Louis Charbonneau Sailing School
 |
important
See our new film "Alegria ll in The Bay Islands"
Coming about ( Tacking )
Le Roi-Soleil ( starboard tack )
| To "Come-About", the sailboat is turned by passing the bow of the boat strait into the wind. Only the jib (or genoa) has to be changed, by taking the jib's sheet off the leeward side and tacking the other sheet on the new leeward side, as soon as the boat arrives on the other tack. |
|
The skipper says : "Ready-About". The boat is usually at 45° angle from the wind. The crew uncleats the jib
sheet ( leeward ).but doesn't let let it go yet and Hard to lee ( meaning pushing the tiller leeward or turning the wheel to go windward ) . The boat then luffs towards the wind ... luff verb to turn the boat into the wind or let out the sails so that the sails luff. The crew eases off the leeward sheet slowly so that the jib sheet doesn't flap : very important when it's a genoa and specially on a centre cockpit like our boat, Le Roi-Soleil. The cockpit being in the centre of the boat, and not aft, the crew could get hurt by the jib sheet. |
Le Roi-Soleil is ready to come about
|
The bow comes traight into the wind, passes on the other tack, at 45° angle from the wind. The mainsail and it's boom will slowly switch sides as the boat turns. the new working sheet is trimmed.
The crew will trimm the jib or genoa ( port tack)
The boat is now in his new direction and will soon recover cruising speed
|
