Crew Training Manual
“Spoon feeding in the long run teaches
us nothing but the shape of the spoon.”
E.M Forster
You have signed up to a Rubicon 3 expedition. Welcome on board! All that matters from hereon is that you have a
wonderful time and learn loads. This crew training manual is your first step along that path.
Once you jump on board, you will be straight into navigating, setting sails, planning routes and a thousand and
one other things. There are no passengers on these expeditions and you are going to be fully involved from the
start. Do not worry about your previous experience level, even if it is zero. You will receive all the training you
need on board from the hugely experienced skipper and mate. So even if you have never set foot on a yacht
before (& plenty of our crew are novices) you will be in an environment where you can get fully involved from day
one.
You will find that your time on board rushes by and so the more that you can learn and revise before joining us,
the more you will be able to take from the expedition. This sail training manual covers all the key elements that
you will need to be able to orientate yourself on board and to start being an active and useful crew member.
Do not worry too much about trying to understand and learn every detail. It is really only when you’re on board
and seeing things happen that you will really get it. Certainly don’t worry about not getting something. Your time
with Rubicon 3 is a big, real adventure - there is no escaping that; but first and foremost it is a holiday that you
are here to enjoy!
Have a read through and if you are a complete novice, if nothing else try to learn the parts of the boat and the
knots. This will give you a big head-start and really help you engage with what’s happening from the get go.
We look forwrd to seeing you on board.
Rachael, Bruce and all the team at Rubicon 3
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Getting to know her: above decks
Tell-tales
Mainsail
Forestay
Staysail
Pullpit
Boom
Vang
Innerstay
Cockpit
Mast
Coachroof
Bow
Pushpit
Stern
The Rig
This is the part of the boat which does the sailing. Rigging includes the mast, boom, sails, and all the stays which
support the mast and ropes which connect to sails.
The Sails
Hummingbird has a cutter rig which means that she can fly three sails at any one time: the yankee at the front,
the staysail on the inner forestay and the powerful mainsail at the mast. For down wind sailing there is also a
spinnaker onboard.
Keel and Rudder
Under the water Hummingbird has a long fin keel, which is filled with lead to keep her upright, and a rudder at the
stern by which to steer. The depth of the keel is called the ‘draught’.
The Hull
This is the term for the body of the boat. Hummingbird’s hull is constructed from fibreglass, which is relatively
light weight for its strength, and easy to build into complex shapes and structures.
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Getting to know her: below decks
Her racing days long over, we have ensured that Hummingbird is really warm, dry and
comfortable inside. While still an expedition yacht, you will soon feel at home onboard.
Forepeak and Rope locker
The forward part of the boat is
devoted to storage of equipment:
sails, anchor, chain, ropes, dinghy and
more are all found in the
rope locker or forepeak.
Accommodation
Heating
Each bunk is 6’ 7” long and has
its own light and USB charger.
Every bunk has a lee cloth that
holds you securely in place
whilst we’re sailing and the boat
is heeled over.
The entire boat is centrally
heated from a 10kw
eberspacher diesel heater.
That’s the equivalent of 5
electric fan heaters at full
blast. You’ll never go cold!
The Heads & Shower
Portlights & Hatches
At sea the bathroom is called
the heads because it used
to be situated at the front of
the boat. Back then it literally
consisted of a platform with
a hole in it! Things have
moved on a bit since then
and Hummingbird has a
standard marine loo and
a shower with hot running
water.
The interior is lit by lots of
natural light which comes
through the portlights on the
side of the boat, and hatches
which are mounted in the
deck. Hatches are used to take
sails and ropes in and out.
Companionway
Hatch
The main route in and out
of the boat is through the
companionway hatch
which has a set of steps
at the back of the boat.
Galley and Saloon
The galley is the nautical
term for kitchen. It has a gas
stove and oven, which is on a
gimbal meaning that it
swings to stay upright even
when the boat is heeling
over. There is hot running
water for washing up.
The saloon is on the opposite
side to the galley, and has a
seating area with TV and DVD
player: the nautical equivalent
of a sitting room.
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Alcohol on Board
Beers, wines and spirits
We don’t provide it, but we’re very happy to have alcohol on board - it’s
a holiday after all! Inevitably there have to be some guidelines which we
outline here.
It’s lovely to have a cold beer or glass of wine after a day’s sailing. Sitting at anchor or moored up in a small
port is a special time when the crew can chat and relax in beautiful surroundings. As everyone drinks different
amounts, we ask you to provide your own supplies. If you’re keen on a particular drink, it can be worth picking up
a bottle at duty free and you’ll always be able to head ashore to pick up some of the local brews.
While moderate drinking aboard is fine (only when we’re not sailing!) being drunk onboard is potentially
dangerous and we discourage any excessive drinking. Access to the boat is not always straight forward. We may
have to take a dinghy ride to get back to the boat, or climb down a ladder on a harbour wall. It’s a sad fact that
when there are fatalities in the sailing community, it’s often not out on the open ocean, but in harbour or at
anchor when people return to the boat after one too many drinks. So never return to the boat on your own if
you’ve been drinking and if for any reason you do, if there’s any difficulty at all getting back on board, call for
help before attempting it.
Drink Sensibly!
A few drinks when not sailing are
fine, but heading out to sea with a
hangover is a mistake you’ll only
make once...
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Sea Sickness
A form of motion sickness that affects 1 in 3
Most people suffer very mildly and symptoms quickly pass. Others can get
hit a bit harder. There are some key tricks to prevention and treatment.
Seasickness is your body thinking it’s been poisoned. It’s caused by the fact that your two main balance organs
are telling you different things: your inner ear can sense the motion of the sea, but your eyes are looking at a
solid object like the boat: and it doesn’t add up. Common triggers of sea sickness are those that mirror a mild
bout of poisoning. These are getting cold, tired or allowing your blood sugar levels to drop too far.
Prevention is by far the best defences against sea sickness. Stay really warm up on deck and never be afraid to
ask for help in getting more clothes. Act really early. You should never be cold at all. Likewise, keep eating small
snacks and sweets. This both tells your stomach that everything is ok and keeps your blood sugar levels up.
