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SB3 Sailing Tips This section is a collection of thoughts from established members in the class, and is provided as a guide for new and old members, for discussion and application. Please feel free to mail the webmaster with any ideas or tips you may have.
It is divided into sections as below
1. Tuning Guide - Jerry Hill 2. Launching Advice - Dave Cheyne 3. Crewing tips - Tommo 4. The Kiwi Drop - Dave Cheyne 5. Speed in a Blow Downhill - Dave Cheyne 6. Leeward Mark Rounding at Cowes - anon 7. Protecting your Kite from damage / Trawling - Dave Cheyne - CC Summerhayes 8. Heavy Air Gybing - notes for crews - Dave Cheyne
ONE
SB3 Tuning Guide (nb. tips on launching further down) - Author Jerry Hill
This guide is far from being a definitive tuning guide for the SB3. What it contains is some of my own thoughts and experiences from sailing the boat for 2 years, and some tips on what I have learnt during this time.
Initial Rig Set Up
Use the Laser set up from the rigging guide as a starting point. The set up of the bottlescrews that are found above the main spreaders is crucial for ensuring the mast is set up in column, so some adjustment over time will be needed to make sure the mast is straight sideways, in conjunction with the main rig bottlescrews. Once the mast is straight athwartships, you can work on getting the correct fore and aft bend.
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore I set the lower shrouds that terminate at the gooseneck at about two turns tighter than hand tight. My base settings on a standard loos gauge (the larger black one with delrin rollers): Caps 38, D1’s 35. Some owners who have tried to replicate these settings have complained that there is too much pre-bend, which at my base setting is approx. 5” maximum with no backstay on. To see the pre-bend sight up the mast with the main halyard pulled on tight to the gooseneck. If this is the case, straighten the mast a little using the D1’s and lowers. My set up has been fairly straightforward. I work from this base setting, and then I adjust a little up and down the wind range. In light airs I ease the caps by 2 turns – this loosens the forestay, powers up the front of the jib and allows the rig to “breathe” a little when underpowered. In medium breeze, 8kts+ when all crew are sitting on the side, the rig is returned to base setting for maximum power. As the breeze gets up to 18kts + I will start to wind some extra turns on the caps. This will bend the mast more to flatten the mainsail, and tighten the forestay. If this overbends the mast you can add a little tension to the D1. Remember what changes you make so that you can return to base at the end of the day. Ensure you carry the appropriate tools to easily adjust the rig on the water between races.
Loos gauge and tools for adjusting rig whilst on water
During the race
Jib settings:
The jib height on the forestay is crucial, and you need to be able to replicate the height easily. The jib height is effectively the car sheeting position for a conventional fore and aft track. Move the jib up the forestay, and you close the leech - move it down and you open the leech. The helm and crew cannot see the top third of the jib going upwind, and if you have the tack too close to the deck, you may find the top half of your sail is flapping in the breeze, and you are blissfully unaware – I have seen this all too often on good boats. To avoid this, stick a piece of bright tape on the forestay about 12” above the deck. While out sailing, play with the jib height by adjusting the jib halyard and cunningham until you feel you have the slot at the right amount of twist for medium conditions, this should be fairly closed. Make a mark on the jib luff with a marker pen (on both sides) next to the tape. You will now always be able to see how your slot is set up and adjust accordingly. When you buy a new jib, replicate your mark.
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Line up the mark on the jib luff with the fixed tape on the forestay
The jib track allows you to move the sheeting position outboard as the breeze increases. This minimizes backwinding on the mainsail, keeps the slot working and as the track angles slightly aft it opens the leech slightly at the same time. Make some marks on the deck so you can easily move the track the same amount on each side. I have 5 marks on the deck spaced 2 holes apart. I work from mark 2 at the inboard end in light to medium conditions, all the way out to 5 in a gale.
See the 5 marks for the car setting and also the stitching that indicates sheet tension
I also have a fixed mark stitched into the sheet that allows us to monitor jib sheet tension, this lines up with a mark on the deck. To keep this stitching mark in the same place, we never undo the knot that secures the sheet to the car. If you undo the knot you lose the ability to replicate settings. Jib cunningham is used to simply get the right amount of luff tension on the jib. Pull down to get rid of the scallops on the jib entry (it’s
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore not a J24), ease a little in light air and pull on a bit harder in the breeze, being careful not to get the jib too low (see above). For the jib clew board, I am not convinced it makes a great deal of difference, so long as you are sticking to one hole, and watching how high up the forestay the jib is positioned.
