Sailing Downwind

Presented by Foresparwww.Forespar.comPresenter: Bruce Brown

Sailing Downwind• Topics for this presentation

– Direction of the wind• Apparent Wind Direction• True Wind Direction• Why the difference matters

– Sails• Jib/Genoa or Jib Top • Asymmetrical Spinnaker• Spinnaker• Mainsail

– Techniques for deploying and trimming

– Techniques for steering

Efficient Downwind Sailing

• Understand the wind• Understand the waves• Understand your boat• Tailor your expectations to the boat and

conditions you experience

Wind DirectionApparent Wind Direction and Apparent Wind

Speed

• What you feel from the deck

• Made up of true wind direction plus the wind created by the boat moving through the air.

True Wind Direction and True Wind Speed

• This is the wind you feel when the boat is not moving at all

Understanding waves

Understand your boat

• Focus on balanced sail plans.

• Keep the sail selection so the boat is under control

• OK to reef • OK to reduce headsail

size

Understand your boat

• Displacement mono-hulls are limited to hull speed when sailing downwind.

• Sail plan must be controllable

• In heavy air – one can reduce sail to slow down.

Understand your boat

• Light displacement mono-hulls can surf and can minimize apparent wind speed

• Sail plan must be controllable

• Weight location may be critical to control and comfort

Understand your boat

• Split Rigs allow for multiple sail options

• Location of center of effort is important to balance of the boat

• Reducing sail area is OK• Bring sail plan to center

of boat as wind speed increases to maintain control

Understand your boat

• Multihulls will often sail at higher wind angles (apparent wind) as they sail at higher speeds downwind

• Sails are often flatter• Apparent wind speed is

often higher on multihulls when sailing downwind

Sailing Downwind - Comfort• Boat rocks back and

forth– Cause– Solution

• Sails collapse– Cause– Solution

• May need to gybe– Sail your angles– Suggestions for gybing

Sailing Downwind - Comfort• Boat rocks back and

forth– Cause– Solution

• Sails collapse– Cause– Solution

• May need to gybe– Sail your angles– Suggestions for gybing

Sailing Downwind - Comfort• Boat rocks back and

forth– Cause– Solution

• Sails collapse– Cause– Solution

• May need to gybe– Sail your angles– Suggestions for gybing

Sailing Downwind - Comfort• Boat rocks back and

forth– Cause– Solution

• Sails collapse– Cause– Solution

• May need to gybe– Sail your angles– Suggestions for gybing

Sailing Downwind – How to start

• Jib• Asymmetrical • Symmetrical Spinnaker• Split Rig

Jib or Asymmetrical

• Reduce the size of the jib prior to turning downwind

• This makes any movement on the foredeck easier with less hassle!

A Whisker Pole using a Jib, Genoa or a Jib Top

• Hook the lazy sheet to the whisker pole

• Hoist the whisker pole topping lift

• Turn down wind to 145 or 150 degrees apparent

• Pull on the lazy sheet to bring the jib over onto the windward side

• Trim the whisker pole so it is about parallel to the boom – as you head up – the boom comes in – so the pole goes forward

• As you fall off – the boom goes out – so the pole comes aft.

Asymmetrical

• Control Methods for hoist and douse– Spinnaker Sock– Top Down Furler

Asymmetrical

• Control Methods for hoist and douse– Spinnaker Sock– Top Down Furler

Asymmetrical

• Control Methods for hoist and douse– Spinnaker Sock– Top Down Furler

Asymmetrical

• Control Methods for hoist and douse– Spinnaker Sock– Top Down Furler

Asymmetrical

• Control Methods for hoist and douse– Spinnaker Sock– Top Down Furler

Asymmetrical

• Trim– When in doubt, let it

out!– Don’t strap the sail– Maintain halyard tension

when reaching – Let if fly with less

halyard tension when deeper downwind.

Symmetrical Spinnaker

• Spinnaker Sock– Set every piece of

hardware up before hoisting the sail• Pole• Afterguy• Foreguy• Toping Lift• Sheets

Symmetrical Spinnaker

• Spinnaker Sock– Set every piece of

hardware up before hoisting the sail• Pole• Afterguy• Foreguy• Toping Lift• Sheets

• Each part controls the corners of the spinnaker• Halyard – Head• Sheet – Clew• Afterguy – Tack

• Pole– Position controlled by:

o Topping Lifto Foreguy

Symmetrical Spinnaker

• Halyard – Head• Sheet – Clew• Afterguy – Tack– Pole

• Toping Lift• Foreguy

Symmetrical Spinnaker

• Hoisting– Spinnaker must be

packed with all the edges clear of wraps• Run the tapes

– Be sure the sail can be controlled during the hoist• Spinnaker Sock• Stops

Symmetrical Spinnaker

• Hoisting– Spinnaker must be

packed with all the edges clear of wraps• Run the tapes

– Be sure the sail can be controlled during the hoist• Spinnaker Sock• Stops

Symmetrical Spinnaker• Trimming– Once fully hoisted

• Open the spinnaker sock• Bring the pole back as the

sheet gets trimmed• Level the pole height to

parallel with the water– Clews should be the

same height off the water

• Pole location should be close to parallel to boom

• Trim so the luff just curls

Steering

• Steady course allows trim to remain constant

• Steer to the wind and use the waves to help

• When the boat seems to rock back and forth and seems to be oscillating too much: Steer less!

Steering• Steer less!• When the mast moves to

windward:• Steer into the oscillation

(in the direction of the masthead) until the mast reaches vertical – then center the helm.

• This will stop the rock and roll you are experiencing!

What should Sailing Downwind Look Like?

What should Sailing Downwind Look Like?

What should Sailing Downwind Look Like?

What should Sailing Downwind Look Like?

What should Sailing Downwind Look Like?

What Should Downwind Sailing Feel Like?

What Should Downwind Sailing Feel Like?

What Should Downwind Sailing Feel Like?

What Should Downwind Sailing Feel Like?

What Should Downwind Sailing Feel Like?

Don’t Forget About The Mainsail

• Control leech tension with a vang or a toping lift

• Control boom position with main sheet

• Protect against accidental gybe– Boom Brake– Preventer

Hardware to Tame the Mainsail

Think outside the box when considering sailing downwind!

Downwind Sailing in Commercial Marine applications

Emergency Sails for Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015

Lessons to Take Away

1. Sailing Downwind is pretty easy

2. Sailing Downwind is comfortable

3. Sailing Downwind is warmer

4. Sailing Downwind is fun!

5. Plan your maneuvers 6. Go slow7. No need to yell!8. Steering changes are

slow9. Anticipate the boat

and the waves10. Have fun!

Additional Resources

• Forespar– World leader in

downwind sailing equipment• Videos

– Go to Forespar.com

• Forespar– How to select the right

gear• Whisker Poles

– Tech TIps on Whisker » Go to

Forespar.com• Spinnaker Poles

– Spinnaker Pole Overview» Go to

Forespar.com

Thank You

Sailing DownwindPresented by Forespar

Forespar.com