US Sailing – Learn Sailing Right Intermediate Sailing – Flashcards
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Groove
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Is the course between the high & low side of close hauled, when you are making the best speed & achieving the highest pointing angle toward the wind.
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Feathering
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The act of scalloping slightly towards the No-Go Zone for each puff & returning to the groove as the puff abates.
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Footing
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Act of easing sails slightly & heading down to the lower side of the groove.
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Reefing
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Reducing sail area by by lowering a sail part way.
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Heaving-To
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A method for stopping the boat.
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Vang Sheeting
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A technique that Flattens the sail by reducing the draft and minimizing power to make the boat more stable and controllable.
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Draft
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Depth & location of the curvature in a sail.
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Twist
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The curvature of the leech(most noticeably near the top of the sail). The more vang the less twist.
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Drag
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Slowing force resulting from friction of a boat moving in water.
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Rode
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Anchor line.
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Jib Halyard
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Controls jib luff tension.
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Jib Leads
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Controls jib leech & foot tension.
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Traveler
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A control used to adjust the location of the boom with the main sheet.
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Backstay
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The standing rigging that runs from the top of the mast to the transom; helps pull the top of the mast aft.
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Bridle
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A fixed piece of line that, when shortened or lengthened, affects the boom position relative to the boats centerline.
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Compression Battens
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The battens that extend from the luff to the leech of the main.
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Dacron
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Used for towing (Polyster lines).
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Fathom
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A unit of length equal to 6' used for measuring depth.
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Weather Helm
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When a boat tends to turn to windward, due to too much power in sail(s).
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Lee Helm
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Boats tendency to turn to leeward caused by too little force in the mainsail combined with too much weight on the windward side, mostly in light winds.
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Navigation Aids
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Fixed objects, such as buoys, & lighthouses.
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Lateral Markers
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Red, even # cone shaped buoys = nuns & green odd # cans) Daymarks (red triangles, green squares fixed to poles) that identify the sides of channels. Lighted buoys - unique flashing sequence
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Non-lateral Markers
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Orange bands on top & bottom of marker. Regulatory or informational markers used to advise you of situations, dangers or directions. (Not used for navigation)
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Flooding
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A tide that is incoming or raising.
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Ebbing
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A tide that is going out or dropping.
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Stand-on Vessel
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Boat that should maintain course & speed
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Give-way Vessel
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The boat that should alter course & or speed to pass at a safe distance.
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Thermal Winds
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Dense cool air moves toward rising warm air (onshore or sea breezes)
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Wind Shadows
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Areas of less wind, usually caused by land effects or large anchored ships
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Cumulus Clouds
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Large, white, fluffy clouds - indicator of good weather
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Cirrus Clouds
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Wispy, and thin clouds; indicator of good weather, but may indicate change in weather.
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Cumulonimbus Clouds
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Towering clouds - indicator of severe conditions, including heavy rain & lightening.
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Stratus Clouds
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Low layer of clouds; indicator of steady rain
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Land Effects
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Wind conditions that are affected by nearby land features such as islands, tall buildings.
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True Wind
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An accurate reading of the winds direction & velocity from a stationary point
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Apparent Wind
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The altered wind direction and velocity, which is different from the true wind direction, because of the motion of the weather station.
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hypothermia
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sluggishness, confusion, yawning & shivering
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knot
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1.1 MPH
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10 knot
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11 MPH (light wind)
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11-16 knots
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medium wind
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17-21 knots
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heavy wind
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22-27 knots
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very heavy wind
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28 - 47 knots
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severe wind
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Veering wind
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consistent wind shifting in a clockwise direction (clocking wind)
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backing wind
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Counterclockwise shifting wind
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Clues to impending weather.
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1)changes in wind direction 2) cloud patterns 3)falling temps.
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2 things that influence sailing
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tides & currents
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Slack
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Very little water movement happens between going out(ebbing) & coming in(flooding) tides.
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3 things you need to determine depth
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1) watch 2) tide table 3) chart
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2 factors of a current
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direction & speed
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Another way to describe current
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horizontal flow
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How can you determine current
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Looking at floating objects, a fixed mooring, channel marker or docks
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The Flatter the sail shape and the tighter the leach....
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The closer the boat can point toward the wind.
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What 5 things control the Twist
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1) boom vang 2) traveler 3) mainsheet 4) Cunningham/downhaul 5) backstay
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Increasing tension on the backstay
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increases twist
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Optimal batten setting
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top batten is parallel with the boom
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When leech is so tight that the top batten curls to windward
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sail stalls & slows down
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Pointing high
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pointing above an obstruction
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What does leech tension affect directly?
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the ability of a boat to point closer to the wind
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2 functions of the mainsheet
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1) Adjusting the mainsail in or out 2) When sailing upwind, controlling the tightness of the leech
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3 functions of the outhaul
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1) pulls the sail out along the boom 2) Controls the depth of draft in sail 3) Controls the location of draft in sail
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What happens with more outhaul tension?
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Flatter sail with draft closer to the luff, which is better for pointing in very light or heavy winds
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What happens with less outhaul tension?
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Fuller sail with deep-draft power, which is better through waves or med wind.
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What provides speed, but sacrifices pointing ability?
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Looser boom vang that opens the leech slightly
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What slows speed, but benefits pointing ability?
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Tight boom vang
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What is the secondary means of controlling leech tension?
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Vang
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What is the primary means of controlling leech tension?
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Mainsheet
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2 things that affect sail shape
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altering leech tension & mast bend
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What is a fixed piece of line that when shortened or lengthened affects the boom position relative to the boat's centerline?
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Bridle (as on a 420)
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What can you do to the traveler or bridle to achieve an efficient & powerful close hauled course?
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Pull the traveler to windward of centerline, or lengthening the bridle, thereby centering the boom
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Backstay pulls the top of the mast aft & does what 3 things?
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1) Controls the shape & leech of the main (adding or reducing power) 2) Controls the shape of the jib through headstay/jib luff sag 3) Reduce the mainsail draft by bending the middle of the mast
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What happens when the lead is forward & jib sheet trimmed in?
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More leech tension & a fuller foot-settings that power up the sail
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What happens when the lead aft & jib sheet trimmed in?
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More tension across the foot & a more open leech-settings that depower the sail
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What will likely happen if the vang is too tight when the boat starts sailing downwind?
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The leech can hook to windward (hinging on the inboard end of the battens)
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What will likely happen if the vang is too loose when the boat starts sailing downwind?
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Leech will twist open too much or even cause the boat to become unstable. The sail may also chafe & tear on the rigging.
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Principal of Balance allows a boat to be steered with these 3
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1) sails 2) crew weight 3) rudder or combo of above
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Center of Effort
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the location of the collective force exerted by the mainsail & jib, both pull the boat forward & sideways (theoretical focal point of the force generated by wind acting on the sails).
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Center of Lateral Resistance
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The opposing forces exerted by the water on the keel & rudder & whose location is known as the Center of Lateral Resistance. (The focal point of all the forces resisting slipping sideways through the water.)
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Push mode
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wind coming from behind, the sail is pushed forward (p.22)
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Pull mode
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wind creates higher pressure on the inside of the sail & lowers the pressure on the outside thus creating lift. The lift pulls the boat forward & sideways. The keel keeps the boat from being pulled sideways (p. 23 nice pic)
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PIW
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Person in Water
