Page Six
SAILING BASICS
Before we go any further in this Manual, we would like to outline the
very basic forms of sailing. Please note this is not a “cramp” course in
how to sail, nor a detailed lesson.
And please don’t consider yourself a “know all” when you finish reading
the Manual. The object of the entire manual is to acquaint newcomers to
sailing, and those skipping or crewing on a MATILDA 20 for the first
time . . . . to help you and your crew rig and sail your MATILDA 20
faster . . . . and safely.
Some important basics are:
A. Sitting
position: Learn to sit properly, and always sit facing the
sail, never with your back to it.
B. Balance: Distribute crew and gear weight evenly. Avoid getting the
boat ‘stern heavy’ (weight too far aft, move weight fore to correct) or
‘bow heavy’ (weight too far fore, move weight aft to correct).
C. Heeling: a. Heeling to Leeward: if your boat heels because of too
much wind, you can correct this by hiking out one the weather side OR If
this doesn’t help, let your sail out or head up.
b.
Heeling to Windward: This is when weight of the skipper and/or
crew is too far over on the weather side. You should never heel your
boat to weather.
D.
Sail it Right! Sailing right is a matter of keeping your boat at
the correct angle for the wind conditions. Heel the boat over in very
light winds so the sail will hold its shape. On a windy day, try to
hold, the boat as flat as possible.
E. Heading
up: Know how to ‘head up’, into the wind when you want to
avoid excessive heeling.
F. Falling
off: You ‘fall off’ when you want to veer your boat away
from the wind--that is, the bow of the boat moves away from the wind.
G. Coming
about: Coming about is a form of turning. The boat heads up
into the wind and crosses it thus changing the direction of the craft.
H. Jibing: Jibing is a form of turning, and used when it is more
convenient than coming about. It is similar to ‘falling off’ except the
sail changes sides when you jibe and it does not when you ‘fall off’.
Remember, ALWAYS WATCH YOUR SAILS.
Summary of Contents for MATILDA 20
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