Mainsail settings
The boat gets over powered fairly easily. Pointing upwind is achieved by keeping the boat upright and keeping the boom as close to the centerline as you can. Keeping the boom on the centerline is achieved by pulling the traveler car to windward. I keep mine all the way up to windward in pretty well all wind conditions. You will thus need to use the other mainsail controls to steadily flatten the mainsail as the breeze increases. Cunningham and backstay can be pulled on harder and harder as the breeze increases. Outhaul can be pulled on a little more as well Twist is controlled by using the vang, and thus the mainsheet controls the angle of attack of the mainsail. As the boat has a pretty stiff boom with a powerful vang this works very effectively.
Try and keep the boom end as close to the centerline as you can.
The middleman will need to play the mainsheet quite aggressively to keep the boat on its feet, with the front man easing the jib in tandem in the gusts. In gusty conditions, it can be quite effective for the helm to keep one hand on the backstay, and pull on hard as the gust hits, thus flattening the mainsail, and then easing off to power up again as the gust blows through.
Offwind
Mainsail controls: Ease the outhaul to a stopper knot, backstay off completely to a stopper knot, small amount of vang and all the cunningham.
Spinnaker: It’s not a 1720, so you want the tack line pretty well all the way down – it can pay to ease up to about 12” in very light air if you are trying to run deep.
Jib: Some boats do try dropping the jib in light airs; I’m not convinced by this as it is quite disruptive having a crewman on foredeck and
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore then getting the jib correctly set up at the bottom mark. Watch out for the top jib batten catching on the mast in light airs - a sharp tug on the leech usually pulls this through.
TWO
Launching an SB3 from its trailer - Author David Cheyne
The following tips may be useful for newcomers to the art of launching an SB3:
First, make sure your engine is properly secured and tie it on to the granny rail with a long lanyard. If possible start the engine just before the trailer hits the water - this avoids the ghastly moment, especially in choppy water, when the engine does not start or floods in the panic as the boat slides away from the security of the trailer. This is especially helpful with the forward gear only engines which start facing forward (starter cord pull direction) as they can then be spun around to the reverse direction ready for entry into the water. The engines will come to little harm if running for no more than 60 seconds in dry air (engine dependant) and you can always stop the engine if the launch is aborted. The pre-started engine will then keep the stern pulling straight backwards and away from the trailer. Make sure the engine is in neutral when you pull the starter cord (or be prepared to replace the sheer pin!!)
Ensure all sheets are inboard because spinnakers have been known to be pulled out of boats as the sheet catches on the trailer.
With one person at the back of the boat, sitting centrally on the transom controlling the engine, a large amount of water will flow into the boat, so make sure you are not kneeling or your boots will fill up! Also do not leave cameras, dry clothes and wallets on the floor as they will get soaked and may even wash back out of the boat. The hatch can remain open as the water doesn't get that far (usually).
The boat with the keel up is quite wibbly wobbly, so keep any crew on board low and central, and keep the boat reversing. Reverse out as far as you can before turning the engine round to go forwards. Remember the boat without foils is most stable motoring BACKWARDS. If in a congested area reverse 100 yards or more away from the shore, especially in an onshore breeze. Remember again, don't kneel whilst operating the engine or your boots will fill up.
Once away from the shore a safe distance, slow the boat and give a spurt in forwards to kill all momentum before lowering the keel.
Lowering the keel
Spray the keel with McLube and before lowering the keel and, using a bailer scoop, wash any grit from either side of the keel. Keeping the boat as upright as possible, take firm hold of the handle and release the locking pawl. It can be easier to lower the keel whilst firmly alongside a jetty or tied to a buoy: the downside is that you will have to manoeuvre without much steerage, which can be interesting, particularly if it is windy.
Putting the rudder on
Extend the tiller vertically and keep it all aft of the backstay. This allows you to put leverage against the blade as it tries to float out of
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore the sea, and makes lining up the pintles and gudgeons a lot easier. Tie a bit of string from the split ring on the pintle rod to the transom bar and also to the R pin (if you use one – many people prefer a piece of elastic secured across the top of the rudder podium to hold the pintle rod down once it is in place).
