General Lesson Notes

The introductory course is designed to show you all the basics of sailing and is an inexpensive way to check out the sport. It's a great day out and an affordable way not only to go for a sail but to learn how to sail and experience the freedom associated with sailing.

The Course Covers:

• Prepare and Plan - Group and individual safety awareness, clothing, safety equipment, sailing boundaries
• Rigging - wind awareness, awareness of parts of and rigging the training boat
• Ropework – Figure of eight, round turn and two half hitches, reef knot, bowline
• Sailing Techniques - Sailing to windward, reaching and sailing downwind
• Manoeuvres - tacking, gybing, points of sailing, basic heave-to, primary boat controls,positions on the boat and helming under guidance
• Man overboard (MOB) procedures and drills, towing procedures
• Coming alongside to a fixed structure and mooring, launching and recovery of craft.
• Sailing Theory and Basic right-of-way Rules - avoiding collisions, power/sail right,port/starboard, windward/leeward, keep to the right of channels, overtaking vessels
• Weather awareness for safe inshore sailing

General Definitions

Please double click the thumbnails below to enlarge prior to printing.

• The images below can be enlarged and printed out prior to our lessons.
• In the most part, they are generic to all sailing boats.

Parts of the boat

Main points:

1. Our yachts have 1 mast, 1 boom and 2 triangle sails.
2. The front sail is called the headsail( jib and genoa are other names).
3. The larger back sail is called the Mainsail.
4. These 2 sails are controlled by sheets (jargon for ropes)
5. The front of the boat is the bow.
6. The back of the boat is the stern.
7. The left side facing towards the bow is PORT( There is only a little PORT LEFT in the bottle)
8. The Right side facing towards the bow is STARBOARD

Points of Sailing

Main Points: Every sailing consideration is in relation to the wind

• YOU CANNOT SAIL DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND.
• YOU HAVE TO SAIL AT AN ANGLE TO THE WIND(click on Points of sailing above)
• YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE WIND IN ORDER TO MOVE.
• THE WIND DIRECTION IS ALWAYS CHANGING DIRECTION, SO YOU HAVE TO ADJUST THE YACHT AND OR SAIL ANGLE TO THE WIND.

• On average you can only sail at 45 degrees to the wind.
• Sometimes you need to 'zig zag' into the wind in order to get from one point to another.

• There are 6 standard points of sailing: Click on the image above left

1. Close hauled to windward( sailing to windward, 'Beating' to windward)
2. Close Reaching
3. Beam Reaching
4. Broad Reaching
5. Quarted Running
6. Running Dead or Square

Telltales - How to see the wind on your sails and tune them to the wind direction

Click on links below for:

• Wind and Wave Forcast - Seabreeze
• Current Wind Port Phillip Bay
• BOM - Marine Winds

Tacking

Main Points:

• If the wind is arriving at the boat on the Right / STARBOARD side, then the boat is on STARBOARD TACK
• If the wind is arriving at the boat on the left / PORT side, then the boat is on PORT TACK

1. A TACK IS A CHANGE OF DIRECTION WHEN THE BOW OF THE BOAT FACES INTO THE WIND.
2. ANOTHER NAME FOR TACKING IS 'GOING ABOUT'

Gybing

Main Points:

1. A GYBE is a change of direction when the bow is facing downwind, the same direction the wind is moving. The process is called GYBING.

Rules

Main Points:

• There are rules of the water that must be adhered.

1. Most rules relate to the wind direction.
2. Generally boats on STARBOARD TACK have right of way
3. Skippers / boats must avoid a collision at all costs.
4. If sailing socially always give way to yachts racing.
5. Always give way to commercial craft
6. Always give way to row boats
7. Never assume that power boat drivers understand the rules or care!

