Phileas OPEN 5.00, Owner'S Manual

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5. Navigation
a) Manœuvres
These few indications are not intended to replace training needed to handle a sailing boat. The
skipper of the boat is responsible for the control and condition of the boat; he must be able to sail in
complete safety under the wind and sea conditions at the time of launching and the weather
provisions for the time that he is on the water.
The Open 500 is conceived to make all of the manoeuvres on board as easy as possible. All of the
controls are accessible from the cockpit.
Tacking
The boat is tacked in the conventional way; bend down to let the boom pass.
Gybing
Gybing is also done in the conventional way; it is advisable to take the new sheet firmly and to
guide it for an easy passage of the spinnaker onto the new tack. By constant wind, keep the
mainsail sheet slightly in, to moderate the passage on the new tack and to carry out a manoeuvre
"fast and smooth" with the highest speed possible of the boat (thus decreasing the wind effect).
The skipper determines the passage of the boom and will take care to inform the crew in time, in
order to avoid any incident at the time of the passage of the boom onto the new tack.
b) Man overboard :
With the sail hoisted the skipper carefully approaches the man overboard by going around down
wind keeping the sheet in or shocking the sail to moderate the speed (it is possible to carry out
a loop while gybing or to make a ' figure of eight’ while veering, then to go down wind).
With an engine the approach can be made easier, however you need frequently to control your
position in comparison to the man overboard, taking in to consideration the reduced visibility
from the back of the boat; it is essential to make sure that the engine is out of gear at the time of
recovery.
c) Towing, mooring
It is possible to be towed if need be, by respecting the following instructions:
- Only use the stem plate made for this purpose.
- Only use elastic cords (avoid the pre-stretched ropes, spectra, dynema, kevlar...) in order to
have the flexibility necessary to deaden the shocks.
- leave a sufficient length to allow a reaction time in the event of the towing boat changing
direction or slowing down.
It is possible to moor the boat by using the stem plate made for this purpose as well as the pad-
eyes located on the back of the main sail rail; it is recommended to use rubber shock absorbers
as well as a safe fixing system (i.e. snap shackle with
‘baionette’) when mooring at sea (i.e.
buoy outside a port).