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Sailing
Sailing a model yacht is not difficult once you are familiar with the inter-action between the wind direction, the
boat's heading and the appropriate sail settings. Before you sail the model for the first time, we recommend that
you read all you can on the theory of sailing, e.g. by reading one of the many books on the subject. The
following section just provides a short, basic introduction to the subject.
The various points of sailing (see sketch; specialist terms are printed in Italics)
A sailing boat can never sail directly into
wind (black arrow (W)). In the 90° sector
(dark grey area) the sails will always
flutter (shiver), and generate no forward
thrust. Only when the boat bears away
to about 45° off the wind direction will it
start to pick up speed with the sails
close-hauled (transition from dark grey
area to light grey area (2a) to (2b)). This
course is termed luffing. A sailing boat
can only make headway into the wind
on this course and with the sails close-
hauled; the procedure is known as
tacking, and involves sailing in a zig-zag
pattern: for a while on the port tack
(mainsail on the left-hand (port) side of
the boat (2a)), then, after going about
(the boat's bow turns through the wind,
from position (2a) via (1) to (2b)), for a
while on the starboard tack (mainsail on
the right-hand (starboard) side of the
boat (2b)), etc. Fast, efficient tacking
with a sailing boat demands a good eye
and considerable manual skill, and
ranks as the true art of sailing.
The
other
courses
are
not
so
demanding. If the wind is blowing from
the side, the sails are slackened (paid
out) just to the point where they no
longer shiver, i.e. around 30° to 45°
relative to the boat's longitudinal axis.
This course is known as sailing with wind abeam ((3a) wind abeam on the port bow / (3b) wind abeam on the
starboard bow).
If the boat bears away even further (bearing away: the boat turns away from the wind, i.e. the stern turns
increasingly in the direction of the wind (II) / luffing: the boat's bow turns increasingly towards the direction of
the wind (I), ending up on a course with free wind, where the sails are paid out to about 60° to the boat's
centreline (4a / 4b). The boat only attains its maximum speed on these two headings.
If the boat is sailing directly away from the wind (downwind), we speak of running before the wind. On this
course the sails should be paid out as far as possible (approx. 90° to the boat's centreline). Differential
pressure conditions on the sails cause the jib to turn to the opposite side to the mainsail by itself, but this
situation can also be generated deliberately by small rudder / course corrections. If the wind is or becomes too
strong, the bow of a sailing boat can very easily be pushed under the water.
If the boat is sailing with free wind, is brought into a position before the wind using the rudder (bearing away),
and is then steered back to a free wind heading using the rudder (approximately at right-angles to the former
course with free wind), the boat is said to have performed a gybe. Gybing is complete when the main boom,
paid out a long way, swings from one side of the boat to the other.
Steering characteristics / Sailing characteristics
Variations in wind pressure make it difficult for a performance-orientated sailing boat to maintain its course by
itself; gusts of wind may cause it to luff up by itself, i.e. turn into the wind to a greater or lesser extent. This can
be prevented by slightly paying out the sails in good time, and also by applying slight opposite rudder if
necessary, until the gust is past. If the boat should bear away, the sails should be paid out at the same time as
the necessary corrective rudder movement is applied. Otherwise, in fairly strong winds the boat will tend simply
to continue stubbornly in a straight line, ignoring the corrective rudder commands. Please note that any sailing
boat will turn uncontrollably into the wind if the breeze is too powerful. This means that the sail area is too
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GRAUPNER GmbH & Co. KG D-73230 KIRCHHEIM/TECK GERMANY
#0057088
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11/2006
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