[LG-list] recipe for foredeck....
dale
dwolfield at yahoo.com
Thu Dec 21 15:36:16 CST 2006
A Recipe for Foredeck
© 2003 Kenneth R. Ong
Without fail, at the start of every
sailing season, I suffer a total, overwhelming
loss of any knowledge of foredeck I had the
previous sailing season. This would not be so
painful if it were not for the one singular fact
that I have crewed on the foredeck of Ralph and
Lindy Wuest’s C&C 37 for the past several years
and will again, God willing. With the number of
times over the years I have done this position on
this boat, I am embarrassed to confess that on
the first Wednesday night race of each season I
have absolutely no idea what I am doing.
Foredeck is what is nonchalantly
referred to as ‘the pointy end of the boat’,
which is both usually anatomically correct and
easy for both sailors and non-sailors alike to
comprehend but there is more to foredeck than the
geometry of an isosceles triangle.
Disney inspires a well-known metaphor
that aptly describes the difference in
philosophical perspectives of the various
positions on a race boat. The captain, tactician,
and cockpit crew occupy ‘Fantasyland’ and the
foredeck crew reside in ‘Frontierland’.
‘Fantasyland’ is where any task is not only
possible within timeframes measured in fractions
of a nanosecond. ‘Frontierland’ is the great,
unknown wilderness of any sailboat be it wood or
plastic. Ropes freely roam that small space in a
bewildering and chaotic anarchy that brings to
mind the complexity of a vine enshrouded
rainforest. The knot from Gorda pales in
comparison to the pile of spaghetti commonly
found on foredeck. Time disappears. Sail changes,
hoists, drops, and gibes consume vast quantities
of time only apparent to those entangled in the
Bermuda Triangle at the bow.
More than a handful of book chapters
and articles have been written on the art of
foredeck. Yet every boat is run differently. A
racer-cruiser is not constructed like an
America’s Cup racer. No two racer-cruisers are
exactly alike. Other things are done differently
out of habit, preference, or to accommodate the
physical limitations of the crew.
Before we proceed to Wuestwind’s
foredeck recipe, we will need a short glossary
and the requisite disclaimers. Courtesy suggests
the former and fear of litigation demands the
latter.
First, the glossary:
*
Everything on a sailboat has a
name and some have more than one. A twing is also
known as a barber hauler. ‘Gibe’ can be also be
spelled ‘gybe’ or 'jibe'. In case you are
wondering, for reasons unknown to me, ‘jib’
cannot be spelled ‘jyb’.
*
Onboard we forego all formality
and typically refer to every item of equipment,
sail, or weather condition as ‘it’, e.g. ‘let it
go’, ‘trim it’, ‘don’t touch it’, ‘it’s a
header’, and the ever dreaded, infamous ‘we’re
not going to make it’.
*
The toe rail is a strip of
metal that rims the circumference of the deck. It
was named such because it is a useful place to
plant one’s toes to prevent sliding off the boat
into the water, in which case it could
justifiably be called a ‘finger hold’ rail. All
the blocks for the running rigging for the
spinnaker are attached to the toe rail.
*
The end of the spinnaker pole
that is not attached to the mast I have called
the ‘distal end’ but it (there is that word
again) can also be referred to as the ‘fore end’
or, simply ‘the end’ of the pole. This touches on
another small controversy in the nautical lexicon
and this is ‘double-ended’. A boat with a rounded
stern is often called ‘double-ended’ and some
sticklers for exactitude counter ‘Don’t all boats
have two ends, bow and stern?’ Does not a
spinnaker pole also have two ends? These are
certainly questions best pondered during those
coming seemingly interminable winter nights when
insomnia and apathy ensue.
*
This last piece of marine
wisdom is courtesy of a leading member of our
quarterdeck, Greg Wuest: “The spinnaker pole
should not be confused with the boom even though
it makes the same sound (‘boom’) when it strikes
one’s head during a gybe or hasty drop.”
Next, the requisite disclaimers:
*
The following instructions
pertain to a racer-cruiser with a symmetric
spinnaker using twin sheet and guy.
*
The traditional leeward drop
technique is described. The floating drop and
windward drop are described elsewhere in the
sailing literature.
