NORTH SAILS IC37, Руководство по парусному спорту

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Sailing Downwind
This is when you’ll have your biggest gains and losses.
Working the boat hard always pays off, and it’s the one
time that the entire crew can contribute to boat speed
and the way the boat is being sailed.
Kinetics are always important, moving as a group and
keeping the boat on it’s toes is important. Keeping low
and out of the line of sight for the Helm and Trimmer
are important. You really want to get in tune with the
way the boat likes to be sailed, so you can move with
the verbiage of the Trimmer to the Helm rather than
there needing to be the extra words spoken. i.e when
the communication is “Come up a few degrees, the
chute is getting light,” crew movement will normally
will be to leeward to heel the boat to help it turn.
Then, when you hear “Good pressure; start working
this down,” that’s your cue to put pressure on the
windward side by moving a number of bodies to
windward; sometimes I’ll call for a “two-body squash”
meaning two crew move to the rail.
Work the boat. You need to find a way to pump the
sails within the Racing Rules of Sailing and the class
rules. This will take good timing and technique, but it
will be fast when done correctly in the right conditions.
Someone will be on the mainsheet aft in the cockpit
and someone winding on the primary winch to help
work the boat down each wave.
Work out a “numbering system” for who will move aft
first, second, and third after the set. If I call for three bodies
aft, then should be no hesitation about who moves.
When will you leave the jib up? It might be from 8 knots
and up. Whatever you decide, you need to know the
number so there’s no hesitation about when you drop
the jib or not. Also consider at what wind strength you’ll
drop the jib halfway to help the spinnaker fill out of a jibe.
One other question is whether to trim the spinnaker
sheet on the windward or leeward winch. You might
need to trim differently for different wind speeds and
grinding power vs. sheet movement. These are going
to be “dealer’s choice” decisions based on the best set-
up for your boat given the style and preference of the
crew. Once this is worked out, then the requirement
and need for grinding the winch will be factored in,
along with who is the best person onboard to slot into
this spot.
1. Helm
• Execute smooth steering and keep boat on mode
that either trimmer or tactician is calling.
2. Tactician
• Communicate about goals and tactical plays,
modes, and what’s next.
• Tactician is No.1 person back for weight downwind.
3. Main
• Trim main and help with communication about
mode and what’s working, along with longer term
wind info.
• There will be certain conditions when Main moves
back, but will not be known in the numbering system.
4. Trimmer
• Sits near primary winch and talks with Helm about
feeling in the Chute and mode to sail or how to
achieve the mode.
5. Trim #2
• Grind on primary winch for Trimmer.
6. Pit
• Work on the kinetics with the Mast, Bow and
Floater in light air.
• Trim jib downwind.
• In the breeze, Pit is probably No. 4 to go back .
7. Mast
• Work on the kinetics with Pit, Bow and Floater in
the light air.
• In breeze, Mast is probably No. 2 to go back.
• Call pressure.