We strongly suggest (urge!) you to take seasickness medication for the first few days of the trip. There’s no stigma
in taking it and many professional sailors take it all the time. Bruce swears by it. Go to your local pharmacy before
you fly out and pick up some medication - they can advise you what to try.
If you do start to feel sick on board, tell us! We have lots of tricks and solutions that may very well help.
TOP TIP: Keeping really warm is the most important thing onboard, not least to prevent sea sickness. Bring hats,
gloves and snoods and lots of layers, even if you’re on a ‘warm’ trip. It can get cold at sea at any time, anywhere.
Keep Warm!
Nothing will sap your energy and
morale quicker than letting your
body temperature drop.
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Eating & Drinking Onboard
fresh, plentiful and high quality food
We believe that the food onboard Hummingbird should be just as good as
anything you eat ashore. Forget pasta and tomato sauce; you’re more likely
to be eating roast leg of lamb and fresh salads.
When you’re sailing on an expedition, food is not just for enjoyment. It’s an important source of health and fuel.
The fresh air and constant physical activity mean that your body will burn many more calories in a typical day on
the water than it will onshore. We provide three square meals a day onboard with lots of fresh produce where
possible, and healthy (and some not so healthy) snacks in between. You’ll never go hungry!
Making sure you eat enough
It’s really important to make sure that you eat enough throughout the day and that means a little bit of planning
to ensure that you get up in good time for breakfast and don’t skip any meals. There’s plenty of time for sailing,
training and exploring. Your only job at meal-times is to ensure that you eat a hearty meal (& maybe to wash up!)
You will be asked to share in the cooking but this should not panic you. We provide a menu for the duration of the
expedition and a cook book to go with it. All you need to do is follow those instructions. Any personal touches or
improvements are always more than welcome for those who feel their inner Jamie Oliver coming to the fore.
Leaving yourself plenty of time
When you are cooking, the golden rule is to leave plenty of time. Then double it. You may be cooking for up to ten
people on a small stove and things that take a minute at home can take twenty onboard. Our skipper and mate
will give you plenty of guidance on cooking times and techniques on board, so enjoy the challenge rather than
worry about it.
Hygiene
Hygiene when cooking on a boat is critical, more so than on shore. The nature of sailing means that hands
are often a bit dirty and food can slip and slide around a bit if we’re heeled over. Before beginning any food
preparation, you must have covered your hands with the antibac provided. Ensure all food surfaces are really clean
and that any dairy, meat or fish is fresh and in good condition. You must only ever use the red chopping board
for raw meat or fish. If reheating any pre-cooked food, make sure it is piping hot right the way through before
serving. Rice should not be reheated. Either make some more or eat it cold.
Safety
A kitchen is a hazardous enough place at the best of times, but when our galley is bucking and rolling, the
hazards increase exponentially. You will be given a full safety briefing when you get on board, but here’s some
key points to bear in mind. The gas must always be switched of at the manual shut off valve when not in use. The
stove must always be unlocked on its gimbal when not in port. Fiddles must always be used to secure cookware
to the stove. Be very careful with knives and other sharp tools. Be careful of hot liquids and oils and always wear
protective clothing such as foulie bottoms when cooking.
Keeping Hydrated
You’re going to find that you need to drink much more than you expect when onboard Hummingbird. The
combination of physical exercise, sun and proximity to the salty sea means it is all too easy to get dehydrated.
With the wind keeping your face dry, you may not even realise you have been sweating.
Top Tip
We don’t provide bottled water on board as it’s about as environmentally unfriendly as it gets. However, our water
maker means we have an unlimited supply of fresh water to drink. To that end, it’s really worth coming with your
own re-fillable water bottle. Aluminium ones are good, or you can even copy Susie who has a super-fancy one with
a charcoal filter in it.
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Eat well!
Fresh food, salads and healthy
eating are the order of the day. We
always buy the freshest, healthiest
and most ethical food that we can.
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Spinnaker training
Perfect conditions off the beautiful
Norwegian coast for getting the
kite out and having some fun.
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Personal Safety
and staying safely on board
Above and beyond all else, keeping you safe at sea is our mantra. As you will
see, it pervades everything we do.
Crewing on a big boat that was designed to race around the world is not so tough - but it does mean you need to
be really careful about what you do and how you do it. From falling overboard to being hit by the boom, life at sea
has many hazards. We will work with you very closely to understand these and to mitigate the risks with enhanced
awareness and good technique. For now though, here are five golden rules to bear in mind:
1 Help each other. Look out for other crew members. Be their second pair of eyes
ask for help whenever you need it. Many of the jobs onboard require two or
2 Always
three people.
careful when you are moving around the boat and always keep one hand for
3 Beyourself,
and one hand for the job you are doing.
your centre of gravity low. For lots of jobs you will be squatting or kneeling
4 Keep
on the deck, rather than standing.
5 Only hold onto solid objects, not ropes. Ropes are designed to move.
Growler watch
Pushing growlers out of the way in
ice-choked waters off the coast of
Greenland
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Lifejackets
worn all the time
There’s never a time when it’s safe to fall in to the sea. When you’re sailing
with Rubicon 3, you’ll always wear a lifejacket whatever the weather.
It’s a simple rule but one followed by the vast majority of professional seafarers. At Rubicon 3, we go a little
further and require a safety tether to be attached to the lifejacket at all times (you can see the orange tether in the
photo below). It doesn’t have to be used all the time, and can be stowed away without causing any bother. When
the wind does pick up though, or you come to need it, you’ll be mighty pleased it’s on your lifejacket, ready to go,
rather than stored down below where you can’t quickly access it.
An
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
offshore lifejacket has the following features:
automatic inflation
bright yellow colour
water-activated light
whistle
spray hood to protect breathing
reflective tape
lifting strop for attaching a retrieval line
Lifejacket always on!
Small, light and comfortable,
you’ll soon forget you’re wearing a
lifejacket on board.
