What’s involved in
a bear away set?
- GET SET UP
Once the boat is on the starboard
layline to the top mark set the pole up
(for symmetrics), get the kite on deck
and the sheets (and guys) connected.
2. SNEAK THE KITE
Immediately before hoisting sneak
the tack to the end of the pole or sprit.
With symmetrical sails the pole also
needs to be pulled back using the
guy to an appropriate angle roughly
perpendicular to the apparent wind.
3. SLICK HOIST
Hoist the sail with the halyard bounced
at the mast, and tailed in the pit. Call
“made” when it’s fully up and ready
to be sheeted in. It helps to mark the
sheet so that it can be pre-set at a point
at which the sail will just start to ll
as its head reaches the masthead.
- JIB DOWN
As soon as the sail is hoisted the
foredeck team needs to drop the jib.
is must be treated as a priority
as the kite won’t easily ll when it’s
blanketed by the headsail, especially
on masthead rigged boats and those
without extra-long poles or sprits. - SHEET ON
While the jib is coming down, the
trimmers should sheet in the kite until
it lls, before a big ease on the sheet to
achieve optimum trim. If necessary, a
quick lu can help to ‘pop’ the sail out...
6. ON COURSE
...Before heading back to the
appropriate course for the next leg.
7. CLEAR TO GYBE
e foredeck team conrms they are
clear to gybe if necessary (and looks
for response from pit or aerguard to
conrm the message has been received)
and reinserts the head of the jib into the
Tuu, so that it’s ready to be hoisted.
What can go wrong?
e most common mistakes involve
leaving the set up too late, which makes
everything rushed and doesn’t leave
time to double check that sheets or guys
are not fouled on the rail or elsewhere.
Another mistake is not to bear away
to a suciently deep course as the kite
Above
Girls on Film
rounding the
windward mark
and preparing
for a hoist
KEELBOAT PLAYBOOK BEAR AWAY SET
February 2018 Yachts & Yachting 53
PLAYBOOK_AC_GC_TH.indd 53 18/12/2017 15:04