THREE
TIPS FROM THE RAIL by TOMMO
Crewing advice from the front • Don’t let the helmsman upset you even though he might be shouting like a demented idiot and have never done the front of a boat in his life. • Don’t ask “what sort of drop are we doing” half way down the run as the back end will have no idea. • Do wear good kit – it gets bloody wet at the front end of these things!
On a more serious note: • I have found it useful to keep in a pocket a roll of tape so that I can tape the kite halyard onto the middle shroud ( with only a small amount of tape) so that it stays in front of the spreaders for the hoist—you just give it a big yank at the start of the hoist. • I always tape up the main halyard cleat at the bottom of the rig to try and prevent the jib sheet from snagging it when taking from std to port. • I am a fan of marking the jib sheets and having a mark on the deck ( see Jerry’s tuning tips) as it is a lot easier to see them than look at the whole jib half way through a kite drop when the jib needs to come in., • Try and do Kiwi drops or weather drops if it is windy – Leeward drops in the breeze are a bugger! It may help if the leeward sheet is cleated or pulled by the helm to help prevent the kite going into the piss. • The art of not getting a twist on the kite sets is partly luck but more importantly to so with the timing of tack line and sheet being pulled – we hoist the halyard and then the helmsman calls for the tack line to be pulled when the kite is at the second spreader at the same time the helmsman will also pull on the spinnaker sheet thus spreading the kite and preventing twists and also preventing the kite going in the piss!
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• I always “figure of 8” the kite halyard and leave it on the starboard side of the boat—some people will tie the end of the kite sheet to the corner if the bag to prevent it tangling. • Make a really neat job of coiling up the main and jib halyards and keeping then under the kite bag—keeps them out of the way. • Mark all your halyards and tack lines – when you are hoisting the kite it is easier to see the “mark” exiting the block than look up at the top of the rig to see if the kite is at the top. • We have a knot in the outhaul so that the crew can just “dump” it at the appropriate time –easier than faffing with it at the turning mark • We also have a mark on the boom for the vang –so that it can be eased to the correct position of the bear away. • More tips later in the summer
Tommo
FOUR
The KIWI DROP
The Kiwi drop, or gybe drop, is actually a much easier manouvre than leeward drop - see Tommo's tips for further advice. Essentially the idea is to come in on Starboard at leeward mark, calling starboard, then water, then slam gybe infront of everyone, harden up and yot away 10 places better off. Problem is uncontrollable custard pie in crew's face.
Tips - crew will need 2 boatlengths to windward to drop it so don't come in and gybe right on the mark. In a breeze, crew need NOT grab lee sheet, as he/she will fall out of boat as it lurches to leeward and broaches, as you can't gybe if the boat ain't flat in a blow. Crew prepares by letting off the pole outhaul well early, pole won't retract under load, no fear. Gybe the boat, with the sheet slightly eased so the kite blows into the jib with the CLEW FORWARD of the mastwires, crew can then easily grab sheet as it comes off the clew as it is now inboard in front of wires. Right hand is holding tackline into gybe, which is now triggered to release tack from pole-end, kite still
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore controlled by left hand on sheet. Kite blows into jib, blow kite halyard with third hand, and pull the bugger down and pack.
Mistakes -
1. fannying with foot - get kite DOWN first, then worry about foot - or it'll stop yer yot like a big airbrake - no worries about bottom bit of sail getting wet, it'll sit safely on the deck and won't go in the piss. 2. too slow a drop - leave more room/crew ashore and get new one. 3. sheet too tight - behind mastwires - sail blows back into rig aft of wires and is pulled in wrong side of wires by now blinded crew, rapidly going deaf listening to slabbering from back of boat.
DrC
FIVE
SPEED IN A BLOW
Once planing at speed - arc it up, pull the boom in, grin like an idiot, and go for max speed - you'll go so fast you'll have to drive off downhill to keep your baby under control.
Seems best to get weight as far back as possible once planing to get maximum bow clearance.
Make sure pole fully out, especially in waves - this is critical as the spring in the pole will lift the nose in a big gust and allow mach 1 to be reached with the least fuss possible.