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Man Overboard
training for the worst eventuality
We do everything possible to prevent anyone falling in, but should the
situation occur we make sure the whole crew has trained in the recovery
process.
The principles of recovering a man overboard are really very simple: never lose sight of them; stop the boat
as quickly as you can; get back to the casualty as quickly as you can; get them back on board without injuring
anyone else; treat them for hypothermia (even if they don’t appear to be suffering from it). How we do that on a
26 tonne, 60’ yacht is another matter.
Appoint a spotter
One person will do nothing but point at the casualty. This is a critical role as it is so easy with even a moderate
sea state to lose sight of someone in the water and then they are in real trouble. Hopefully the Man Overboard kit
has gone in quickly enough that they are marked by the flag on the dan buoy.
Stop the boat
The helmsman will complete a manoeuvre known as ‘heaving to’ which pretty much stops the boat dead in the
water. Once this has happened the crew will drop the headsails and get the engine on, meaning the boat can now
be driven back to the casualty.
Prepare the rescue team
While the boat returns to the casualty, one of the rescue team is put into a drysuit (if the water is cold), climbing
harness and helmet and attached to a halyard (see photo below). Once they are next to the casualty, the rescuer
will be dropped in to the water. They will attach another halyard to the casualty and both will be winched up and
on to the boat.
Treat for Hypothermia
Both the casualty and the rescue diver are now treated for hypothermia, with close monitoring continuing for a full
24 hours until the skipper is certain they are recovered.
Man Overboard Training
In the warm waters off Morocco
there is no need for the rescuer to
use a dry suit.
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Arctic Expeditions
keeping warm and safe
If you’ve picked one of our expeditions that run in the high latitudes, you’ll
find we bring out some extra kit to keep you safe and warm.
There’s a magic to sailing off Iceland, Greenland or even further north to areas such as Spitsbergen. However, the
extra rewards come with extra hazards and risks, and those risks have to be managed very carefully. Our 10kw
heater can keep the inside of the boat warm and snug in even the harshest conditions. Outside, it’s a different
matter and of primary concern is the danger of falling in or getting wet.
Cold water dangerously accelerates the onset and progression of hypothermia. Body heat will usually be lost up
to 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air. Even a mild case of hypothermia reduces an individual’s physical
and mental abilities, thus increasing the risk of accidents. Severe hypothermia may result in unconsciousness and
possibly even death.
Cold Water Impact Chart
Water Temperature (°C) Time Until Unconscious
Expected Survival Time
0.3
Less than 15 minutes
45 minutes
0.3 - 4.4
13 - 30 minutes
30 - 90 minutes
4.4 - 10
30 - 60 minutes
1 - 3 hours
10 - 15.6
1 -2 hours
1 - 6 hours
15.6 - 21.1
2 - 7 hours
2 - 40 hours
21.6 - 26.7
3 - 12 hours
3 - indefinite
> 26.7
Indefinite
Indefinite
Immersion Suits
We carry a full complement of SOLAS approved immersion suits on board. The table above shows you how
dangerous falling into cold water can be. Our suits however will protect you for up to 6 hours in water as cold as
0°C. This means that should the worst happen and we need to abandon ship, the crew have the very best chance
possible of staying fit and well.
Use of the tender
Once the water is below 5°C, the risks associated with falling in are both real and immediate. To this end, when
operating in water of this temperature or colder, crew will don immersion suits before getting into the tender.
This keeps the journey ashore as safe as possible.
Extra kit for you to bring
If you’re on one of our Arctic or cold weather trips, we strongly suggest you buy a duvet suit or something similar.
These keep you really warm and are not too bulky. Have a look at Dickies padded overalls (Bruce’s favourite), a
freezer suit or if you have space, a Fladden suit (beloved of Rachael & Susie). If in doubt, call us to discuss.
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Staying Safe
Drills with the immersion suits,
prior to sailing off the coast of
Iceland.
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Know Your Knots
The five critical knots for a crew member
There’s a saying that ‘if you can’t tie knots, tie lots’ and that’s probably the
best advice we can give. Learning a few before you join will really help you.
You may think that as a sailor you need to know a never-ending number of knots, but it’s not the case. There are
probably only five knots that we use on board with any regularity and of those, being able to tie just three will
suffice.
When is a knot not a knot?
There’s a whole language to being at sea that can entertain and frustrate in equal measure. There’s a reason and
history behind each term and you’ll come to appreciate the clarity of meaning that they give. Knots, however, may
be an exception. The term is used as a generic catch all when actually what is meant may be a knot, a hitch or
even a bend. The differences are often minor and simply referring to them all collectively as ‘knots’ makes good
sense! Here’s a brief description of each.
Knot
Used to form eyes or to secure a rope around an object, such as a piece of kit. Technically, the line is bent to
itself. Examples are the reef knot and admiralty stopper knot.
Bend
Used to secure two lines together. Examples are the single and double sheet bend.
Hitch
Used to bend a line to or around an object, such as a ring, spar, or stanchion. Examples are the trucker’s hitch or
round turn and two half hitches.
Knowing your rope
Handling ropes is the bread and butter of sailing. Ropes are used to hoist sails, drop sails, shape them to the way
we want, tie us up to the dock, and lash the sails down when we’re not using them. The only problem is that we
rarely call a rope a rope. Just as the Inuits have dozens of words for snow, so sailors have an expansive vocabulary
for ropes. As soon as a rope has a purpose it gets a new name. Here’s a quick overview of some of the terms you
might come across.
Mooring warps or mooring lines
Warps are the thick, sturdy ropes we attach ourselves to the dock with. They need to be able to withstand the
constant movement of the boat as it bobs alongside the dock, so they should have shock absorption properties
and be chafe resistant. Depending on how the rope is used, it will be given a specific name, such as the bow line
and stern line. Nylon is often used.
Anchor warp
Most anchors will have a length of chain, and then a length of rope attached. Chain is much better material
for anchoring because of its weight, but too much will be heavy to carry around. The best rope to use is eight
strand, plaited polyester, which won’t kink or twist. It can also be woven (or spliced) through the chain to make a
seamless transition between chain and rope.
