Yachts & Yachting — March 2018

NICO MARTINEZ/MARTINEZ STUDIO

Above

Spinnaker

handling requires

slick team work

sail doesn’t come down as fast. More

importantly, it ensures the halyard

doesn’t snag and pays out smoothly as

the sail comes down. As you lower the

halyard make sure it matches the rate

at which the sail is being gathered in.

3. BOW/MAST
   In the early stages of the approach,
   double check there is nothing that may
   delay the drop. Is the headsail ready to

hoist, with the luff in the Tuffluff and

pre-feeder, and the sheets on the correct

side of the pole? You should be looking

for cues from the afterguard (and pit)

to give a countdown of the time to the

mark, while in position ready to hoist

the jib. If using a staysail, this should be

furled and dropped well before the mark.

4. KITE/HEADSAIL TRIMMERS
   In the approach to the drop, ensure the
   tack line of an asymmetric spinnaker,
   or the guy of a symmetric kite, is clear
   to run. When the jib is hoisted, make
   sure there’s some tension on the sheet.
   With a symmetric kite there are two
   choices for the spinnaker drop, both

of which start with an ease of the guy

until the pole is just off the forestay. On

a fully crewed boat the bowman can

then spike the Tylaska shackle to release

it from the sail. Alternatively, when the

sail collapses in the lee of the jib let the

tail of the guy run. The latter option

results in more friction, but is favoured

by short-handed teams, but you must

watch that the guy is not released so

Kite drop with a man

overboard

Arguably the only exception to

not letting go of all three corners

of the sail at once is in the event

of a man overboard situation,

particularly in breezy conditions.

A knife to the guy (or tack line),

halyard and sheet in that order

will see the sail float cleanly away

from the boat in seconds. This will

minimise the distance you travel

before returning to attempt to

pick up the casualty. If you’re lucky,

the sail will remain floating on the

water for some time, allowing it

to be picked up at a later stage.

fast the pole whacks against the forestay

while it’s still under load and the sail has

not yet collapsed. Then be ready to sheet

the jib onto the close hauled course.

5. MAINSHEET TRIMMER
   On the approach to the mark get settings
   for the next upwind leg sorted at an
   early stage, particularly backstay tension,
   outhaul, main halyard, cunningham
   and traveller. At the mark the mainsheet
   needs to be coming in quickly, so that it’s
   perfectly trimmed once the boat reaches
   its close-hauled course and helps to
   steer the boat up onto the new course.
   Any delay in sheeting in is therefore
   doublycostly–aswellasthelost

drive, more rudder angle needs to

be used and even then the turn is

likely to be wide around the mark.

Don’t be afraid to have someone

briefed to lend a hand if necessary. This

is particularly important on bigger

boats with German mainsheet systems

• someone at the mast pulling on the
  sheet significantly increases the initial
  rate at which the sheet comes in.

The mainsheet needs to come in quickly so it

helps to steer the boat up on the new course

70 Yachts & Yachting March 2018 yachtsandyachting.co.uk