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hazards and correct or warn the crew against any
possible danger immediately.
SAFETY IN GENERAL
Capsize matters can be depressing but to put it in
perspective, a capsize is simply very difficult to do.
Luffing up slightly or bearing away (if on a reach) is
usually all that is required. The risk of capsize can be
virtually eliminated simply by reducing sail according to
the conditions and being prepared to let the sheets go.
When under spinnaker in winds of over 20 knots it
should always be a matter of policy to never leave the
spinnaker sheet unattended. It should be hand held,
not even cleated. Cruisers shouldn’t even use the
spinnaker in over 20 knots. Under main and jib you
can still reach 15 knots, with complete comfort and
safety.
Fortunately it is very hard to capsize a Corsair trimaran
but this can lead to overconfidence. Don’t fall into this
trap! Always be aware that it is possible to capsize and
reduce speed accordingly to suit the conditions - just
like any car.
TECHNICAL NOTES
WINCH LINE
The trailer winch line should be regularly replaced. This
tends to wear quite rapidly and is under a high strain
when lifting the mast. A breakage here could be very
dangerous. It is always advisable to stand clear of the
line while lifting the mast. Also, frequently check the
trailer winch line tight when on a long trip.
SPRING RETAINING CLIPS
The spring retaining clips as used on the turnbuckle
clevis pins should be regularly checked to ensure they
will still ‘clip’ fit on the clevis pin. Replace if they have
lost their spring and become loose, otherwise you
could lose your mast.
These spring clips have been used successfully for over
20 years and are intended as a convenient ‘quick rig’
feature. They are not as secure as a properly fitted
cotter pin, and if any doubts exist on their use then
a cotter pin or circular ring should be used instead
and a few of these are usually included in the toolbox.
However, these rings or pins will increase rigging time
and the final decision in this regard is for the owner.
LAUNCHING
If immersing the trailer to the bend in the frame will still
not let you free the boat, be careful; a few inches more
can have your boat drifting away so have a bow line
secured.
BEAM BOLTS
These should always be in place and tightened before
going sailing. Otherwise the upper folding struts can
again be overloaded as above due to the beam inner
end being forced up slightly by sailing loads.
It is also possible, but unlikely, for a beam bolt to gall
and seize in a bolt pad, which can prevent you from
folding up the boat. If this happens, then you can
still fold up the boat by simply releasing the bolt pad
nuts from inside or cutting off the Beam bolt head. To
avoid this, keep the threads well lubricated with Teflon
grease.
HOISTING MAINSAIL
If you find this is tight going up or down (a not
uncommon problem with full batten boltrope mains)
there are now some spray-on silicon compounds that
can help. Remember to also check that the mainsail
foot outhaul is slackened off.
BEARING AWAY
Don’t forget this is a very effective and safe way
of absorbing gusts while reaching in strong wind
conditions, particularly under spinnaker. Rounding up
tends to throw the mast to leeward (the wrong way)
and can increase speed dramatically - all very exciting.
However, bearing away throws mast to windward,
speed falls off and the motion feels much safer. This
may sound odd, but try it sometime in lighter conditions
to get confidence - it really works.
RUDDER/DAGGERBOARD HUM
This is not an uncommon occurrence due to the
difficulty in getting perfectly fair foils in a production
environment, and even carefully handmade foils can
develop a hum. This can be reduced or eliminated with
a little fine tuning by filling or sanding the trailing edge
of the foil concerned.
COMPRESSION PADS
These are fitted to the ends of the beams on all Corsair
models to eliminate any gap or movement between the
beam ends and the raised pads in the hull.
Do not remove, as this would cause the high
compression loads in this area to be directed through
the upper folding struts which are not strong enough
for such loads. They are designed for folding loads
only and end mounting points may fail.
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