Kites & Wires

Objective

To introduce you to the thrills and spills of sailing with spinnakers and trapezes.

Previous knowledge / experience

You will be expected to have completed or have experience equivalent to the Improving Skills course. Sailors should also have logged a minimum of 20hrs experience as helm

Types of Boat

For this course you will be using sailing dinghies or catamarans equipped with spinnakers and trapezes. Keelboat sailors only use spinnakers.  Except for Keelboat courses, boats used for spinnaker or trapeze may be different types.

Duration

2 - 10 days

Assessment

Assessment is continuous throughout the course. However, your instructor may also choose to use a formal practical assessment of boat handling skills and a short written paper or oral interview in assessing your level of background knowledge.

By the end of this course you will be able to do the following:

 

Rigging	Identify the parts of an asymmetric and conventional spinnaker. Rig the spinnakers on the boats used. Rig and check a trapeze wire. Fit and adjust a trapeze harness.
Spinnaker	As both helm and crew, launch, fly, gybe and recover an asymmetric and or conventional spinnaker in light wind conditions. Use guy and sheet to position and fill spinnaker. Demonstrate the appropriate course to steer when using spinnakers.
Trapeze	Adjust trapeze height to optimum from within the boat. Use a trapeze when crewing
Safety	Describe how to avoid becoming trapped during a capsize or inversion; and what action to take should it occur. Recover a boat that has capsized with the spinnaker up. Recover a man overboard in moderate to strong winds.