Going about - what commands?

[Serin]

And while we're on the subject, where did ferry-glide come from? Twenty years ago nobody used the term: now every other article in every sailing magazine wears it proudly on its sleeve.

I don't know where it came from, but it's a perfectly serviceable term for a useful technique. Most nautical terminology is nothing more than a succinct vocabulary for the things it describes, most of which are not found in everyday life.

Referring back to the thread on learning nautical French, I always enjoyed the French version of "gybe oh!" (or whatever else you say - "OK, I'm turning NOW in that direction that makes the long pole under the big sail swing right across the boat quite fast, so keep your head down!" perhaps?)

Anyway - the term is "A Dieu, va!"

 

[Sybarite]

I don't know where it came from, but it's a perfectly serviceable term for a useful technique. Most nautical terminology is nothing more than a succinct vocabulary for the things it describes, most of which are not found in everyday life.

Referring back to the thread on learning nautical French, I always enjoyed the French version of "gybe oh!" (or whatever else you say - "OK, I'm turning NOW in that direction that makes the long pole under the big sail swing right across the boat quite fast, so keep your head down!" perhaps?)

Anyway - the term is "A Dieu, va!"

Just to keep people on track : "Paré à empanner?"

 

[JumbleDuck]

I don't know where it came from, but it's a perfectly serviceable term for a useful technique. Most nautical terminology is nothing more than a succinct vocabulary for the things it describes, most of which are not found in everyday life.

"Ferry-glide" seems to have gone again, though. As that "Ubergeekian" chap wrote, it was all over the magazines a few years back but I haven't seen it for ages.

 

[prv]

< Some conversational mention of the approaching need to tack >

"OK, let's do it" (crew get ready)

"Ready?" (requires a "yes"/"ready"/etc from all involved crew)

"Round we go."

---

Mind you, for reasons obscure, as dinghy-sailing kids it was "Ready about" followed by "Fat Pasty!"

Pete

 

[bbg]

My checklist, for 03:50 am when you can't think straight, so it is stuck on the bulkhead in the cockpit. Of course the last one wasn't necessary at night.

Tacking

- Load high side winch; winch handle
- Ease traveler, bear away a bit
- Stacking [move everything in the boat from the high side to the low side]
- Inner forestay back to mast
- Slack out of new running backstay, close clutch
- Check boom is ready to cross (traveller open / preventer / nothing round boom or tiller)
- Pre-set traveler
- Tiller down / tack autopilot
- Release old jib sheet, pull on new
- New backstay on; old one off
- Check course, look up, trim solar panel

 

[LadyInBed]

Bugger! That wind's shifted.

 

[TheEcho]

On our boat the first parts of the conversation get omitted when the decision to tack is made by the depth alarm going off.

Fortunately the depth alarm can be heard loud and clear from the galley even over the kettle, giving time to grab things.

 

[Serin]

Just to keep people on track : "Paré à empanner?"

Not when I was teaching French kids to sail 50 years ago. The command they used was, when heard in a boat helmed by one of them, most apt!

Mind you, they might have asked if people were ready, as per your command, before they went to God, but if they did, it wasn't in my hearing

 

[Minchsailor]

Ready about - move main sheet traveller, get ready on lazy sheet.

Lee oh - tiller going over.

Let go - I have a long keel and it is a boat which very much has to be sailed through the wind.

 

[Serin]

"Ferry-glide" seems to have gone again, though.

I presume people still do it, so I wonder what people call it now.

 

[bbg]

Sequence goes something like this

OK. You ready?

I dunno. I think it's a bit early.

Maybe. But we've only got two guys to the right and the rest of the fleet is going left. Better to cover the fleet. We're far enough right already.

Maybe a few more boat lengths.

Not long, though.

(Pause)

Right, that's a header, we should go.

Yeah, let's go.

(helm down, tack completed in silence)

 

[JumbleDuck]

I presume people still do it, so I wonder what people call it now.

Maybe they just don't talk about it as much. I've generally heard it called "crabbing" in both boats and gliders.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

'Left hand down a bit Number One'

 

[johnalison]

I gave up giving commands years ago since nobody ever paid attention. Nowadays I just present a tack as a fait accompli.

 

[SimonFa]

Precisely. Names for the various lines, use of Port and Starboard all define what could be confused.

Helm: "Ready about?"
Crew: "Ready!"
Helm: "Helm-a-lee"
Helm: "Lee-ho"

...merely confuse unless you have been shown and taught each stage of the procedure and learned the phrase attached to it.

Whatever works is good. If you want to re-live Hornblower, fine, it's your boat.
But for me a simple and easily understood command will work for experienced and novice crew alike.

If my crew are complete novices I spend 30 minutes doing a few tacks and gybes before we set off and use the procedure and terms described above, rather than making up my own terms for the simple reason that when they go on another boat there's a good chance they'll know what's going on.

Maybe they are pretentious but the only people who worry about that are other sailors, to complete novices its just the way its done.

 

[dom]

If my crew are complete novices I spend 30 minutes doing a few tacks and gybes before we set off and use the procedure and terms described above, rather than making up my own terms..

Well I hope you don't depart until your boat is declared "Ship-shape and Bristol fashion"

 

[Capt Popeye]

Humm, ? lee oh = tiller to lee side (ie away from the windward side (beam)

craft turns through the wind as the boom and head-sails settle on other side (beam)

just an idea ?

NB when racing at close quarters, often muttered, quietly between helmsman and crew, 'when I loudly call out lee oh, ignore it'

 

[blackbeard]

O the joys of a self tacking jib.
"Ready About" is a warning to the cook.

 

[alahol2]

"I'll be tacking soon".
Just so she knows not to be blocking the winch...

 

[SimonFa]

Well I hope you don't depart until your boat is declared "Ship-shape and Bristol fashion"

I like my crew to have fashionable bristols, but not be ship shaped :eagerness: