First Sail Trim Control To Learn?

[Don Guillette]

I had an interesting conversation with a Tucson, AZ beginner Catalina 27 sailor. The subject was one I've heard many times. Her question (yes, I've found that gals are more inquisitive about sail trim than guys and they make better students!!) was which sail trim control on the main or jib should I learn to adjust first?

How would you forum listers answer that question?

 

[Warren Milberg]

Main.

 

[Joe]

The halyard........ without it you're going nowhere, 'cause the sail's still on the deck.

 

[Davidasailor26]

For a masthead rigged boat, I'd say jib sheet tension first, and main sheet a close second. For a fractional rig, I'd reverse the order, as more of the power comes from the main.

 

[foolproof]

I would say jib first. Most of the boats I have seen ( a lot of Catalina 27's, too) have a main sheet traveler, which is pretty simple to set and forget. The jib, on the other hand, has long sheets and must travel around the mast every time you want to tack or gybe. This can make the jib a lot harder to deal with, while the mast is pretty much left alone during a tack.

On my Catalina 30, we worry about tacking and trimming the jib first; clearing the shrouds, minding the sheets, making sure it has tacked correctly, etc. After the jib is set I will adjust the main traveler or sheet as necessary.

 

[foolproof]

This can make the jib a lot harder to deal with, while the mast* is pretty much left alone during a tack.

* main, not mast!

 

[snowgoose]

After re-reading the question...

Assuming it is attached and already up - obviously the sheet.

On mainsails, tweaking things like outhauls, halyard tension/cunningham can come much later (if one learns that scallops are usually unacceptable and eliminated when hoisting). A traveler can be set amidships and forgotten on most cruising boats, a boom vang set snug when the main is sheeted in will usually suffice when cracked off. Controlling the draft position (halyard/cunningham/outhaul) and controlling twist in the leech (sheet/vang/traveler position), while definitely contributing to performance, are fine tuning adjustments.

For the jib, again, the sheet. For most of the boats with furling headsails, the halyard won't get touched all season, thus the only real string to pull is the sheet.

 

[Ross S]

It's a little bit tricky I think. It's kind of like learning to drive a car and asking whether you should learn how to use the gas pedal or brake first. They work together and you need them both. But there's a point where that analogy breaks down too and while you may not be able to get a car moving without the gas and brake, you can get a boat moving without knowing all the sail controls. You just won't get it moving as well as might otherwise be possible.

For me the first thing I "learned" was the sheets (main and jib). I didn't learn about tension on the halyards or outhaul until later. At first I just hoisted the sails until they were "up" and pulled the outhaul until it was "out". The boom vang remained a mystery of sorts for a bit longer. I don't have a traveller, so that's something I haven't had to learn yet. I've started paying attention to the genoa lead cars this year. Truth be told, I'm still learning how to put all the pieces of the puzzle together! But if you set and forget nearly everything else I think you can at least get the boat going by controlling the main and jib sheets. It might not always be pretty but it'll move!

Although, in a lot of ways, my self taught meandering through whatever sail control seemed interesting at the time was probably less than ideal. But it got me through my first couple of seasons. lol I've got the Sail Trim Guide this year, so I'm making good steps in the right direction.

 

[Wanderer138]

Sheets, without a doubt. The simplest sail trim control and the most used, yet for the same reason probably the least understood and most abused, IMHO.

 

[JeffM]

Which to adjust first or what to learn first?

... which sail trim control on the main or jib should I learn to adjust first?

I found the question could be looked at two ways. If the question is "which sail trim control to first learn about", the answer is going to be the mainsheet. (The halyard isn't a trim control until you're well past Sail trim 101). May rationale is that you can start learning with just the main hoisted and cut the complexity down.

If the question is taken as "what order do I need to adjust the sails ... which sail first", the answer is the jib. Since the jib effects the wind passing over the main, it needs to be set correctly to the wind, and then the main then trimmed behind it.

As an aside, it has been my observation for many years that the most common error in sail trim is to over sheet and partially stall the sails. Many novices and some who have been sailing a while seem to think that the sheets are accelerator ropes ... the harder you pull them the faster you go. This is somewhat true on catamarans because of their quick acceleration but not on displacement boats.