*
Since Wuestwind is a 37-footer,
the dip pole method is used. Smaller boats
commonly use the end-to-end method.
*
The number of preferred
foredeck crew for Wuestwind is three. With just
two, a hand from the cockpit will be needed to
help furl the leach of the jib when it is
dropped. The third set of hands is especially
helpful if there are white cap conditions (true
wind speed about 13-15 mph). Regardless, another
pair of eyes to double-check the ropes is always
welcome.
Finally, the recipe for foredeck:
Set Up
*
Attach blocks
o
Spinnaker sheet block to
toe rail of stern quarters.
o
Spinnaker guy block to
the toe rail fore of the cockpit but aft of the
shrouds.
o
Spinnaker sheet twings
between the spinnaker guy block and shrouds.
o
Down haul block to fore
deck fitting just aft of the forestay.
*
Rig the ropes (assuming
starboard rounding of windward mark)
o
Run end with shackle of
spinnaker guy through the block amidships,
outside the lifelines, and attach to lifelines
directly above spinnaker bag loops on the port
side.
o
Run end with shackle of
spinnaker sheet, which is striped on Wuestwind,
through stern block, outside the rail, through
the twing (inside the lifelines), and attach to
spinnaker guy just behind the forespar guy guard.
o
Note that the sheets and
guys are run outside the lifelines and the
starboard sheet and guy are run outside the
forestay.
o
Unlike the sheet and guy,
take the bitter end (not the end with the
shackle) of the downhaul and run it through the
downhaul block and the downhaul fairleads.
*
Rig spinnaker pole
o
Attach mast end of pole
to mast ring and raise the pole as required to
rig the distal end of the pole.
o
Open the jaws of the
distal end of the pole and run both the starboard
guy and sheet. Make sure your fingers are clear
of the jaws when they close.
o
Attach downhaul to distal
end of pole.
o
Place pole just to
starboard of the forestay.
*
Rig jib sheets
o
Tie a figure eight knot
in the bitter end of each jib sheet.
o
Note: figure eight or
other stopping knots should not be applied to the
spinnaker sheets or guys.
o
Run the jib sheet through
the sheave for the primary winch, through the jib
fairlead, outside the shrouds, and over the
spinnaker pole.
o
Tie a square knot with
the jib sheet from the other side.
o
Double check
+
The spinnaker and
jib halyards to make sure they run free.
+
The guys and sheets
‘from stem to stern’.
o
Attach jib sheets to jib
clews.
Prepare for Spinnaker Hoist
*
Attach spinnaker bag shackles
to portside toe rail.
*
Red trimmed clew in the bag
should point to the stern.
*
Attach port guy to red clew in
the bag.
*
Attach starboard guy to
green/blue tack in the bag.
*
Attach spinnaker halyard to
spinnaker head with enough slack so pressure from
the jib will not pull out the spinnaker
prematurely but not so much slack that the
spinnaker halyard blows aft of the spreader.
Spinnaker Hoist
*
Attach topping lift to
spinnaker pole.
*
The pole requires the
cooperation of foredeck and the cockpit. Two
foredeck crew handle the pole itself while the
cockpit raises the topping lift.
*
Note: bowperson must stay at
the bow until the bow end is raised enough to be
clear of the jib. If the distal end of the pole
becomes entangled with the jib, at best the
spinnaker will not be raised. At worst, the pole
will tear a hole through the jib. One principle
should be made clear to all crew: ‘If the pole
does not go up, the spinnaker does not go up.’
*
Foredeck raises the mast end of
the pole to the height designated by the red
tape.
*
Cockpit raises the topping lift
until the pole is perpendicular to the mast.
*
Helm calls the hoist as the
boat rounds the windward mark.
*
Bowperson jumps spinnaker
halyard while foredeck crew ‘A’ unties or unzips
the bag and foredeck crew ‘B’ tails the spinnaker
halyard.
*
Take down the jib: bow person
furls jib luff; foredeck crew ‘A’ releases the
jib halyard; and, foredeck crew ‘B’ furls jib
leach.
*
If breezy, tie jib to toe rail.
