GRAVITAS R2781 User manual

Gravitas
Sailing Manual
Gravitas
Sailing Manual

CONTENTS
FORWARD .........................................................1
..........................................2
HALYARDS ........................................................4
SHEETS ........................................................5
WINCHES ........................................................6
KNOTS ...............................................................7
...............................................................8
GENOA #1 ........................................................10
GENOA #2 ........................................................11
GENOA #3 ........................................................12
SPINNAKER........................................................13
...........................14
TACKING ........................................................16
GYBING...............................................................17
WINDWARD MARK .........................................18
LEEWARD MARK .........................................19
LAYOUT & BASICS.\
SAILS
BOAT HANDLING SKILLS
Produced by Ebert Publications
Copyright 2009

Forward
The aim of this manual is to initiate those that are new to the art of sailing and to
familiarise others to GRAVITAS.
The art of sailing is not very complicated but the skill of racing is both
complicated and requires a sense of dedication, awareness, risk taking and
above all a desire to win.
Only when the whole crew work together and to the best of their abilities will the
boat be competitive and success will come.
Gravitas is a ‘one design’ S80 class that is built to a strict class design allowing it
to compete in the most challenging form of racing, against other boats identically
built as yours allowing the skill of the crew to be a major factor as to who wins
the race.
Sandy as the owner & skipper has put his soul and money into his boat and
wants desperately to find success in both the one design and mixed fleet races.
As crew you are shielded from the costs of running a racing yacht but you are
expected to give in other ways such as commitment to the boat and the racing
calendar, gaining skills in your duties, being proactive onboard and giving your
best efforts during a race.
Only when we work as a team will we truly be a racing boat capable of beating all before us.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 8 metres
Crew: 5
Class: Division 3 PHC
S80 in State Championships
Club: Royal Victorian Yacht Club
Berthed: Pen D3
Sails: Battened Main Sail
No.1 Genoa
No.2 Genoa
No.3 Genoa
Spinnaker X2
1

2

BASICS -
Getting to know the boat
BASICS -
3

4

Halyards
IMPORTANT!!
Always look up the mast
to ensure the halyards
are not twisted as this
will make hoisting sails
difficult and could
prevent sails from
lowering when required.
Cockpit
Mast
Halyards
A halyard is a rope
used to hoist or tension
something on the yacht.
Typically all sails are
hoisted by halyards.
When hoisting a
halyard always ensure
the halyard is clear of
any obstacle and not
twisted with other
halyards.
Generally the Mast man
assists by pulling on the
halyard at the mast.
REEF LINE
VANG
MAINSAIL HALYARD
SPINNAKER HALYARD
TOPPING LIFT
OUTHAUL
GENOA HALYARD
CUNNINGHAM
MASTHEAD SPINNAKER
5

Sheets
IMPORTANT!!
Do not put too many
wraps around the winch
when initially pulling in the
sheet on a tack as this
could give you a overrun
which will lock the winch.
Cockpit
Mast
SPINNAKER
SHEETS
Ensure they are
run OUTSIDE
everything and do
not go through the
life lines until the
rear ratchet block
TWEEKER
The Tweeker is a
fine tune for the
Spinnaker sheet and
is used to bring the
Clews of the
Spinnaker even for
maximum
performance.
Sheets
A sheet is a rope used
to control and adjust
the sails.
Typically all sails are
adjusted by sheets.
When trimming a sail
always ensure the
sheet is on the
appropriate winch.
Tweekers are adjusted
by hand as they are
only a fine tune for the
Spinnaker Sheets.
6

Winches
HIGH
LOW
Sheets must only be loaded on to winches in a CLOCKWISE
direction
Tension MUST be applied to the sheet when winding the
winch to get purchase
Beware of trapping your fingers between the sheet and the
winch (It hurts)
When bringing in the slack sheet during a tack DO NOT over
load the winch (1 or 2 wraps at most) or you will create an
overrun where the sheet is pinched by itself
If overrun occurs try to release the pressure on the sheet and
unwind to free it, once free re-wrap the sheet onto the winch
and trim
Winding the winch handle in a CLOCKWISE direction will be
the high geared direction allowing fast retrieval of the sheet
To ease the sheet just ease the pressure of the sheet on the
winch drum, be careful not to release it too quickly as this will
upset the trim of the boat and the Skipper
Winding the winch handle in an ANTI-CLOCKWISE direction
will be the low geared direction allowing more torque on the
sheet
Always replace winch handles in the pockets in the
cockpit
7

Knots
1.
2.
3.
Bowline KnotBowline Knot
The Bowline Knot is the most important knot used on a
yacht as it connects the Genoa sheets to the sails.
This knot can easily be undone.
The Bowline Knot is the most important knot used on a
yacht as it connects the Genoa sheets to the sails.
This knot can easily be undone.
Create a loop in the sheet.Create a loop in the sheet.
Feed the sheet through the
clew and then through the
loop.
Feed the sheet through the
clew and then through the
loop.
Pass sheet around the main
sheet and back through the
loop, leave a tail and pull
tight.
Pass sheet around the main
sheet and back through the
loop, leave a tail and pull
tight.
8