Standard operational procedures

This is a list of concise, preferred operational practices for X-Dimension. For detailed descriptions of systems, please see Systems Descriptions. For a complete list of detailed instructions of how to do things on the boat, see the HowTos.

Rigging

Mainsail

Set

• Ease lazy jack lines and lead forward beneath reefing horn at gooseneck so that they are out of the way
• Note: It is helpful to leave one or two sail ties in place until just before the set to keep the sail from falling down on the cabin top
• Ease the main sheet slightly, disconnect the main halyard from the boom end and attach to the head of the mainsail
• Assign a crewmember to haul the main halyard at the foot of the mast and another to tail the main halyard at the winch on the port side cabin top
• Ensure that the mainsheet and boom vang are free
• Once the boat is head to wind, the crewmember at the mast hauls the main halyard while the tailer takes up the slack in coordination
• Note: The main sail can be hauled to its full height by a sailor of moderate strength and certainly by two working together. DO NOT use the winch to haul it up - binding is usually due to the halyard being fouled, a sail tie being left in place, or other problem. In these cases, use of the winch will risk breaking the rigging.
• Once the mainsail luff is fully extended, tighten the luff to the desired tension using the winch
• Trim the sail as desired, using the mainsheet, traveler, and boom vang

Close-Hauled Trim

• Set the traveler slightly to windward so that with the mainsheet tight, the boom is on the centerline
• Trim the mainsheet so that the top telltale on the leech alternately streams back and curls to leeward
• Note: When close-hauled, the jib tends to backwind the main, creating a slight bubble in the mainsail luff. This is normal.

Reaching or Running Trim

• If the boom is over the traveler rail, the mainsheet has much more mechanical advantage than the boom vang and should be used as the primary sail shape control
• If the boom is outside of the traveler rail, the boom vang should be used to control the mainsail shape
• When broad reaching or running, the preventer (located in the starboard lazarette) should be attached to a bail on the boom and the toe rail and tightened as needed

Reefing

• Station two crewmembers (with one winch handle) at the forward end of the boom on the starboard side
• Station one crewmember at the main halyard winch
• Put three wraps of the reefing line around the winch on the boom
• Ease the mainsheet to depower the mainsail (head the boat to wind if necessary)
• Ease the main halyard, bring the mainsail luff down, and engage the reef cringle on the reefing horn
• Tighten the main halyard
• Using the winch on the boom, tighten the reefing line until the reef clew is brought down tight against the boom
• Secure the reefing line on a cleat on the boom
• Trim the mainsail as desired
• Shake out the reef by reversing the procedure

Douse

• Remove the lazy jack lines from underneath the reefing horn, tighten and cleat the lazy jack halyard, ensuring that the lazy jacks are in place to catch the mainsail
• Station two crewmembers on each side of mast at the gooseneck and one at the main halyard winch
• Station a third crewmember with sail ties a the ready at the end of the boom on the cabin top (Note: it is helpful to close the companionway hatch so this crewmember can work safely
• When the boat is head to wind, ensure that the mainsheet and boom vang are free
• As the halyard is slowly eased, the crewmembers at the mast alternately flake the mainsail luff to port and starboard
• At the same time, the crewmember at the boom end flakes the mainsail leech, pulling aft at each flake and attaching sail ties
• Note: The crewmember at the halyard should be watching the flaking process to ensure that she is easing the halyard at the appropriate rate.
• Once the mainsail is completely lowered and all ties are in place, the main halyard can be removed from the mainsail head and attached to the boom end
• Ensure that the mainsheet and boom vang are free, then MANUALLY haul the main halyard to level the boom and secure the halyard
• Note: DO NOT use the winch to level the boom with the halyard. Recruit a crewmember if necessary to lift the boom. If the boom is stuck, diagnose the problem. It is usually a fouled mainsheet, main halyard, or boom vang and use of the winch will may break the rigging

