NORTH SAILS IC37, Sailing Manual

Page: 9 / 20

8. Bow
• Make sure spinnaker sheet is clear and ready for jibe.
• Work on the kinetics with Pit, Mast and Floater in
light air.
• In breeze, move aft and trims jib sheet and vang
once the floater goes aft.
9. Floater
• Works on kinetics with the Pit, Mast and Floater in
light air.
• In breeze, Floater is probably No. 3 to go back.
Hoists
There are plenty of little details that all go into making
your sets smooth and give you the chance to gain or
remain strongly positioned in the fleet. One thing is
that we always want to have a good game plan on
arrival into the top mark: What is the setting and exit
goal? Is it a straight set or will there be a jibe? How do
you want to exit—sailing in a high lane, normal VMG,
or low out of the set?
Knowing the game plan will help the whole crew do
their jobs. It could mean a delayed set or early sneak,
and these little subtleties are all important. Depending
on the type of course (offset leg or not) the crew need
to stay on the rail as long as possible, hiking all the way
until the last moment to get into position to set up for
the hoist. These boats respond well to weight on the
rail, and it’s common to think once you reach the top
and turn onto the offset leg you can come off the rail. I
believe in working the boat hard on this leg to get free
of any possible overlap or get that extra half a length
you’d been working so hard for up the beat. This will
give you some freedom to then be better placed with
the boats around you, get to your mode, and try to
extend and remain strong on the boats around you.
Once the jib is eased onto the hobble (a fixed length
sheet for keeping the jib on around the top mark), it
will likely need a trim back in once the bow is down,
to help the spinnaker head and tack out around the
sail and the bow pulpit. The jib sheet also controls the
inflating of the spinnaker—a quick ease to help the
spinnaker fill, then trim the jib back to its downwind
tension, will make your sets really nice and fast.
Don’t get too focused on all your different options
leaving the top mark; it’s important to remember the
processes and not to change these much. It becomes
too easy rushing things or hoisting too early, which
in my mind usually ends with a wrap and a bad set.
Timing is important and executing well every time is
rewarding for the crew and your performance.
Two tips:
• On your halyard jammer (clutch), put bright-
colored tape on the underside, so you will quickly
notice if you have left it open!
• *Decide who is the best person in the middle to
trim the jib if Trim #2 is grinding the spinnaker
sheet.
Bear-Away Set
1. Helm
• Execute smooth steering
• Keep the bow at the right angle until the chute is
at full hoist; then put the boat onto best angle to
fill chute.
2. Tactician
• Communicate type of set, style of exit, and plan
out of the mark.
• Ease runner, reducing load to downwind tension.
3. Main
• Ease main to flatten boat, allowing boat to bear
away.
• Adjust for downwind settings—outhaul and
cunningham off, vang to downwind mark and lock
traveler in the middle.
• Trim off the leeward winch in many conditions to
be able to help with weight placement.