Sails & Rigging

Sails

The standard sail plan consists of a fully battened mainsail and roller furling genoa. When not in use the mainsail is stowed in a permanently mounted “stack pack”with lazy jacks and the genoa is wrapped around the fore stay, protected by a UV strip.


	All of the control lines, halyards and sheets are lead back to the cockpit area where the primary and secondary winches are located. All VOYAGE yachts have this configuration which is recognized as having clear safety advantages over mast base mounted winches.


	Performance Sail package Some of our yachts are available with a high performance sail package, this consists of a mono film, furling head sail flown from an aluminum bow sprit. This sail is designed for use in light to moderate wind strengths and is aimed at our more experienced charter guests.


	Standing Rigging The fractional rig on all VOYAGE yachts feature inner fore stays. upper and lower shrouds and double or triple diamonds on swept back spreaders. This combined with at least 20 ft width between the chain plates produces an exceptionally well supported rig.

If you have never sailed a catamaran before the biggest difference in the running rigging to a mono hull is the width of the mainsheet traveler. It spans almost the full beam of the boat and is used to adjust the sheeting angle of the mainsail, the mainsheet adjusts the sail shape.

Care should be taken when trimming the mainsail. DO NOT ease the mainsheet to the point where excessive contact is made between the mainsail, spreaders and upper sections of the shrouds, chafe and possible breakage of the upper battens can occur. When sailing on deeper wind angles, track the mainsheet traveler fully over but keep the mainsheet short, this also reduces the momentum of the boom should an accidental gybe occur. Reefing the mainsail does allow longer sheet angles as the head of the sail is dropped below the upper spreaders

Hoisting the Mainsail

It is strongly recommended that you do not hoist the mainsail whilst still anchored or moored. Maneuvering a catamaran under motor with the mainsail raised, in a congested anchorage needs practice. While the boat is still secured prepare the sail for hoisting.

Unzip the top of the stack pack to its fullest extent. To reach the aft end of the pack, track the boom over slightly to starboard with the mainsheet traveler. You can then step onto the rigid walkway that runs down the center of the bimini. Care should be taken before doing this, only move the boom far enough to clear the walkway and do not slack off the main sheet or topping lift until you are clear of the walkway.

Attach the main halyard to the head of the sail. This halyard is a double purchase with a block. Make sure the lines are not twisted before securing to the sail.

Always make sure you have a firm hold on the main halyard when it is not attached to the sail. In windy conditions, an unsecured halyard can fly out from the mast head and is very difficult to retrieve.

Motor into an area where there is plenty of room and bring the boat head to wind.




	While the helmsman holds the boat head to wind, slack off the main sheet slightly. The main sheet is lead to the starboard primary winch. All the lines run through rope clutches positioned ahead of the winch. The clutch allows a line to be pulled through in one direction but not the other. To allow a line to run freely, the clutch lever must be raised and pushed over to the horizontal position, this disengages the clutch jaws. Before releasing a clutch you must take the line around the winch and take up the tension. This is most important, if you attempt to release a clutch which is under load damage or injury could occur. The winches are two speed self tailing, put three turns around the drum then feed the tail into the jaws on top. The high and low speeds are achieved by rotating the handle clockwise or counter clockwise.
	Once the main sheet has been eased, the sail can be raised. The main halyard is lead to the port, primary winch. It is easier to hoist the first portion of the sail without using the winch. The first two battens in the mainsail are the shortest, if the boat is not kept head to wind these battens can catch in the lazy jacks. Raise the sail as far as possible by hand then feed the halyard around the winch and hoist the rest of the way.

When hoisting the mainsail, as with any other lines, make sure the rope end does not fall overboard where it could become entangled in the propellers.

Tension the halyard so that the luff or front of the sail has no horizontal creases. Before releasing the halyard from the winch make sure the rope clutch is in the locked position. Carefully flake the halyard down in a series of figure eights on the aft cabin top, this way it will be easy to drop the main sail when required.

Ease the topping lift so that the leech of the sail sets correctly.

