Hardware Flashcards
Define boomvang
Line or piston system on a sailboat to exert downward force on the boom and thus control the shape of the sail.
When and how to use the boomvang?
As a general rule, a boom vang helps shape the sail. On an upwind leg, especially if you’re overpowered, tighten the vang to depower the main by flattening the sail.
On the downwind side of life, before you bear away, ease the vang — this will make the mainsail fuller. Then trim the main so the top batten of the sail is parallel with the boom.
What is the traveler?
It is a track which runs horizontally across the cockpit or coachroof and to it is attached the mainsheet mechanism, which is itself connecting the traveller to boom.
What is the outhaul?
An outhaul is a control line found on a sailboat. It is an element of the running rigging, used to attach the mainsail clew to the boom and tensions the foot of the sail. It commonly uses a block at the boom end and a cleat on the boom, closer to the mast, to secure the line.
What are the parts of a sail called?
Luff -A sail’s forward edge. The luff of the mainsail is usually hoisted up and attached to the mast. The luff of the jib is attached to the forestay.
Leech – The sail’s back edge.
Foot – The bottom edge of the sail
Tack – Between the luff and the foot is the tack. The tack is attached to the boat or a spar.
Head – The corner at the top of the sail between the luff and the leech.
Clew – The third triangle of a sail between the leech and the foot.
Batten – Solid slats or rods to help maintain the desired airfoil shape.
Describe the points of sail.
The “no-sail” zone is approximately a 90-degree zone dead into the direction of the wind. While this zone varies in size depending on the boat and the wind speed it is a universal fact of sailing that a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind. This can be described as being “in irons.”
That leaves a sailor with 270 degrees of options to move the boat with the aid of the wind. At either edge of the no-sail zone are the two close-hauled courses a sailboat may travel. On these courses, the sails are hauled as close to the boat’s centerline as possible.
As the boat’s course turns away from the wind it is described as reaching. Reaching is the process by which the wind is coming across the boat. Reaching can be divided into three different courses, Beam Reaching, where the wind comes across the boat at a 90-degree angle, Close Reaching as the course gets closer to close hauled and Broad Reaching where the course is further downwind beyond the 90-degree mark.
If the boat is sailing directly downwind the course is said to be running or simply downwind.
What elements make up the standing rigging?
The forestay, backstay, and upper and lower shrouds (side stays).
