'Pacer Sailing Tips'

Reproduced from 'Pacer Handbook' 1982.

The following notes are offered for the guidance of the newcomer, but others may find some ideas useful. Some of the gear mentioned is additional to that supplied as standard.

The mast

Hold the shrouds together at the lower ends and on the mast centreline to check that their lengths are exactly equal. If they are not, make due allowance for this with the stay adjusters or lanyards.

Most people seem to get the best results with the mast raked slightly aft. Stepping it further forward tends to give leeward helm - or serves to correct weather helm.

Some leave the shrouds relatively slack to allow the mast to go forward on a run. The mainsheet pulls the rig back and tightens the jib luff on the beat.

The jib

The jib luff, preferably wire, should take the tension rather than the forestay, which should be quite slack. With the sail fixed to the luff wire only at the peak, the actual luff tension can be adjusted with a jib luff tensioning cord.

Ensure that the peak of the jib is not twisted when you hoist the sail. Position the sheet leads initially to give a tight foot and just a slight twist in the leech. Athwartships, a little inside the inwale appears to be the best. Mark the sheets to give a reference point showing the same setting on each tack.

The mainsail

Tighten the halyard so as to induce some vertical wrinkles in the sail near the luff. These should disappear when the sail is setting. A cunningham eye also helps to control the sail shape, moving the curvature forward. It needs about 4:1 purchase. Similarly, the clew outhaul should be tensioned to just induce a horizontal wrinkle which should disappear when the sail is setting. For reaching, these should be eased to put more belly in the sail. In light weather the top batten must be fairly slack or it will not go across when tacking. A tight vang will also give this trouble.

Sheeting systems mostly fall in the categories of end boom, combination, or centre sheeting. End boom leaves the boat uncluttered and allows the helmsperson to hold the tiller and sheet in one hand, leaving the other free for adjustments or to pull more sheet in. When tacking, the helmsperson has to turn around facing the stern and this takes some practice.

Combination sheeting gives the advantage of the extra purchase of end boom sheeting but is more convenient to manage for most people.

Centre sheeting is very useful in conjunction with a full width traveller to give better control of mainsail twist. It is also very useful for gybing in that all the falls of rope can be grasped in one hand to throw the boom over.

The vang is useless if it is too weak. Commonly up to 6:1 purchases are used. This can be 3:1 to the base of the mast with the tail holding a pulley giving a further 2:1 multiplying effect.

Wind indicator tufts near the luff are spoilt by the mast, but ones streaming aft near the top batten are very useful. You will be surprised how far the sail has to be let out to stop the windward one disappearing around the back of the sail.

General

When sailing on the wind the commonest errors are pinching, not sailing flat and sailing with weight too far aft.

Use wool tufts a few centimetres back from the jib luff and watch that both windward and leeward ones stream. When pinching, the windward one will oscillate. Make sure, of course, that the sheet is hard in unless conditions are very light, then ease the sheet slightly.

It is better to ease the sheets than sail a boat 'on its ear'. This only gives heavy weather helm and increased drag, downward component of sail forces tending to push the boat down, and other detrimental effects.

Sitting too far aft drags the transom in the water, makes bows bounce on the waves instead of driving through them. The crew should normally be against the shrouds and the helmsperson close up.

When reaching or running in planing weather, keep the bow well out by sitting well aft. In very strong weather the helmsperson might even have to sit on the transom.

For elaboration of any of the points mentioned, read sailing books and talk to more experienced sailors. Sailing in friendly competition with other Pacer sailors and 'comparing notes' after races is the best way to improve and get more out of sailing.