Halyards
These are for pulling sails up, and attach to the head of the sail. They need to be stretch resistant, and fairly light
weight. Polyester is the most economic and long-lasting material, but for even less stretch and lighter weight,
dyneema or spectra can be used.
Sheets
Sheets pull the sails in, or let them out, horizontally. Each sail has a sheet (or two in the case of the headsails).
They need to be fairly stretch resistant, but also capable of withstanding serious shock loads as the sail flaps
around. Polyester is the most commonly used material
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The Bowline
You can’t come on a sailing holiday without learning a thing or two about bowlines. In fact, if there is only one
thing you learn before coming onboard, being able to tie a bowline should be it. The knot is used for all manner
of different jobs onboard. From tying a mooring warp to a cleat, to attaching the sheets to the sails, they’re
everywhere. Its major advantage is that it can be undone even after it has been worked hard and it has less impact
on a rope’s breaking strain (retaining c. 70% of its strength) than just about any other knot.
Notes
Probably the most important knot on a sailing yacht and yet often the worst understood. When you come to tie
a bowline it will often need doing quickly and from any angle. There’s no benefit to having a ‘favourite’ way or
having to have the standing end in your right hand for instance. Learn the technique as it’s shown here and then
practice tying the knot with the loop away from you, toward you and with the standing end on the right side and
left side. Many is the crew member we have had who proudly ties a bowline behind their back or one handed, but
then can’t tie a bowline in situ because it’s not lined up just how they like it.
1
2
Bend the rope over at the
working end to leave you
with enough of a tail to
make a decent sized loop
from your bowline.
Make a mini loop in the
standing end. This mini
loop needs to exit with the
working end on top.
Working end
is on top
Working End
Standing End
3
4
Take the working end up
through the mini loop and
pull it through a few inches,
parallel to the standing end.
Pass the working end under
the standing end and push it
back down through the miniloop from top to bottom.
It should be right next to
itself. Pull everything tight
and you have your bowline.
Ensure the
working end
comes ‘up’ the
mini loop
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Round Turn & Two Half Hitches
Our second favourite knot, this one can be undone whilst it’s under load because the round turn gives you enough
friction to control the rope. This is often used for tying on the fenders, or as an alternative knot for tying up to a
cleat or bollard.
Notes
Although there are many uses for a round turn and two half hitches, on the yacht you will almost only use it for
tying fenders to the stanchion posts. The most common error when tying is to have the hitches coming from
different directions. Once the first hitch is tied, the second hitch must start from the same side of the standing
end.
1
2
Take the working end
around whatever object you
are tying to, and make sure
it does a full turn around
(it will look more like a turn
and a half)
Working End
Standing End
Working end
goes over
the standing
end, under it
and then over
itself.
Now pass the working
end over the standing end
and come back under it,
finishing above itself. This is
a half hitch
3
Repeat the half hitch and
pull everything tight
Make sure the
second hitch
copies the first
one exactly
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Double Sheet Bend
Used to tie together two ropes of similar or different sizes, this knot won’t come undone when under tension but
will still come apart when the load is off. It is also very kind on the ropes themselves. By adding a knot to a rope
you can reduce it’s strength by up to 60%, and if a rope is going to break, it nearly always breaks at the knot. The
double sheet bend maintains a higher breaking strain than many other knots and leads to minimal friction.
Notes
There is also a single sheet bend, but there is never a time we would use a single rather than the far more secure
double sheet bend.
1
Bend the working end of the
thicker rope back on itself in
a horse shoe shape
2
A bight is a
loop
3
Pass the working end of
the thinner rope behind
the thicker rope, and then
tuck it under itself. This is a
single sheet bend
Take the working end of the
thinner rope through the
middle of the horse shoe
you just made in the thick
rope
Always use the
thinner of the
two ropes to
form the bend.
4
This is the
most common
knot used
when making
nets
Repeat stage 3 by passing
the working end around the
body of the thicker rope
again and tucking it back
under itself
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Note how the
blue rope
holds the bight
of the white
rope together
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Admiralty Stopper Knot
Except for a spinnaker, most sails need stopper knots in the end of their lines to stop them accidentally being
pulled through clutches or blocks. Traditionally, the figure of eight knot was used but this is neither strong
enough nor secure enough for large yachts and the very secure Admiralty Stopper Knot is used instead.
Notes
As soon as you have run the Yankee or Staysail sheets, you should tie an Admiralty Stopper Knot in the end. You
want the tail to be a good 12 inches long so that you can attach a rolling hitch to it should everything get jammed
up.
1
Make a bight in a length of
rope
2
Leave your
self plenty
of rope to
work with
3
Feed the working end back
up through the winds and
out through the first loop
you made
The loop at
the end is
important.
Don’t lose it.
Wind the working end back
around the standing end
four or five times
4
If it helps,
this knot can
be made by
winding it
around a finger
Pull tight, making sure you
have a good length tail at
the end
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You may need
to kneed the
knot into
shape as you
tighten it
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The OXO
Ok, this is not a knot but it’s just about as important as anything else you’ll bend, tie or hitch. Remarkably simple
and incredibly effective the oxo is used throughout the boat and will not slip even under extreme load. This is the
only way we attach a line to a cleat on the boat. We never ever tie a line to a cleat.
Notes
You may have been shown the ‘locking’ oxo. This is not something you should ever use as it completely negates
the advantages of the oxo. Once under load, a locking oxo cannot be released easily.
1
2
Make a full
turn around
the cleat
Wrap the line
diagonally across
the cleat
3
4
Repeat the
diagonal,
heading back
the other way.
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You may need
to kneed the
knot into
Finish
with
a
shape
as you
final
full turn
tighten
it
around the cleat
and pull tight
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K
Mooring Lines
Keeping the boat firmly attached to the dock
Put simply, the aim of the mooring lines is to ensure that the boat is securely
fastened to the dock, and that it won’t move forwards or backwards, or in or
out from the dock.
Warps, lines and springs
We refer to our mooring ropes as warps or lines, until they have a specific job at which point they are called by a
new name. So you might hear the skipper ask the crew to ‘Get the lines and fenders out’, shortly followed by an
instruction to ‘Set up a bow, stern line and midships line’. Let’s look at those particular roles in a bit more detail.
Breast lines: bow and stern
These secure the front and the back of the boat to the dock. Their role is to stop it drifting out sideways. They
are attached to cleats on the bow and stern of the boat, come out through a fairlead and attach to a cleat, ring
or bollard ashore. On a yacht of Hummingbird’s size and weight, we normally set up two bow lines and two stern
lines to help share the load and give us some redundancy in case one line snaps. The aim is to set them up in a ‘v’
shape to separate points, although this is not always possible. It depends on what is available on the dock.
Spring lines
The springs stop the boat moving forwards and backwards. They are attached to either end of the boat, come out
through a fairlead and are attached to the dock. A spring line works better the more parallel it is to the boat, so
generally a longer line works best, attached to the dock somewhere roughly halfway along the length of the yacht.
A stern spring is attached to the back of the boat and runs forwards. It stops the boat moving backward. A bow
spring attaches to the bow and runs aft. It stops the boat moving forward. When docking, we will sometimes use
a midships spring, which works a bit like a breast line and a spring all in one. Coming out of the middle of the
yacht, once attached to the dock the yacht cannot go anywhere.
When to use a bowline and when to use an oxo
The golden rule is never tie a knot to your boat. If ever you are coming away from the dock and a line gets
snagged on the dock (all too common when there are old tyres lining the wall) you need to be able to release the
line quickly, even if it is under load. The only way to ensure this is possible is to have it attached to the boat with
an oxo. At the shore side, we like to have a bowline around the cleat, bollard or ring. The bowline should pass
around the object twice before being tied to minimise friction.
Bow Spring
Stopping the boat going forward
Fairlead
All lines feed through here
1st Bow Line
Good tension and good angle
2nd Bow Line
This should be tightened to balance the
load with the 1st Bow Line
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Two Day Celestial Navigation Course
Join us for two intensive days before your expedition and get to
grips with this beautiful form of navigation. Once you’re out on the
open ocean, put your new found skills in to practice and find your
way using just the Sun, Moon, stars and planets.
Courses run over a weekend. Often in London. Theory only.
Includes a copy of the Rubicon 3 Celestial Navigation Primer.
Head to ‘Expedition Extras’ on the website for more details
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Parts of the Sail & Sail Selection
From luff to leach and everything in between
Like everything at sea, there’s a specific term for each part of a sail. They are
the bread and butter of our sailing terminology and the sooner you can learn
them the sooner you’ll be able to use them properly.
Head
The very top edge
of the sail
Halyard
The rope that pulls
the sail up
Leach
Luff
The back or trailing
edge of the sail
The front or leading
edge of the sail
Sheets
Clew
The bottom back
corner of the sail
Foot
The rope that attaches
to the clew. This
pulls the sail into the
required shape
The bottom edge of
the sail
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Tack
The front bottom
corner of the sail
SAIL | TRAIN | EXPLORE
The Sails Onboard
Choosing the right sail for the right conditions isn’t always easy. On Hummingbird we have three different sails,
as opposed to the more common two sails on a standard cruising yacht. This is called having a ‘cutter rig’ and it
means that instead of having one big ‘headsail’ (front sail), we have two. This is a great set up for long distance
sailing because it gives lots of possible combinations to choose from, so we can tailor our sail plan to suit any
conditions.
Mainsail
The mainsail is our most powerful sail, but even so it isn’t much use without the others. You really need all the
sails to be working together as one aerofoil to get the boat moving efficiently. The whole is greater than the sum
of its part in this case. We have the option of only using some of the mainsail if it gets too windy. This is called
reefing. We have 3 reefs, with the first reef having the largest sail area, and the third reef the smallest.
Yankee
The yankee is the second biggest driving force in the sail department. You may have heard headsails called
‘genoas’ or ‘jibs’. They do the same thing, but have a slightly different shape. A yankee has a very high-cut clew.
This is for two reasons: firstly the other headsail, the staysail, is low cut and fills in the gap. Secondly, when ocean
sailing the waves coming over the bow can catch the foot of a low cut sail and rip it.
Staysail
Staysail by name, staysail by nature: this little sail can withstand most things. It plays a crucial role in keeping the
air flowing between the yankee and the mainsail, helping the overall sail plan to act as a single aerofoil. It is made
from incredibly tough material, and heavily reinforced so we can keep sailing with it through most conditions.
Storm Sails
We carry two storm sails onboard. These are a storm jib (like a very small, tough staysail) and a trisail. The trisail
replaces the mainsail and is again small and very tough. The trisail also has the advantage that it doesn’t need
the boom to be used. If for any reason the boom is damaged, the boat can still be sailed. Storm sails are bright
orange in colour to help in spotting the vessel in bad conditions.
Spinnaker (symmetric)
The spinnaker is a vast, lightweight sail used for downwind sailing in light airs. Flown with the aid of a pole, it
presents a huge surface area of material to the wind and therefore generates a strong pulling power even when
it’s not that windy.
Storm Sails
Testing the trisail and storm job in
the Faroes as the weather worsens.
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Sweaters
Working together pulling the
halyard out, then down.
Tailing
The halyard is pulled through the
clutch and then winched up tight.
Mainsheet
Ready to be eased, which helps the
final part of the hoist.
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Hoisting the Sails
A triumph of technique over strength
Although the sails are big and heavy, hoisting them to the top of the mast is
very much about technique rather than strength. You’ll be shown how to do
this onboard once you join, so don’t worry too much.
Mainsail
• The mainsail is the biggest, heaviest and hardest sail to hoist. It’s all about preparation and technique.
Preparation
• First, we want to reduce the friction as much as possible, so we pull through all the reefing lines that are not
in use. With three sets of reefing lines, all going through clutches and blocks, there is a lot of friction.
• At this point, we can also get the running backstays forward. They will not be in use at this point and we want
them out of the way.
• We make sure the vang (which holds the boom down) is eased, thereby helping to keep the sail de-powered.
• We need two people at the mast ready to sweat the halyard (the hard graft) and one in the cockpit ready to tail
the halyard (pulling through the slack as the sail gets hoisted). We can also have someone ready to ease the
mainsheet to assist the latter stages of the hoist.
Boat aspect
• We will then turn the boat directly in to the wind. This will ensure that the sail does not power up as it goes up
and should also mean we are facing into the waves, thereby minimising roll.
• Once the boat is lined up correctly, the sail ties can be removed and the mainsail will come loose.
The hoist
• The two sweaters at the mast have to work together or they will really struggle. The trick is to use your chest
and back muscles, which are far bigger than your shoulders and biceps.
• Pull the halyard not down, but toward you, at chest height.
• Having created some slack in the line you can then ‘pass’ this slack down toward the block at the foot of the
mast.
• The tailer, sat in the cockpit, pulls this slack through the clutch and the whole process is repeated.
• It’s a bit physical, but quite do-able by almost anyone with a bit of practice.
Yankee & Staysail
• Raising the yankee or staysail is a much simpler operation as there is no boom or reefing lines involved. The
difference here is that the clew is not attached to a boom and so can fly around in a rather hazardous manner!
As such, we need someone manning the sheet (which is attached to the clew) and adjusting the tension as
the sail goes up. The trick is to keep it slack enough that the sail does not power up, but not so slack that the
clew becomes a hazard.
Halyard Tension
• The last part of any sail hoist is tensioning the luff (the front edge of the sail) correctly.
Winching
• Once the sweaters have done all they can, it is up to the tailer to load up the winch to its capacity and then
grind up the last few feet of halyard. Hopefully the sweaters have done their job properly as winching up a
halyard is far slower and far more tiring than sweating.
Gauging Luff Tension
• On the mainsail, we are looking for a faint set of diagonal lines spreading out and up from the clew (the
bottom, front edge). This is a sign of very slight over-tension, but by the time the halyard settles into the
clutch, the tension should be just about perfect.
• On the foresails, the grinder will be looking at the sail where each hank is attached. If it’s under-tensioned
there will be creases coming back horizontally from each hank. As soon as the tension is correct, these
creases will disappear.
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N
Points of Sail
Upwind and downwind sail settings
There is a name for all of the different angles of the boat to the wind, and
these are called the ‘Points of Sail’. It is important that you know these as
early as possible.
Head to Wind 0°
The sails can’t work when the boat is
pointing straight into the wind. The wind
can’t catch either side so the sails flap.
Close hauled - 40°
The closest that a boat can sail to
the wind is about 40°. At this point
the sails need to be pulled as close
to the centre-line of the boat as they
can. There is a careful judgement to
be made between going for a good
angle close to the wind, or having a
slightly more open angle and going
faster.
Close Reach - 60°
As the angle between the
boat and the wind changes,
we need to ensure that the
angle of attack between
the wind and the sail stays
about the same. This
required us to ease the
sails, opening the angle
between the sail and the
boat.
Beam Reach - 90°
This is a fast point of sail,
the sails will be almost fully
eased out, meaning that the
lift from them is largely in
the forwards direction.
Broad Reach - 120°
At this point the sails will
be fully eased out, and you
may even want to put up a
specific sail for going down
wind such as a spinnaker.
Dead Run 180°
The wind is right behind the boat and the
angle of attack has gone too far, we can no
longer achieve laminar flow over the sails.
This is a slow point of sail where you are
primarily ‘pushed’ along rather than using
an aerofoil effect.
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Close Reaching
Always a pleasure in the warm
trade winds off the Canary Islands
© Claire Gooch
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O
Key Terminology
Know your heading up from your bearing away
When we’re sailing there are some specific commands you need to
understand. They relate to the adjustments we make to our course or sails.
Windward
This is an adjective which literally means towards the wind. The windward side of the boat would be the side
which gets hit by the wind first. It will also be the high side of the boat when heeling over.
Leeward
The opposite of windward. The ‘lee’ side of the boat experiences the wind last and will be the low side of the boat
when sailing. A ‘lee shore’ is land toward which we are being blown.
Coming up or coming higher
This indicates a change of course towards the wind.
Bearing away or coming lower
A change of course away from the wind.
On the wind
This is when the boat is as close to the wind as it is possible to sail efficiently. Above this point you may make
some ground, but it will be very slow.
Off the wind
The opposite to being on the wind. You could go closer or higher if you wanted.
Sheet in
The action of tightening the sails in order to sail closer to the wind.
Ease the sheets
The action of letting the sails out, usually when you have changed course to one which is more off the wind.
Pinching
A term for sailing too close to the wind. You’ll feel the boat level out and see the sails luff a bit and lose power.
Heeling over
The effect of the wind tipping the boat over to one side. This is perfectly normal, and most sailing boats are
designed to reach optimum speed at a heeling angle of about 20°.
Luffing
This is when a sail starts to flap, either because the boat is sailing too close to the wind, or because the sails
aren’t sheeted in enough. It’s not always a bad thing and sometimes we do it intentionally to slow or even stop
the boat.
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P
Tacking
Turning the bow across the wind
Sometimes we need to turn the front of the boat across the wind, in a
manoeuvre known as ‘tacking’. This tells you how we do it.
When sailing upwind we have seen that there is a 80-90° zone in which the sails won’t work. So if your destination
is where the wind is coming from, you will need to zigzag to get there, swapping the sails from one side to the
other as you go. The technical term for this process of making your way upwind is ‘beating’.
From the diagram opposite, you can see that the ‘No
Go Zones’ mean that the yacht has to tack constantly.
These can be a series of short tacks or fewer, longer
tacks. There may be pros or cons to either, depending
on the situation and wind forecast.
With a mainsail, yankee, staysail and running backstays
to attend to, tacking a yacht such as Hummingbird is a
real team effort and getting everyone working together
is the key. To ensure a smooth evolution, we have a set
series of commands and procedures.
‘Ready to tack’
• This first command tells everyone to get ready.
• The yankee and staysail sheet winches need to be
manned on both port and starboard so that we are
ready to release the sails on one side and pull in on
the other.
• The lazy running backstay can be brought back
hand tight, ready to be winched in hard.
• The mainsail should be more or less central
already, and won’t need anything doing to it.
• Once every team is ready, they need to signal this
to the helm.
‘Helm over’
• Once the helm is happy that all teams are ready,
the driver tells the crew that they have started the
turn, and to standby for action.
‘Lee ho’
• This is the point at which the boat is head to wind
and the sails are flapping.
• It’s time to release the active sheets, and pull in
hard on the new sheets.
• The active running backstay is loosened and pulled
forward to the mast.
• The new running backstay is winched on hard.
The boat is now off and running again and the teams
on the sheets need to trim the sails to get them driving
the boat forward as efficiently as possible. Meanwhile
the remaining crew can tidy up any loose lines and get
the cockpit looking tidy again. Once that’s all done, the
crew can sit back and relax until they next hear ‘ready
to tack!’
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Q
Gybing
Turning the stern across the wind
Turning the stern of the boat across the wind is known as gybing. With the
wind behind us there is no opportunity for the sails to depower. This results
in a much faster, more powerful turn, that needs to be carefully managed.
Remember that ultimately all we want to do is swap the sails from one side to the other so that we can change
course. A course which is dead down wind is actually very slow, because the aerofoil effect is reduced when the
wind is behind us, and we are just being pushed along. Often we will choose to zigzag our way down wind, gybing
more frequently and maintaining a faster speed, rather than going slowly in a straight line.
When sailing with the wind behind the beam, we will
always have a gybe preventer on. This holds the boom
out and is a critical safety feature. When gybing, not
only do we need to swap the sails from one side to
the other, but we will also need to swap over the gybe
preventer.
‘Ready to gybe’
• This is the signal to ease off the gybe preventer and
sweat the mainsail in to the centre of the boat.
• The yankee sheets also need to be manned.
• If the runners are being used the new runner can be
brought back and hand tightened.
• The helm must ensure the boat is on a broad reach
during all this or the pressure on the mainsail will
be too great to centre it.
Release gybe preventer
• With the boom centred, the current gybe preventer
can be released and stored back on the boom.
• The new gybe preventer can then be attached,
ready to be eased out.
‘Helm over’
• The helm starts a smooth, gentle turn away from
the wind.
• The yankee sheet should be eased until the clew
of the sail sits in between the forestay and inner
forestay (the gap it will need to pass through).
‘Gybe ho’
• The mainsail will flip over to the opposite side.
• The yankee sheet can be ‘John Wayned’ off the old
winch and pulled in on the new side.
Tension gybe preventer
• At this point the mainsheet can be eased out, while
the new gybe preventer is winched on. These both
happen at the same time so that the boom is never
loose to swing.
The boat is now on the opposite gybe and can continue
its journey downwind.
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R
Reefing
Reducing sail area as the wind picks up
This is one of the areas that can often cause unnecessary confusion. It is
simply the process of reducing the sail area.
Knowing when to reef
The mainsail drives the boat forward, but the force of the wind on it also heels the boat over and pushes the yacht
‘up’ into the wind. Just as any lever becomes more powerful the longer it is, so the length of the mainsail vertically
and horizontally affects the amount the boat heels and rounds up. As the wind increases, the pressure of the wind
on the sails increases even more quickly. Double the wind speed from 5 knots to 10 knots and the pressure on
the sails is quadrupled. (It increases by the square of the apparent wind speed). The net effect is that a sail rapidly
becomes too big for the wind strength and the boat heels more and rounds up more than is comfortable. It’s time
to reef and reduce the size of the sail. The levers will be shorter and the heel and rounding up reduced.
Reefing the mainsail
The process of reefing takes some planning and
preparation. The most important thing to remember
is that the mainsail needs to be de-powered before we
can do anything to it.
Depower the mainsail
De-powering it means taking the pressure of the wind
out of the sail and letting it gently flap. In order to
do this we raise the boom artificially high, and let the
sail fall away from the wind by easing the mainsheet.
This will make a lot of noise as the heavy canvas flaps
about, but it is a necessary part of the whole process.
There is a process to raising the boom called VMT:
V: Ease off the vang to allow the boom to rise.
M: Ease off the mainsheet to allow the boom to rise
and the sail to fall away from the wind.
T:
Winch up the topping lift, thereby raising the boom.
Ease the mainsail down
The person easing the halyard needs to watch how
much sail they let down, being careful to bring the
reefing cringle to the boom and no more. Next the
cringle gets secured to a clip on the ‘handy billy’. This
is the new tack of the sail.
Tighten the mainsail up
With the new tack secured, the mainsail is winched
back up until the luff tension is set as before.
Tighten the clew
Now we need to secure the back edge of the sail
(leech). We do this by tightening the corresponding
reefing pennant. It wants to be tight enough that the
hole it goes through in the leach is snugly on the
boom.
Re-power the mainsail
We are ready to set the sail again, by lowering the
boom and bringing the mainsheet in. To do this we
reverse the process and follow TMV: we ease the
topping lift, bring in the mainsheet and finally secure
the vang to stop the boom rising back up.
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Anchored by ice
Off the east coast of Greenland in
the summer of 2015
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S
Weather
Classifying the wind and sea state
It’s hard to know what came first: the British obsession with the weather, or
our status as a maritime nation, because the two are so inextricably linked.
This is the key information you’ll find in a marine forecast.
The most important aspect of the weather forecast is the wind strength and direction. When we talk about
wind, it is where the wind is coming from. In the UK our prevailing South Westerlies blow in from across the
Atlantic, bring warm moist air which all too often leads to rain.
The Beaufort Scale
If you’ve ever listened to the shipping forecast you’ll have heard the Beaufort scale in action. It is a system
for describing wind strength based on the appearance of the sea, which was particularly important in the
days before ships carried anemometers. Today it is still one of the most reliable ways to measure the wind
and sea conditions.
