Begonia’s Strings

Sailing Tips

In General

• If in doubt – let it out.

“The Alerter!” (when sailing free)

• If the jib ‘blows back’ ie appears on the ‘wrong’ (windward) side – it means the wind is com-ing round the other (back) side of the mainsail and you are in imminent danger of a gybe!
• Let the main out more
• and/or change course.

Gybing

• Start moving your bum before the sail comes across or anything else! (you are never going to get a better opportunity, it’s too late after a gybe.)

Telltails

• Steer ‘away’ from the one not ‘working’ (get the wind onto it).

Never tie a knot in the end of the mainsheet !!!

• Set it to hold the boom just off the shroud (or where it would be if there was a shroud - unless you prefer it to ‘flag’ completely forward)
• Stops ‘Death Rolls’, stops rig damage
• ‘Goes to default’ safe condition in a panic.

Launching

• Haul the centerboard up.
• Watch the bobstay doesn’t catch on the winch.
• Have painter on bow post to control boat - optionally another long one amidships or on the stern.
• Immerse to nearly hubs (as a minimum - but may need to go deeper).
• Note: Leave rudder off until launched.

Retrieving

• Haul the centerboard up (unless rowing Begonia onto the trailer in which case have it down enough to stop blowing around - then haul up when winch hook is secured.

Rigging steps

1. Remove the Cover and roll it up (starting from the bow helps with replacing it) and set aside - but don’t undo the cross beams yet - they are needed to steady the boat whilst the mast is raised.

2. Bowsprit - fit it.

• Note-keep bobstay on the ‘non handle’ side of the winch - and watch it doesn’t catch whilst launching! You could push the boat back on the trailer-but it will tip up if not hooked onto the car.

3. Mast raising

• Crossbeams, at least one aft, still on (to steady the boat).
• Helpful to have someone guide the foot of the mast. (Bronze hook on mast to aft)
• Lash to tabernacle
• shrouds sort of firm / use all lashing / take a turn around the lashing before doing any knots (cos the knot will jamb) / tuck through strands to stop jib sheets undo-ing it.
• Loop Forestay over end of bowsprit.

4. Mainsail

• Put boom through lazyjacks
• Put bundle of mainsail through lazyjacks and lay it out on top of boom (check the halyards run inside the Lazyjacks).
• Attach boom and gaff jaws to mast.
• Tie throat and peak halyards to gaff - making sure they are through the lazyjacks correctly.
• Lead haul end of peak halyard down through upper block at base of mast (port side).
• Lead haul end of throat halyard down through lower block at base of mast (port side).
• Both of these halyards are cleated off on cleats at the back of the centreboard case.
• Undo gaskets/lashings on mainsail bundle.
• Attach clew to end of boom (loop goes over end of boom) attach tack then tie off the outhaul.
• Attach boom downhaul to eye on boom using S hook.
• Start hoisting gaff, keeping it horizontal as it goes up.
• Lace mainsail luff to mast as you haul it up using “to and fro” lacing method. Keep it slack.
• Adjust peak halyard to get a slight crease from head to tack.
• Tidy up lazyjacks. They can sit against the mast when sailing if you wish.
• Reeve the mainsheet. (Braided rope with black fleck line) and tie a stopper knot (but not in the end of it - see note) to just prevent the boom hitting the shrouds.

5. Jib

• Loop tack through forestay loop then over end of bow-sprit
• Cleat the jib halyard on a belaying pin starboard side of mast.
• Jib sheets outside shrouds
• Knot (figure 8) in ends of Jib sheets
• One turn only round jamb cleat when sheeting (then it can easily be flicked out)

6. Other

• Pull centreboard up and cleat tackle before launching.
• Put bung in!
• Hoist the Burgee (optional) – tie off the halyard to a chain plate.

How Tight?

Shrouds

• Such that in a good breeze, the leeward one goes just slack-but doesn’t gyrate in the breeze

Halyards

• Jib Halyard - should be tight!
• Throat - no sags and bags in luff
• Peak - No wrinkles the wrong way (OK to have wrinkles the “right” way - but they should ‘blow out’ easily.)

Sue and Frank have put together a downloadable PDF booklet that you can print out. Laminated copies of the booklet are in the WBA library, and on Begonia.

Off Frankston

Lysterfield Lake