 

[Don Guillette]

Here's my response to beginners when they ask me which sail (main or jib) and which sail trim control they should focus on first. I explain they should learn ALL OF THEM and most importantly ALL OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME. The reason being that some sail trim controls only effect either draft depth, draft position, twist or angle of attack but some sail trim controls have an effect on all 4 elements.

I've taught the basics of sail trim to hundreds of sailors. They learned WHAT each sail control does and WHY it does what it does. The WHY of sail trim is everything. If you don't know WHY you're making a particular sail trim adjustment you're just guessing.

I've taught beginners the basics of sail trim in one 3 hour session. I always first apologize to the class that the presentation is like "getting sail trim knowledge from the nozzle of a fire hose!!" but if they are patient and pay attention they'll know more about sail trim at the end of 3 hours than 75% of the sailors worldwide. I also explain Dennis Conner won't be calling them for sail trim advise!! The 3 hour session is followed by 4 hours "on the water" where they put into effect what they learned. By the time I finish with them they have a solid sail trim foundation to build on.

I'm going to add Joe from San Diego response when I receive this question again -- learn to raise the main and jib halyard because nothing happens until you do. It will break the ice so to speak. Joe has good one liners!!

 

[faithd]

Learning sail trim in a classroom with an excellent teacher is ideal, but most people get the 'itch' to learn after sailing on another boat. Almost anyone can learn to hoist the sails and identify the sheets. After that, everyone I've seen who is taught to 'let out the sheet until it luffs and trim until it stops' can't keep their hands off the sheet. Add to that the proper flight of tell-tales, and you will know right away who is hooked!

 

[Don Guillette]

Here's the problem I had in trying to learn how to sail a silly sailboat. As it turned out, as I've learned over the years, I wasn't alone. I had no idea what each sail trim control for the main and jib was adjusting. I had no idea of the impact some sail trim controls have over others.

I took evey class offered by Newport Beach Sailing School (they are no longer in business) and I thought I was the only sail trim idiot in the class. All the other students are nodding their heads like they get what the instructor is talking about and I didn't have a clue. He'd talk about the A and B wind pressure on the sails and I couldn't see it. I didn't get much of what he said but "a man doesn't know what he doesn't know" and I didn't know the questions to ask.

There were 3 instuctors who graded the students for certification. Two of them would have passed me but I selected the toughest. After 5 minutes into the test sail he told me I had no idea what I was doing and just guessing. No kidding and I was guessing wrong all the time. I hired him for 3 private lessons. He didn't turn on the sail trim light bulb but he set me off in the correct direction ---- the rest I figured out myself.

If I fed a monkey enough bananas I could teach him to operate the traveler or outhaul. The problem is the monkey doesn't know WHY he's making the sail trim adjustment and further he doesn't know WHAT element of the sails (draft depth, draft position, twist and angle of attack) he's adjusting. The moment it dawned on me WHAT I was adjusting I was home free from a sail trim stand point. I couldn't believe how simple sail trim actually is. Folks just make it harder and more complicated than it actually is.

 

[Squidd]

So which should I buy first...The Book or the "cheat sheet"...???

 

[Ross S]

Both!

 

[Don Guillette]

The SAIL TRIM CHART tells you WHAT to do. THE SAIL TRIM USERS GUIDE tells you WHY you're making a particular sail trim adjustment. The WHY of sail trim is everything otherwise you're just guessing. I also include a FREE Quick Reference which identifies all the sail trim controls on the main and jib that are used to adjust draft depth, draft position, twist and angle of attack and tells you which way to push or pull them to get the effect you desire.

Here's the big difference -- most books on sail trim have say the outhaul on pages 35, 64, 156 and 273 and the same for all the other controls. In other words, the info is all over the place. My book has everything you need to know about each sail trim control for the main and jib in their individual sections.

Both product are sold with a money back guarnatee -- if you're not satisfied I'll return your money and you can keep the stuff. You'll have a good solid sail trim foundation when you finish the material. RichH, Joe from San Diego, StuJ, Alan and others won't be calling you for sail trim advise but some of your dock neighbors might!!