Kicker - if front man finds himself redundant, or you've a spare small lady from Ipswich listening to her stereo at the front (see below) -
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore trim the kicker - on most of the time, only releasing if on point of broach, or if crashing into a wave at 18 knots, to relieve the pressure from the apparent wind swinging aft. It's easy to let kicker off by accident going into the gybe - disaster - you won't be able to get the boom over due to twist, and the boom will catch on the backstay. Concentrate on gybing at speed, and keeping the boat under the rig coming out of the gybe - if you've loads of twist you'll have to sail round so far, there'll be no return when the boom comes over. Abandon the gybe rather than fight with a boom that won't come over.
Broach retrieval - kicker off, mainsheet off, a little jib to get nose off wind, but only a little, and if forward momentum lost, release 20-25 feet of spini halyard, but get ready to pull it straight back up as soon as the boat is under the mast again - needs a crew with good feet.
Boat is at it's most unsteady when powered up going slowly, so keep the speed on - screaming manically helps - ENJOY!
DrC
SIX
Leeward Mark Rounding at Cowes Week
It is important at Cowes Week due to the number of slower boats around to concentrate on racing mark exit. As can be seen below, coming in fast in the lead, and going around the outside of a load of long-keelers is not a good strategy (Short and Curlies). An early drop letting the caravans to round badly, followed by a tight exit (Mr Shitty) will significantly reduce the slagging later!
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SEVEN
PROTECTING THE KITE
Nearly everyone has chucked the kite in the piss at some stage, most pull it out in one piece, some pull it out with fish in it, and some pull bits of it out and leave other bits round the keel and rudder.
In this article I propose to help new-comers to prevent this rather tear-jerking experience, and save themselves an embarrassingly early call to the insurers. (which as a Class we are discouraging as you will only see premiums rocket for all – we will all be the losers)
Worse still you will be out of action for the rest of the race, and when we regularly do 3-4 per day, it can ruin a regatta, which can be much more expensive! (though the fleet is now fairly well endowed with people carrying 2 kites, and to be fair, most folk will lend you one if you are stuck – as long as you don’t shred that – CC!)
Why do we throw our beloved kites in the sea?
There are a variety of reasons, but most surround technique and decision making.
Understand that when the halyard is fully hoisted, the sail cannot go in the sea, so get it up there, and fast
Lesson 1 – put clear and obvious markers on your halyard so that you can see when it is up, and when it is nearly up – say 6ft, 3 feet and 1 foot from fully hoisted – this way, when it is fully up, you are sure and the hoister can redirect to other tasks, but not before. Helmsman luffs very slightly when nearly up, to blow head clear! (Jerry’s suggestion). Helmsman can also grab sheet to keep corners apart, which helps early set and prevents potential twist becoming full hourglass.
Lesson 2 – if the sail does not hoist easily and freely – BAG IT!!! – do not attempt to continue struggling – reasons may be as follows – wet kite (difficult, but should still go easily), mainsail to far out (never ease right to stays at hoist – as helm I pull it back in quite a bit
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore once off wind** see end of article) causing sail to trap between shrouds and mainsail – halyard caught round shroud – too early a tackline pull, trapping kite luff around clew of jib (pull jib in again after bear off, or pull slightly in on windward sheet) – BAG IT, FULLY – clear the problem and then re-hoist – most kites go in the sea at the hoist as people try to fanny around with halyards and tack lines whilst kite gracefully exits your yot at 15knots.
Lesson 3 – get longer tackline – this allows you to pull pole out fully without pulling tack out of bag – also allows kite to invert fully when windward dropping in tight reach to mark, or in broach situation
Lesson 4 – if you see the sail starting to disappear, call for help – this bit is very like a cardiac arrest, and can have similar stress levels – the more goes in, the bigger the panto trying to get it back out!
Lesson 5 – timing the tackline pull – this varies from team to team, but my view is not to start pulling until kite head passes top spreaders – best seen by helmsman, so helm calls tack pull on our boat (easier to see with yellow kite than white VW one if anyone cares!) Watch for catch on jib at this stage – still it is safe because kite is far enough up.
