SAIL TRIM
The
Genoa Upwind
A)
The Genoa fairlead is in the correct position when, sailing close-hauled,
the three inside (windward) telltales lift at approximately the same time when
the boat is steered slowly into luffing.
B)
Always keep the outside (leeward) telltales streaming aft; if those
telltales lift off the sail or go forward, head up.
C)
With tiny movements of the tiller, keep testing to windward; the inside
telltales should be slightly lifted to vertical or just on the verge of lifting.
D)
If the inside telltales lift completely off the sail or go forward,
you're luffing, fall off.
E)
Don't over sheet the Genoa; in moderate wind the sail should be
approximately 3” from the spreader tip; ease the sheet slightly in light or
heavy air or if there is a lot of waves/chop. Check to see if main is back
winding. If so, ease out the Genoa sheet slightly.
F)
Vary the backstay tension with the wind strength:
tighten it as the wind increases; loosen it as the wind lightens.
G)
Set the Genoa halyard so that faint wrinkles show at each sail
hank--tighten the halyard as the wind increases, loosen it as the wind lightens
to keep those faint wrinkles present.
Mainsail
Upwind
A)
The top telltale should be streaming aft or just on the verge of curling
behind the sail.
B)
The second telltale should always be streaming aft.
C) Keep the top batten parallel to the boom; don't let it hook to weather.
Upwind
in General
A)
As the wind increases, weather helm and heeling become problems.
B)
Ease the Genoa sheet and main sheet a little and play to keep the boat on
its feet and driving.
C)
Keep the top batten parallel to the boom; don’t let it hook to weather.
Use the vang to control the baton-boom relationship when easing mainsheet.
Both
Sails – Close and Beam Reaches
A)
Ease the Genoa sheet until the middle inside telltale lifts, then bring
it in slightly; you probably can't get all three sets of telltales to stream
aft, so use the middle pair.
B)
Make sure the fairleads are on the outboard tracks; move the fairleads
forward 6-12".
C)
Ease the Genoa halyard and backstay.
D) Ease the main sheet until the sail luffs, then bring it in slightly. If the mainsail telltales are still curled behind the leech, the boom vang is probably too tight.
Both
Sails – Broad Reaches and Downwind
A)
Trim the Genoa, not the whisker pole, perpendicular to the wind.
B)
Try to keep the mainsail telltales streaming forward, not curled behind
the leech.
C)
It is better to have the sails trimmed a little loose than too tight.
D) A course dead downwind is very slow; it is usually faster to jibe from broad reach to broad reach.