*
Attach jib halyard to bow
pulpit. If you return the jib halyard to the mast
step, you will have to move it to the other side
of the boat if the jib has to be moved.
*
Foredeck cleats and coils the
halyards.
*
Retire to leeward.
Spinnaker Gybe
*
Bow person goes to bow facing
backwards towards the stern.
*
Bow person grabs lazy guy in
hand (with a handshake grip) that pole is to gybe
to. If the pole is going from starboard to port,
the lazy guy is in the right hand. If the pole is
to going from port to starboard, the lazy guy is
in the left hand.
*
Helm calls the gybe around the
leeward mark.
*
Cockpit eases the spinnaker guy
and sheet of one side and loads the other.
*
Foredeck crew ‘A’ pulls the
distal pole end jaw release from the mast end.
*
While facing the stern, bow
person guides the pole beneath the forestay;
clears the old spinnaker guy and sheet; and loads
the new guy and sheet; and shouts ‘Made’ to
signal the cockpit to start trimming.
Spinnaker Drop
*
If jib is to go up on the port
rather than starboard tack:
o
Bow person detaches and
reattaches the jib tack around the downhaul so
the pole will not foul the jib hoist.
o
Bow person runs the jib
head luff through the jib feeder.
o
Foredeck person ‘A’ moves
the jib sail from the port to starboard side of
foredeck.
o
Foredeck person ‘B’
detaches the jib sheets from the jib; ties a
double figure eight; pulls the figure eight to
the starboard side; and reattaches the jib sheets
to the jib.
o
Continue below.
*
If jib does not have to be
moved and goes up on starboard tack:
o
Bow person jumps jib
halyard.
o
Foredeck crew tails jib
halyard.
o
Cockpit crew lowers
topping lift so distal end of pole comes within
reach of bow person.
o
Bow person spikes the
shackle of spinnaker tack.
o
Note: With enough wind,
the tension on the downhaul will pull the
spinnaker pole rapidly down when the shoot is
blown. The person on the bow should be certain
her head is on one side of forestay and the pole
on the other. Of course, this is easier said than
done if the cockpit has failed to lower the
topping lift adequately so the pole is not
immediately above your head. This is one of the
more risky maneuvers for anyone on the boat to
perform. Treat it with due caution and respect.
Failure to do so will significantly shorten your
future sailing career.
o
Foredeck crew ‘A’ lowers
spinnaker halyard.
o
Cockpit crew lowers
topping lift until foredeck crew ‘A’ can release
the topping lift fitting from the pole. This can
be a daunting challenge since the cockpit crew
assigned the topping lift is usually busy taking
in the spinnaker. The topping lift winch and/or
cockpit crew may be enveloped in a cloud of
spinnaker cloth at this time. That said, it is
incumbent upon foredeck to gently but
persuasively remind cockpit that ‘Pole must come
down for boat to tack’. This may seem readily
apparent to anyone but tradition must be
respected. The cockpit must forget and delay. The
foredeck must recall and encourage. I have been
on a boat that tacked while the pole was still up
and it was not a pretty sight. I will not divulge
its name here in respect for its stalwart skipper
and crew.
o
Bow person and foredeck
crew ‘A’ lower pole just starboard of forestay.
Mast end of pole remains attached to mast.
o
Return spinnaker bag to
below decks for packing.
o
Re-rig for next spinnaker
hoist.
As with any recipe, customizing it
and making it your own is the key to success.
Good luck and with practice you too can learn to
duck your head quickly when the need arises.
Questions and comments can be sent
to: kro2 at columbia.edu.
For further reading on spinnaker
handling:
*
Spinnaker Handling by Bent
Aarre. ã 1993 Sheridan House:
http://www.sheridanhouse.com/catalog/sails/spinnaker.html
*
Sailing terminology:
http://www.sailorpower.com/sp_definitions.htm
*
Flying a Spinnaker with the
Washington Yacht Club By Marlan Crosier, Second
Edition, August 9th, 1997:
http://members.aol.com/marlanc/spin2.html
*
North U. Performance Racing
Seminars: http://www.northu.com/About_Trim.htm
__________________________________________________
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