STEVE SLEIGHT Contents 6 Introduction LONDON • NEW YORK • MELBOURNE • MUNICH • DELHI COMFORT AND SAFETY Editors: Gareth Jones, Satu Fox Project Art Editor: Jill Andrews 10 Clothing Production Editor: Lucy Sims 12 Head, hands, and feet Production Controller: Mandy Inness 16 Life jacket and harness Cover Designer: Mark Cavanagh Managing Editor: Stephanie Farrow 18 Safety on deck Managing Art Editor: Lee Griffiths 22 Boat safety equipment DK India 26 Crew roles Project Editor: Vibha Malhotra Editors: Pallavi Singh, Gaurav Joshi Managing Editor: Pakshalika Jayaprakash Project Art Editor: SAILING BASICS Ranjita Bhattacharji Art Editors: Jaypal Singh 30 Parts of the boat Chauhan, Swati Katyal, Tarun Sharma Deputy Managing Art Editor: Priyabrata Roy 32 Basic forces Chowdhury Managing Art Editor: Arunesh 36 Using the engine Talapatra DTP Designers: Rajesh Singh Adhikari, Arvind Kumar, Bimlesh Tiwary 38 Maneuvering under power DTP Manager: Balwant Singh 40 Steering under power Production Manager: Pankaj Sharma 42 Points of sailing DK US 44 Steering controls Senior Editor: Rebecca Warren Editor: Justin Kavanagh 46 Sail controls 48 Winches and clutches Produced for Dorling Kindersley by Schermuly Design Co 50 Basic maneuvers Project Editor: Cathy Meeus 52 Changing tack Project Art Editor: Hugh Schermuly 54 Hoisting the mainsail First American Edition, 2013 56 Dropping the mainsail Published in the United States by DK Publishing 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 58 Unfurling the headsail 13 14 15 16 17 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 60 Furling and stowing the headsail 001–186989–May/2013 62 Sail trimming 66 Steering a course Copyright © 2013 Dorling Kindersley Limited 68 Sailing on a reach All rights reserved. 70 Sailing to windward Without limiting the rights under copyright 72 Sailing downwind reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a 74 Tacking retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, 78 Jibing or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without 82 Heaving-to the prior written permission of both the copyright 84 Types of spinnaker owner and the above publisher of this book. 86 Hoisting the spinnaker Published in Great Britain by Dorling 88 Dropping the spinnaker Kindersley Limited. 90 End-for-end jibe A catalog record for this book is available from 92 Dip-pole spinnaker jibe the Library of Congress. 94 Reducing sail ISBN 9781465408501 DK books are available at special discounts A SECURE BERTH when purchased in bulk for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. 98 Fenders For details, contact: DK Publishing Special 100 Mooring warps Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 or [email protected]. 102 Choosing an approach Color reproduction by [repro house] 104 Mooring alongside 108 Stern-to or bow-to Printed and bound in China by Leo Paper Products. 112 Arriving at a marina Discover more at 114 Leaving a marina berth www.dk.com 116 Using springs and warps REPAIRS AND 118 Leaving bow first MAINTENANCE 120 Leaving stern first 218 Engine care 220 Simple repairs ANCHORING AND MOORING 222 Steering maintenance 124 Judging an anchorage 224 Rig checks and repairs 126 Anchors and chains 226 Sail maintenance 128 Anchoring routine 228 Hull maintenance 132 Using a mooring 230 Dealing with damage 134 Tenders 136 Getting into a tender KNOTS AND ROPE SKILLS 138 Getting out of a tender 234 Types of rope 236 Coiling a rope LIVING ON BOARD 238 Stowing ropes 142 Sharing space 240 Figure-of-eight 144 Berths and stowage 241 Double overhand knot 146 Cooking on board 242 Bowline 148 Heads and plumbing 244 Round turn and two half-hitches 150 Electrical power sources 246 Clove hitch 152 Power usage 248 Reef knot 250 Sheet bend MAKING A PASSAGE 252 Double sheet bend 156 Preparing a passage 253 Fisherman’s bend 158 Communication 254 Sealing rope ends 162 Buoyage and pilotage 256 Sailmaker’s whipping 166 Position and direction 258 Seizing 170 Understanding charts 260 Splicing 172 Working on paper charts 174 Navigation instruments EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 178 Tides 264 First-aid basics 180 Finding your position 272 Onboard emergencies 182 Shaping a course 274 Man overboard 186 Avoiding collisions 276 Practising the drill 188 Navigation lights 278 Fire on board 190 Sailing at night 280 Dismasting 192 Sailing in fog 282 Collisions at sea 194 Sailing in strong winds 284 Calling for help 288 Life raft procedures UNDERSTANDING WEATHER 290 Rescue at sea 200 Weather information 204 Interpreting forecasts 292 Glossary 206 Weather fronts 299 Index 208 Wind speed 304 Acknowledgments 210 Daily changes 212 Land effects Please note As with many sports, there 214 Wind, tide, and depth are inherent risks with sailing. Don’t take risks—wear a buoyancy aid or life jacket and ensure that you have adequate supervision as a beginner. 7 INTRODUCTION IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn Sailing is, in essence, a means of harnessing the wind to take you across water, whether sea, lake, or river, to wherever you want to go. To do this safely, there are many skills to learn and remember. This book explains the essential elements of cruiser sailing for those who have never sailed before, as well as providing a handy “cheat sheet” for more experienced sailors. In this book, those who are new Experienced sailors can also use to sailing will find out how to stay this book to hone their sailing safe and comfortable on board, skills, by reminding themselves how to work as part of a crew, of the basic procedures and and will learn key sailing and techniques before a sailing trip, seamanship skills. Sailors at all or at the end of a day’s sailing to levels can benefit from the step- review what went well and what by-step guidance on techniques could be improved with some such as how to approach a marina additional practice. berth and what ropes to use to secure your boat. I hope Sailing Essentials becomes your valued companion as you There is also vital reference explore the pleasures of sailing information, for example, on what and expand your horizons by lights to use at night and how to cruising safely under sail. access and understand weather forecasts, as well as a guide to buoyage, an introduction to the basics of navigation, knots and ropework, practical maintenance skills, advice on what to do in an emergency, and much more. The aim of this book is to help novice sailors to become useful and effective members of the crew, solve problems, identify mistakes, and learn new skills. Steve Sleight KEY The following symbols appear throughout the book. Wind direction Tide direction Boat direction Comfort and safety Whatever boat you sail, you will have more fun if you understand how to stay comfortable afloat by protecting yourself from wind, rain, sun, and spray. It is also essential that you familiarize yourself with the personal safety equipment on board.