Asymmetric Spinnaker

Set

• Note: If the course is well off the wind, rig a mainsail preventer
• Pass spinnaker bag up through forward hatch and clip base of bag to lower lifeline on foredeck on side to which spinnaker will be set
• Note: Be sure that tack end of bag (green velcro tab) is facing forward. If necessary, open spinnaker bag and check that tack is forward (tack and clew are labeled on the sail)
• Remove spinnaker sheets from bag and attach snap hooks to sail clew.
• Rig spinnaker sheets outboard of shrouds and lifelines, through turning blocks on taffrail to the secondary winches
• Note: Be sure that spinnaker sheets are routed outboard of jib sheets
• Ease tack pendant line enough to clip on to spinnaker tack.
• Note: Be sure that tack pendant runs inside of bow pulpit and outboard of headstay
• Ease spinnaker halyard and attach to spinnaker head
• Free the snuffing line and flake it down on the deck. Be sure it is not tangled in the sail or running rigging
• Note: Be sure that spinnaker halyard runs outboard of the jib sheets
• Double check spinnaker rigging to be sure that it will run clear
• Assign one or two crewmembers to handle the tack pendant line at its winch
• Assign one or two crewmembers to handle the working sheet (ensure that the lazy sheet is free)
• Assign one or two crewmembers to handle the spinnaker halyard
• Assign a crewmember to feed the spinnaker out of its bag and control the snuffing line
• Pre-brief all crew on the operation
• The helmsman should steer for an apparent wind angle (AWA) of about 110 degrees (light air) to 130 degrees (heavy air)
• Note: These AWA figures may not be as critical when using the snuffer
• The crewmember on the tack pendant should tension the pendant so that the tack will be just above the bow pulpit
• Hoist the snuffed sail until the head is tight at the masthead. Avoid excessive tension with the winch as the halyard can foul in the sheeve.
• The crewmember on the snuffing line should haul the side of the line not attached to the snuffing "funnel" so that the snuffer retracts along the sail toward the masthead.
• The crewmember on the working sheet should trim smoothly as the sail unsnuffs so that the sail fills evenly. Do not oversheet as this can cause excess tension on the leech as it pays out of the snuffer
• When the snuffer is fully retracted and the sail fills, ease the sheet to obtain a slight hook in the luff
• Secure the snuffing line at the base of the mast
• As the luff approaches the headstay, the tack pendant can be eased to achieve the proper sail shape
• The helmsman should keep the boat at a constant AWA throughout the set
• Note: Clear communication is very important. There should be one and only one person in charge during spinnaker operations. It is best if this person is not one of the crewmembers setting the sail or the helmsman

Flying

• The sail trimmer should be positioned at or near the windward shrouds where she can see the luff
• The sheet should be led from the secondary winch, across the cockpit, where it can be held by the sail trimmer
• A crewmember should be at the winch to grind when the trimmer calls for it - the trimmer will tail the sheet as necessary
• The trimmer should trim and ease as necessary to keep a slight hook in the luff of the sail
• The helmsman should keep a steady course and alter it only with clear communication with the trimmer
• When on a close reach, trimming may be insufficient to recover a collapsing sail. In this case, the trimmer should call for the helmsman to fall off slightly

Douse

• Assign crew to the tack pendant, and the snuffing line
• Bring the tack down until it is just above the bow pulpit
• Free the snuffing line from the base of the mast
• Ease the sheet to depower the sail and haul down the snuffing line on the side where it attaches to the "funnel"
• As the snuffer approaches the foot of the sail, ease the tack pendant to allow the foot and the snuffer "funnel" to be brought inboard of the lifeline and placed in The spinnaker bag.
• If the winds and seas are light, attach the tack and clew to the spinnaker bag and then flake the snuffed sail into the bag as the halyard is eased
• If the winds and seas are heavy, bring the snuffer down on deck under control, then place in the bag
• Attach the head to the spinnaker bag and secure the halyard at the base of the mast
• flake the snuffing line into the spinnaker bag
• Coil the spinnaker sheets and place in the spinnaker bag
• Close the bag and pass it down the forward hatch

Tacking and Jibing

• Assign crew to the tack pendant, and the snuffing line
• Bring the tack down until it is just above the bow pulpit
• Free the snuffing line from the base of the mast
• