Windward Kite Douse on Zamazaan
by John Navas
Objectives
- Preferred fractional kite douse for starboard roundings
- Maximize exit speed from leeward mark
- Minimize risk of screwup; keep spinnaker out of the water
Tactician
calls "Prepare
for starboard [or port] rounding with Windward
Douse!"
- Usually when starting final jibe to leeward mark
- Bow prepares for douse
- Moves jib to leeward side (if necessary), assisted by Mast
- Jib Trim (off-side) ensures:
- Lazy (windward) kite sheet free to run
- Lazy (leeward) afterguy free to run
- Mast:
- Ensures leeward jib sheet is clear
- Disconnects lazy (windward) jib sheet
- Checks jib cars for proper position
- Mid-Deck re-checks kite halyard and re-flakes if necessary
Mast
calls back "Ready
for Jib Hoist!"
Tactician calls forward "Hoist jib!"
- Driver may turn up a bit to preserve turn down for douse and fill jib
- Hydraulics (in order)
- Puts on backstay
- Puts on outhaul
- Eases vang a bit (especially in heavier wind)
- Runners tightens windward runner
- Mid-Deck eases checkstay
- Jib hoist
- Luff tape feeding by Bow
- Halyard jumping by Mast Port
- Halyard tailing and grinding by Pit, overhoisting jib halyard a bit
- Jib Trim (off-side)
- Makes up leeward jib sheet loosely on secondary, does not take up or self-tail
it
- Main Trims prepare for rounding and trimming
- Center traveler
- Equalize main sheet
- Squirrel goes below and opens hatch
When
Jib fully hoisted, Crew Boss calls "Jib Made!"
- Jib Trim (off-side) trims jib just inside lifeline
- Mast Starboard puts on Cunningham
- Boat may sail this way for some time
Tactician
(or Skipper) calls forward, "Start
Douse!"
- Driver turns down a bit to de-power kite
- Afterguy Trim quickly eases afterguy to headstay (without hitting it!)
- Mast Starboard runs butt end of pole up mast (so Bow can reach tip if
necessary)
- Pit eases topping lift carefully to drop pole tip down to where Bow can
reach it
- Mast Port grabs lazy (windward) kite sheet and moves into position
ahead of mast
Bow
trips pole and calls "Trip!"
- If masthead kite, Mid-Deck drops kite halyard 8 ft to clear diamonds
(but not kite into water)
- Kite Trim
- Big ease of kite clew to headstay, but does not release completely
unless...
- If kite does not collapse or re-fills, does release completely (assisted
by Grinder)
- Mast Port immediately drags kite tack back past shrouds on windward
side
- Afterguy Trim tractors kite back with winch, helping Mast Port and
keeping under control
- Pit:
- When Bow has pole in hand, blows topping lift entirely
- Releases foreguy
- Mast Starboard:
- Runs butt end of pole down mast, leaving pole on mast
- Then assists Mast Port with kite
- Bow:
- Guides pole into gate, keeping pole end out of the water
- Brings topping lift back to mast
- Pit:
- Cleans up topping lift and foreguy
- Flakes jib halyard for next drop
When
kite in position (center seam at center of jib), Mast calls "Douse!"
- Driver turns up a bit to bring kite safely over deck but no more
- When kite over deck, Mid-Deck blows kite halyard completely
- When kite halfway down
- Afterguy Trim clears afterguy completely, ensuring free to run
- Kite Trim blows sheet completely, then assists on rest of douse
- Grinder completely clears sheet from secondary, ensuring free to run
- Bow:
- Keeps kite clew at bow until kite at least halfway down
- Assists with douse until kite completely down
- Douse team:
- Gather foot before pulling down
- Feed kite down hatch to Squirrel
- Main Trims start to bring in Main
- Bow:
- Clears and connects windward jib sheet
- Otherwise prepares boat to tack as soon as possible
At leeward
mark, Skipper calls "Rounding!"
- Driver starts smooth turn, ideally:
- Turning about 75 degrees to accelerate on reach of a boat length or so
into mark
- Turn of only about 75 degrees around mark to minimize speed loss
- Tight exit (rather than entry) and possible small hitch to windward
- Jib Trim trims near to close-hauled (through possible reach),
and then trims as needed
- Main Trims trim near to close-hauled (through possible reach),
and then trim as needed
- Leeward Main Trim comes up to windward rail
- As many crew to windward rail as possible (critical to keep boat
as flat as possible)
- Hydraulics sets vang according to Main Trim
- Bow completes getting boat ready to tack
Bow
calls "Clear to tack!"
Only after boat fully back up to speed, and only if another downwind
leg:
- Bow (or Mast, but only one of them at a time) finishes cleanup
- Pit assigns lightest person on rail to clean up sheets and
guys
- Squirrel and Pit pack kite, but only if and when requested
by Tactician
