework
Clove hitch Secure to a spar (can be adjusted)

• Pass the bitter end around the spar and pass it
  over the standing part
• Make another turn and tuck the bitter end under
  this turn. Pull the bitter end and standing part
  in opposite directions to tighten.

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Ropework
Reef knot Join two pieces of rope of equal
thickness

• Bring both ends together and cross over as in the
  first step of a shoe lace knot
• Do the same in the opposite direction
• Pull both ends to tighten.
• (over and under, under and over!)

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Ropework
Rolling hitch Secure to a spar when the pull is
from the left or the right

• Make a turn around the spar, passing over the
  standing part
• Make another identical turn, passing over the
  standing part again
• Make a third turn, tucking the end under that
  turn, all on the other side of the standing part
• Pull on the end and pull on the standing part in
  the direction of the two turns, to tighten.

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Reefing Ashore
Rigging according to weather conditions Misleading
offshore winds

• It is easier to put in a reef ashore than afloat.
  If in doubt, put in a reef you can always shake
  it out afloat if you find you do not need it.
• Single-handed boat reefing
• Centre mainsheet reefing
• Aft mainsheet reefing

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Paddling a Boat
Paddle a sailing dinghy and row a boat around a
short triangular course, come alongside and make
fast

• Why is this important?
• Techniques for different boats?

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Boat Storage Ashore

• Dinghy Parks
• Weather conditions
• Care of boat park area
• Courtesy to other boat park users
• Out of season stowage

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Man Overboard Recovery

• Regain control of the boat, check MOB is OK and
  signal your intention to return. Keep an eye on
  them at all times.
• Turn onto a reach and let the jib fly. Sail away
  until you have room to tack
• Tack and bear away onto a broad reach. Sail until
  you can approach on a close reach
• Once approaching on a close reach, de-power the
  main to control boat speed stop with the MOB at
  the weather shroud
• Bring the MOB in over the side or through the
  open transom.

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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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Introduction to Racing

• Starting procedures
• The start line is usually laid at right angles to
  the wind, and normally between a committee boat
  and a buoy.
• The race officer will display flags and make
  sound signals to countdown the start of the race.

Normally a warning signal for 5 minutes, 4
minutes, 1 minute, and then the start signal.
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Sailing Theory Background
Points of sailing and no go zone
How a sail works
The Spoon Test
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Tide Theory

• Cause of tides gravitational pull of the sun
  and moon.
• Springs every fortnight when sun and moon are
  in line at the times of full moon and new moon.
• Neap tides when moon is in first and last
  quarter.
• Springs Neaps
• Tidal range
• Strength of tidal streams

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Tide Tables

• Using tide tables
• The effect of wind direction and tidal flow.

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Sailing Theory Background
Sea Sailing Estuaries and harbour mouths
conditions and hazards
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Sailing Theory Background
Inland sailing Local Bylaws Permits Nearly
every stretch of water belongs to someone. You
may have to have to seek permission or Permits
before getting afloat. Local Bylaws may govern
the use of the water, so look out for notices and
seek local advice at launching sites. Dangers
Hazards Look out for overhead power lines,
particularly when launching your boat. If you are
sailing on a river, pay attention to the signs
warning of Locks and Weirs. Collision
Regulations The Collision Regulations apply on
inland waters, as well as at sea, but although
you will normally have right of way over powered
craft, make your intentions clear in plenty of
time. Remember that hired boats may be in the
hands of novices.
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Sea Sailing

• First Aid
• The dangers of hypothermia
• The importance of first aid training,
  particularly cardio pulmonary resuscitation.

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Meteorology
Sources of weather and shipping forecasts and
when to reef

• 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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Meteorology
Beaufort Wind Scale
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Meteorology
Beaufort Wind Scale
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Clothing Equipment
Personal safety, clothing and buoyancy
Differences between a buoyancy aid a
lifejacket? When to wear it!
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Sailing Theory and Background
Boat equipment
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Sailing Theory Background
Emergency equipment and precautions Knows
importance of first aid kit and flares including
stowage. Visual methods of attracting attention,
action to help those in distress
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Sailing Techniques Manoeuvres
Coastal Knows how to anchor
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
Coastal Sail using transits What are transits
and how are they used? The affect of tide and
leeway on course made good.
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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
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Colin Legget
HAPPY SAILING