Unfurling the Genoa

Before unfurling the genoa, make sure all crew are in the cockpit area. Flogging lines and sails can cause very serious injuries.

To set the genoa, bring the boat off the wind on to either port or starboard tack at a wind angle of about 45 degrees apparent. Release the rope clutch on the lazy jib sheet, that is the one on the windward side of the boat.

The roller furling line runs down the starboard side of the deck and leads back to the secondary winch, aft of the helm seat. Take one turn of the furling line around the winch and release the rope clutch.

Whilst one crew member keeps some tension on the roller furling line, a second crew can start to draw out the genoa using the leeward jib sheet. Leave the jib sheet rope, clutch in the locked position, take one turn around the primary winch drum and draw the sail out as far as possible by hand. Now place three turns of the sheet around the drum and lock the free end into the self tailing jaws. Winch the sheet in with the handle until the sail is drawing.


	As the genoa is unfurled the furling line is wrapped around the drum at the base of the fore stay. To ensure that the line feeds on to the drum evenly, some tension has to be kept on the furling line.

	The loads on sail control lines, particularly in stronger winds, are high. Never attempt to make any alterations without putting the line around a winch first. Always keep hands and fingers well away from the winch drum. Serious injuries can occur if proper care is not taken.

Furling the Genoa

Before furling, make sure all crew are in the cockpit area.

The genoa should be furled before lowering the mainsail. With the boat 45 degrees off the wind, feed the roller furling line around the secondary winch, leave the rope clutch in the locked position and have a crew member stand by. Take the tension off the jib sheet rope clutch by winching in, release the clutch lever fully and start to ease out the sheet until the sail flogs, at the same time winch in on the roller furling line and the sail will start to furl away. Keep just enough tension on the sheet so the sail furls neatly but not too much effort is placed on the furling winch. Coil the excess line away.


	Lowering the Mainsail Start the engines and give them time to warm up. Bring the boom just starboard of center with the mainsheet traveler and ease the main sheet slightly.


	Load the main halyard on to the winch and take the tension off the clutch, release the lever. Bring the boat head to wind and tighten the topping lift. Make sure the halyard is free to run out then cast off the turns from the winch, let the sail fall quickly with just one turn around the winch drum.




	Tighten the mainsheet so the boom does not swing from side to side, make sure the topping lift is set so that the main sheet blocks have sufficient clearance between them. Stow the sail into the stack pack and zip it closed. Take a light line from the goose neck connection to the head of the sail to prevent it from riding up while the halyard is still connected.

	Do not release the main halyard with the mainsheet tightly sheeted, this can put a sudden load on to the boom compression strut and cause damage.

Reefing

Reefing the genoa is simply done by adjusting the amount of sail that is unfurled. There are two tape lines on the foot of the genoa close to the tack, these represent reef one and reef two.

The mainsail has permanently rigged “slab” reefing lines. There are separate lines for the luff and leech which lead back to the primary winches through their own rope clutches. These lines are marked reef one and reef two.

If reefing while underway either bring the boat head to wind, in which case the genoa will need to be furled away first or de-power the mainsail and keep the boat sailing slowly under reefed genoa. Ease out on the mainsheet, the boom compression strut will provide support without having to tighten the topping lift during reefing. With the mainsail depowered one crew should ease the main halyard while another takes in the luff and leech reef lines. Adjust the luff line first then the leech and finally retighten the main halyard.





	It is strongly recommended that you practice reefing the sails in calm conditions, if possible. Reef the genoa and mainsail together to keep the boat balanced. Make sure your crew know their tasks and impress the need for safety. Always reef before you think you need to.


	Deciding when to reef is dependent on a number of factors including sea state, point of sail and ability of crew but as a guide line; Full main and genoa. up to 20 knots true wind 1 reef main 1 reef genoa up to 30 knots true wind 2 reef main 2 reef genoa up to 40 knots true wind Although the yachts have high levels of stability never over press the vessel, exercise caution and good seamanship

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