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#0060946
08/2009
15
Sailing
Sailing a model yacht is not difficult once you are familiar with the inter-action between the wind direction, the
boat’s heading and the appropriate sail settings. Before you sail the model for the first time, we recommend that
you read all you can on the theory of sailing, e.g. by reading one of the many books on the subject. The
following section just provides a short, basic introduction to the subject.
The various points of sailing (see sketch; specialist terms are printed in Italics)
A sailing boat can never sail directly into wind (black
arrow (W)). In the 90° sector (dark grey area) the sails
will always flutter (
shiver
), and generate no forward
thrust. Only when the boat bears away to about 45° off
the wind direction will it start to pick up speed with the
sails close-hauled (transition from dark grey area to
light grey area (2a) to (2b)). This course is termed
luffing
. A sailing boat can only make headway into the
wind on this course and with the sails close-hauled;
the procedure is known as
tacking
, and involves
sailing in a zig-zag pattern: for a while on the
port tack
(mainsail on the left-hand (port) side of the boat (2a)),
then, after going about (the boat’s bow turns through
the wind, from position (2a) via (1) to (2b)), for a while
on the
starboard tack
(mainsail on the right-hand
(starboard) side of the boat (2b)), etc. Fast, efficient
tacking with a sailing boat demands a good eye and
considerable manual skill, and ranks as the true art of
sailing.
The other courses are not so demanding. If the wind is
blowing from the side, the sails are slackened (
run
out
) just to the point where they no longer shiver, i.e.
around 30° to 45° relative to the boat’s longitudinal
axis. This course is known as
sailing with wind abeam
((3a) wind abeam on the port bow / (3b) wind abeam
on the starboard bow).
If the boat bears away even further (
bearing away
: the boat turns away from the wind, i.e. the stern turns
increasingly in the direction of the wind (II) /
luffing
: the boat’s bow turns increasingly towards the direction of
the wind (I), ending up on a course
with free wind
, where the sails are paid out to about 60° to the boat’s
centreline (4a / 4b). The boat only attains its maximum speed on these two headings.
If the boat is sailing directly away from the wind (downwind), we speak of
running before the wind
. On this
course the sails should be paid out as far as possible (approx. 90° to the boat’s centreline). Differential
pressure conditions on the sails cause the jib to turn to the opposite side to the mainsail by itself, but this
situation can also be generated deliberately by small rudder / course corrections. If the wind is or becomes too
strong, the bow of a sailing boat can very easily be pushed under the water.
If the boat is sailing with free wind, is brought into a position before the wind using the rudder (bearing away),
and is then steered back to a free wind heading using the rudder (approximately at right-angles to the former
course with free wind), the boat is said to have performed a
gybe
. Gybing is complete when the main boom,
paid out a long way, swings from one side of the boat to the other.
Steering characteristics / Sailing characteristics
Variations in wind pressure make it difficult for a performance-orientated sailing boat to maintain its course by
itself; gusts of wind may cause it to luff up by itself, i.e. turn into the wind to a greater or lesser extent. This can
only be prevented by running out the sails slightly in good time, and also by applying slight opposite rudder if
necessary, until the gust is past. If the boat should bear away, the sails should be slackened at the same time
as the necessary corrective rudder movement is applied. Otherwise, in fairly strong winds the boat will tend
simply to continue stubbornly in a straight line, ignoring the corrective rudder commands. Please note that any
sailing boat will turn uncontrollably into the wind if the breeze is too powerful. This means that the sail area is
too great; if there is no alternative smaller sail suit available, sailing is not possible in these conditions.
NOTE:
the two lateral keels are not needed when sailing the boat, and tend to slow it down, so you should
normally sail without them. The prototype of this model is a typical yacht of this class, and they are present on
the model so that it “looks the part”, although they are not necessary for sailing.