Rules Quiz - Please click on Rules Quiz link left- Thanks David -'Samsakar' HBYC

Knots and their Uses

Main Point:

Most common knots are:

1. Figure of eight or stopper knot
2. Bowline
3. Horned Cleat 'figure of eight'
4. Round turn and two half hitches
5. Reef Knot

Knot Basics

Keelboat Man Overboard Drill

1. The Key is reacting quickly & not panicking

Beforehand - Develop analysis:

• How strong is wind & how high waves?
• How cold is water in terms of hypothermia?
• At outset, inquire if crew can swim & experience

Importance of practicing man overboard drill –
Importance of PFD (Personal Floatation Device)

2. Inside the boat commands

• Yell "man overboard"
• Throw flotation devices immediately
• Spot man overboard & assign spotter
• Put tiller to leeward immediately

3. Plan recovery

• Head up into wind, come about, backwind jib
• Approach target; throw lifesling, horseshoe, line tied to seat cushion, or line
• Heave to ( slow a stop facing into the wind)
• Approach from windward so victim can be brought aboard from leeward quarter(opposite side from wind direction)
• In heavy seas, approach from leeward if danger of boat coming down off wave onto victim
• Avoid jibing in rough sea or wind as may be dangerous in a panic situation
• Instead of circling victim, come from "inside"
• Elegance of quick stop: after tacking, by pushing tiller "hard alee" second time, have quick heave to "on top of" victim

4. Hauling aboard-may be most difficult part

• Haul aboard off cockpit since bow & stern see- saw more so as to come down on top of victim
• Swim ladder-may be best & easiest way
• Hand over hand along gunwale to stern if swim ladder there & if victim & conditions permit
• Life sling or rope using block & tackle
• Foot or knee loop (bowline)
• Use of jib if victim unconscious

Raising & Lowering Sails

1. Plotting a course

• Allowing sea room for mishaps

2. Preparing sails for hoisting

Reinforce the importance of these processes

• Shackling halyard on correctly
• Check halyards for fouling & securing with bungie
• Positioning topping lift to be clear when main is up

3. Hoisting mainsail & jib

• Convention: Point & motor into wind
• Alternative useful for jiffy reefing: hoist jib first and sail on jib alone

4. Reefing mainsail - Point & motor into wind

(Sail close-hauled on jib, luffing main)

• Drop main halyard to reefing point
• Tighten jiffy reefing line (or tie leech reefing cringle down & back with line)
• Some boats: take out sail slides, reset stop and/or attach luff cringle to reefing hook
• Rehoist main halyard

5. Sail selection as wind increases•

Analysis again of "not being overpowered"

Pure Sailing

(Sailing as a series of control stages)

1. Safety issues

• Danger of accidental jibe
• Danger when boom on same quarter as wind
• Keeping out of boom path
• Use of preventer
• Centering main while keeping same relation to eye of wind
• Danger of accidental tack
• Be vigilant when oncoming traffic
• Correct helm and / or release backwinded jib sheet
• If tack, choice of coming up or 360' turn

2. Importance of maintaining a course

• Fundamental: sailing in relation to eye of wind
• Eye is true wind (Flag Flapping)
• Apparent wind is vectored forward by boat’s own speedcreated wind(Flag from moving car)

3. Circle exercise-understanding close-hauled v. running

• Figure 8 exercise-understanding points of sail
• Series of quick tacks & jibes-confidence at the tiller

The skipper's overview

• Helmsman’s 3 fold job-monitoring helm, traffic & depth
• Balancing the helm by using sails
• Release mainsheet if puff (temporary overpowering) threatens accidental tack
• Single handing exercise

How to Sail

We also provide:

• Corporate Sailing Activities
• Adventure Sailing Tours
• Bed and Breakfast - On Water Overnight Accommodation
• Corporate and Private Yacht Charter
• Learn to Sail Training Programs
• Corporate Hospitality
• Event Management
• Corporate Entertainment
• Staff Rewards and Incentives.
• Promotional Campaigns
• Product Launches
• Function Venues
• Corporate Functions and events