Lesson 6 – try not to crash
So – off down to bottom of the hill and you fall over – see broach retrieval – always retrieve kite to windward – this is where long tackline so important – get going, gybe and re-hoist
The Drop
Shouldn’t chuck it in here, unless daft enough to go for a leeward drop – drop it on starboard side, or run very deep if your going to try this an over 10knots, until you are more cocky than me, because I won’t do this without a gun to my head (on someone elses kite in my hand)
F…, too late
If it is in the sea, it is not too late
If it is not too windy, gybe and pull it in over windward rail – allows boat to stop
Otherwise try round up and stop, though this can be difficult, and try to pull it in, in one of two ways
Problem is – sail filling with water due to three corners still being attached
then • tackline off – halyard off – try to grab one luff (or are they leeches?) and gather into boat from this point • halyard off – tackline off – if you can grab head of kite, pull into boat in a tube, squeezing the leeches (or are they luffs) together and emptying water as you go
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www.sb20class.sg facebook.com/sb20singapore youtube.com/SB3SailingSingapore if all is lost, accept that you are bucked for the race, discard it and make sure you are still in the game for next race – let sheets run free, let sail drag behind boat now pulling away downwind, get one person on foredeck, pole launcher off, grab tackline and effectively initiate an windward retrieval from there, using tackline to pull sail into boat
** - Bearing off – rather basic I know, but the procedure in any wind should be well known by team – not doing it this way results in huge rudder drag / broach / boom in water / stalled hoist • keep boat flat – ease main fast – AFTER kicker released (let it off completely if you fancy) • stay on windward rail – no need to move into boat • once off wind – pull kicker on again, pull jib sheet in a bit, but KEEP BOAT FLAT • sheet main in a bit to stop kite snagging on way up • smoke it up!!
DrC and CC Summerhayes
EIGHT HEAVY AIR GYBING - notes for crews Far be it from me to advise, but having fallen over lots over the past couple of years with different teams on board, I would propose the following In principle 1. in this amount of breeze, you will be doing 14-20 knots, which means as you drive at speed, you have only 10-15 knots on your sails, which will be sheeted inboard rather than fully out as per symm ships 2. if you stop at this speed, you will have 30 knots straight onto an oversheeted main 3. if you round up too far, you will hve that fruity breeze hitting your near stationary rig at 30 knots, side on 4. if your crew falls on their arse, they will likely be lying to leeward and in the kite bag 5a. if your kicker is too loose, your boom will catch on your backstay, which will be tight due to the load on your mast 5b. if your kicker is too loose, the twisted leech will stop the boom coming over 6. if your kicker is too tight, and if your ship is not flat, boom will hit sea and goodnight 7. if your old sheet catches round your best mates Dubarry's, you will not be able to get your kite round smoothly and quickly into the tranquility of the lee shadow of your mainsail 8. if your mainsheet is being sheeted behind your traveller, when you gybe it will become trapped on lee side and will be disinclined to be eased Treatment (remembering prevention is better than cure) 1. and 2. don't slow down to gybe - get all set up , give it the welly and then gybe 3. as soon as boom comes over, bear off onto a dead run, them power up under coordinated control - get good in 15 knots, practicing as many gybes as possible before tackling 30 knots - it is all about timing, so practice +++ 4. crew - get one foot planted on either side of the cockpit, feet well apart and not in line for max stability - get good grip shoes - on our boat we don't gybe until the bowman calls 'ready', and the bowman sheets in the new sheet, as the middleman, who was trimming, ensures the old one runs free 5a, 5b and 6 - have kicker position marked on boom if crew not sure where correct position is, have kicker tight going into gybe, and release it with third arm when boom crosses over - this can be done if crew bowman faces forward whilst sheeting new kite sheet 7 and 8 - make sure all sheets are clear of feet - get middle man, or whoever was trimming and releasing old kite sheet to pull slack out from blocks rather than letting bowperson pull kite and frictioned sheet through blocks - makes a big difference, and keeps middlespud well to new windward side - also going into gybe, cleat and throw tail of mainsheet onto floor IN FRONT of traveller track, so it can be released quickly if necessary Most important thing is, only to gybe when you are ready, not when you have to - ie, get set up after previous gybe, keep boat floor tidy, look upwind and to other side of run to see if starboard boats approaching at speed, to avoid crash gybes, and don't gybe unless you are smoking down the front of a wave!! DrC - nee Mr Skiddy IRL 3041/ now Zeal Optics 3200
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