Force
Knots
Description
Deep sea criteria
0
<1
Calm
Calm, glassy, like a mirror
1
1-3
Light air
Calm, ripples like scales are formed
2
4-6
Light breeze
Small wavelets, short but pronounced
3
7-10
Gentle breeze
Large wavelets, crests begin to break, glassy foam
4
11-16
Moderate breeze
Small waves, becoming longer, frequent white horses
5
17-21
Fresh breeze
Moderate waves, more pronounced, many white horses
6
22-27
Strong breeze
Large waves forming, extensive white foam crests, some spray
7
28-33
Near gale
Sea heaps up; foam from breaking waves blown in streaks
8
34-40
Gale
Moderately high waves, edge of crests break into spindrift
9
41-47
Severe gale
High waves with tumbling crests, spray may affect visibility
10
48-55
Storm
Very high waves, dense streaks of foam, heavy, tumbling sea
11
56-63
Violent storm
Exceptionally high waves, sea completely covered with foam
12
64+
Hurricane
Air filled with foam and spray, sea completely white with spray
What factors affect the sea state?
Wind
The wind makes waves, but once they have been formed they can travel for thousands of miles.
Fetch
This is the distance a given wind has blown over a stretch of water and the longer the fetch, the bigger the waves.
Profile of the seabed
Sharp changes in depth can cause the sea to heap up on the shallows. This is what causes surf at a beach.
Tides and currents
Wherever the wind opposes a surface flow of water the sea state will be worse than where it blows with it.
Cyclonic winds
A rapid change of wind direction will often lead to a ‘confused sea’ until a new wave pattern is formed.
Sea state definitions
Smooth:
Slight:
Moderate:
Rough:
<0.5 m
0.5 to 1.25 m
1.25 to 2.5 m
2.5 to 4.0 m
Very rough:
High:
Very high:
Phenomenal:
4.0 to 6.0 m
6.0 to 9.0 m
9.0 to 14.0 m
>14.0 m
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Diving in...
Baking hot sun and a Force 1
off the coast of Morocco meant
swimming time!
© Erika
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Visibility
More than wind, waves and rain, sailors dread the fog. Even in our age of GPS it can be totally disorienting, and
there’s nothing worse than the sound of a ship coming towards you when you can’t see it. We try and avoid fog
but it’s not always possible, and some of our northern cruising grounds such as the Faroes and Iceland are often
troubled by it in the summer. Fortunately in most of those areas we don’t have dense traffic concentrations to
contend with. None the less, when the fog bank rolls in we become heavily reliant on our radar and AIS unit, both
of which are invaluable for monitoring other ships and navigation.
Three golden rules in fog:
- Maintain a radar watch and post extra look outs.
- Slow down or stop if you’re unsure of whether another boat is about.
- Get away from shipping routes.
Visibility definitions
Very poor:
Poor :
Moderate:
Good:
< 1,000 metres.
between 1,000 metres and 2 nautical miles.
between 2 and 5 nautical miles.
> 5 nautical miles.
Precipitation
The rain doesn’t really affect us as sailors, apart from the fact that it’s unpleasant. But it’s nice to know what’s
coming your way. The marine forecast will tell you whether it’s going to rain, snow, drizzle or sleet. And if it’s not
going to do any of those, the weather will be ‘fair’.
Calm before the storm
Perfect visibility and flat seas
meant the best possible visibility
in the Denmark Strait.
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T
Collision Regulations
Some key rules for you to know & understand
Rule 5: Lookout
• Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means
appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and
of the risk of collision.
Rule 6: Safe speed
• This rule has three themes. The objectives of a safe speed, the factors to consider, the particular
considerations of radar.
• There are 2 objectives re: safe speed: ability to take proper and effective action to avoid collision; ability to
stop within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.
• Think about: Visibility; Traffic; Manoeuvrability; Lights; Weather & proximity of navigational hazards; Draught
• Radar factors: Capability; Range; Weather / clutter; Inability to see small vessels or ice; the number of targets;
its ability to give accurate range information.
Rule 7: Risk of collision
• Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to
determine if risk of collision exists.
• If there is any doubt the risk is deemed to exist.
• You must use your radar at all times if fitted, using long-range scanning and you must plot any contacts or
make equivalent systematic observations.
• Assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information.
• The compass bearing must not change and the vessel must be approaching.
• Compass bearing may still change for very large vessels, tows or for a vessel at very close range.
Rule 8: Action to avoid collision
• Your action to avoid collision must be: Positive; made in ample time; with due regard to the observance of
good seamanship; make your alteration of course a large one, so that it is readily apparent to another vessel
observing visually or by radar.
• This alteration of course alone is usually best, but must not result in another close- quarters situation.
• You must keep checking the effectiveness of your action until you are past and clear.
• If necessary, slow down or stop.
• If you are in sight of the other vessel a ‘power driven vessel shall’ (not may) make the appropriate
manoeuvring sound signal (rule 34a).
• Your objective is to allow sufficient sea-room for the safe passage of the other vessel.
Rule 12: Sailing Vessels
• When two sailing vessels are approaching each other, the vessel on starboard tack is the stand-on vessel.
• If both vessels are on starboard tack, the leeward vessel is the stand on vessel.
• If you cannot determine with certainty the tack of a windward vessel, you must give way.
Rule 14: Head-on situation
• If two power driven vessels are on a (nearly) reciprocal course, both vessels should turn to starboard
• If in any doubt that the situation exists, assume that it does and act accordingly.
Rule 15: Crossing situation
• Give way to the vessel on your starboard bow.
• Avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel.
Rule 16: Action by give-way vessel
• If you are the give way vessel, take early and substantial action to keep well clear of the stand on vessel.
Rule 17: Action by stand-on vessel
• If you are the stand on vessel, maintain your course and speed.
• If the other vessel does not take appropriate action sound 5 short blasts.
• You can make a manoeuvre alone when it becomes apparent that the give way vessel is not taking appropriate
action.
• However, still don’t turn to port to avoid a vessel on your port side
• When a collision cannot be avoided by the action of the give-way vessel alone, you must take any action that
will best avoid collision.
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