Sailing

First Comes Gybing Then Comes Tacking

By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS

Gybing is the sailing maneuver that changes a boat’s direction through the following wind. As with the tacking maneuver, gybing a sail boat calls for the crew to work together as a team and is one of the first sailing skills to learn.

When a boat is sailing downwind, with the wind blowing from behind the yacht, it may need to change course so that the stern goes through the wind. This action requires the sailing maneuver called a gybe, where the sails move from one side of the boat to the other.

The aim is to turn the stern smoothly through the wind onto the new course in as controlled a manner as possible. This means the mainsail boom must be handled carefully through the turn, and the boat must not be allowed to swing around and turn sideways to the wind, causing it to heel over.

When tacking, the gybe maneuver calls for a well-coordinated crew and clear instructions from the skipper and helm.

Gybe maneuver

The gybe maneuver can involve two or three crew members and goes as follows: • The skipper or helm decides it is time to gybe and alerts the crew. • Helm calls, “Ready to gybe!” • The mainsheet is pulled in to bring the boom to the center line. • If there is a mainsheet traveler, this is cleated to hold the boom in place. • One or two crew members control each jib sheet winch, depending on the boat’s size and the number of crew available. • A crew mem ber then puts two turns of the slack or “lazy” jib sheet around the winch (crewmember A) on its side of the cockpit and pulls in the slack. Another crew member un-cleats the “working” jib sheet, keeping it tight on the winch (crewmember B). • The helm turns the boat slowly to allow the wind direction to pass from one side of the stern to the other. Once the turn is complete, the helm calls, “Gybe-oh!” • As the boat turns, the headsail blows from one side of the bow to the other.

The crew on the working sheet eases and releases the sheet from winch (B). • The crew on winch (A) then pulls in the new working sheet. The winch handle is inserted into the top of the winch, the crew winches in the sheet,

and the sail is trimmed for the new course. • The helm steers the boat onto its new course, and the mainsail is let out on the new side. • Both sails are then trimmed for the new course.

Additional tips:

•It is crucial to sheet in the mainsail to the centerline before gybing, to pre-

Gybe or Gybing can also be spelled jibe or jibing. However, both mean the same thing. vent the boom from swinging across in a dangerous, uncontrolled manner. In sailing, a sheet is a line used to control a sail’s movable corner(s). • All crew should keep their heads well down away from the boom during a gybe if it swings across unexpectedly. Stay tuned for next week when we learn about the maneuver, tacking.

ON THE HORIZONS

By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS

2023 Saturday Solin Regatta

Series (Jan. 21)

LONG BEACH— On Jan. 21, the Long Beach Yacht Club will host the first Saturday Soiling Regatta in a series of seven races spread throughout 2023. The race is available to club soling classes. There is a competitors meeting at 12 p.m. on the Regatta Patio that is mandatory for all skippers and crew. The first warning will go off at 1:30 p.m. The race costs a $25 entry fee. For questions about the event, please email raceoffice@lbyc.org. To register for the event, please visit https://bit.ly/3jCvQpb.

Rookie Regatta & Seminar

(Jan 21)

DANA POINT— On Jan. 21, the Dana Point Yacht Club will host the Rookie Regatta and Seminar from 8 a.m.- 5p.m. The event will kick off with a continental breakfast, then move to a basic rules and tactics seminar presented by North U, where racers will learn racing basics in a casual environment. Lunch will then take place, followed by the Rookie Regatta. Finally, there will be a post-race debrief followed by a trophy presentation.

Registration is available and can be completed through the Regatta Network at https://www.regattanetwork. com/clubmgmt/applet_registration_ form.php?regatta_id=25567.

2023 Opening Day Race (Jan. 28)

SAN PEDRO— On Jan. 28, the Los Angeles Yacht Club will host the 2023 Opening Day Race. This series will be governed by the “rules” as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the US Safety Equipment Requirements (USSER), US Nearshore Race level, except as modified by this notice of race and sailing instructions. This race is open to yachts possessing a current Southern California PHRF handicap. Cruising class or Wooden Hull class yachts with a SoCal PHRF certificate will use their applicable PHRF rating, Area C, and Random Leg. A minimum of four entries will be required to establish a class. Entry fees shall be $50, and a current PHRF certificate must accompany all entries. Entries must be received by 6 p.m. on Jan. 26. Late entries will only be accepted with the approval of the Race Committee Chairman. The warning signal for the first class will be at 12:55 p.m. Subsequent starts, if required, will follow the first start. The racing area will be in the vicinity of Los Angeles Harbor, with the starting area (SF1 on course chart 2014 attached) approximately 1.5 nautical miles NE of the Los Angeles Harbor Entrance inside the middle breakwater area. The finish will also be in the same area as SF1. Trophies will be presented as possible after the completion of the racing. Take-home trophies for the event will be awarded in each class on the following basis: up to 4 entries, 1 trophy; 5 to 7 entries, two trophies; 8 or more entries, three trophies for corrected time finishes. For more information, please visit LAYC.org.

New Year’s Resolutions for Boaters

Ahoy Sailors, the Holidays have come and gone, and we have taken down all our boat’s decorations. So now is as good a time as ever to set some New Year resolutions that will benefit your 2023 boating season. To stay on theme, our next issue will talk about all the devices and equipment you should check or replace before the boating season picks up!

By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS

Welcome to 2023. For boating enthusiasts struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, here are ten suggestions that will bring you new adventures and prepare you for another year of safe and exciting boating.

1. Work on your boat operating skills.

Whether it’s backing into a slip or navigating via a compass (particularly important if your electronics break), challenge yourself by setting a goal to improve at least one boat-handling skill.

2. Try something out of your comfort zone.

This year, try pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. This could be boating to a new destination, trying your hand at new sailing maneuvers, or maybe even letting your teenager take the wheel with you right by their side.

3. Organize and stay organized.

Boating resolutions aren’t very different than any others. Tackle spring cleaning a couple of months early and untangle that pile of boat stuff in your cabin, garage, basement, or both. Start with neatly coiling lines. Ensure PFDs are stowed away on the boat, and check all your equipment to ensure it is working and up to code after resting during the off-season. Finally, straighten up your boat’s interior; nothing beats an organized vessel.

4. Try a new watersport.

Boating doesn’t have to mean staying on board. This year, try your hand at waterskiing, wakeboarding, or other water sports. This could also apply to other water activities. For example, take a whack at deep-sea fishing or participate in your yacht club’s regatta.

5. Reduce your waste.

It’s crucial to stop ocean plastic pollution. Go through your cabin and swap out disposable containers for reusable ones. Make a conscious effort never to let trash get thrown or blown overboard, or foreign material enter the water. This can harm marine life, so work harder to protect your waters.

6. Random acts of boating kindness.

A new year can mean turning over a new leaf— practice kind boating etiquette. This could be offering to catch someone’s dock lines as they move into their slip or letting someone go before you on the boat ramp. Make small changes to be kind to other boaters.

7. Raft up!

Join a local raft-up and make some new friends. You already have a love of boating in common, so it will be easy. Just make sure you research safety protocols when rafting up to other boats.

8. Improve your nautical skills.

2023 is the year to impress your boat guests with your newly enhanced nautical skills. Try learning how to read a nautical chart or learn to tie your knots better. This could even be brushing up on boating facts and regulations so you ensure everyone on board is safe under your watch.

10. Check your equipment.

I briefly mentioned this in tip number three but let’s expand. Check your flares. Emergency flares expire 42 months after they’re made, meaning boaters must replace them after only a few seasons on the water. So, if you’re out cruising on coastal waters, including the Great Lakes, you must have up-to-date flares.

This handy guide from the U.S. Coast Guard explains the various types of flares that are available and approved. Various combinations are permitted for day and

If you’re the type of person who makes New Year’s resolutions for yourself, try modifying some to cater to your 2023 boating interests. night use. Next, consider updating your personal flotation devices. The companies making flotation devices work on upgrades constantly, making them more comfortable while staying within regulations so more people will wear them while enjoying time on their boats. According to BoatUS, more than two-thirds of all boating fatalities are drowning incidents, and 90 percent of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. Those statistics shift in your favor if everyone on board, including the dogs and kids, wears a properly fitting life jacket.

9. Register your EPIRB.

An EPIRB lets search-and-rescue teams know where you are if something goes wrong. The device can home in on your position using GPS coordinates that the EPIRB sends out—presuming you have registered the EPIRB properly.

You can go to someone at your local ACR Electronics to make it easy for you to register your device, no matter where you live. Their website lets you type in your home country and automatically click through to where you should input your data. relate distress data as it comes in during a search. Then, follow the Power Squadrons website steps, and you’re good to go cruising.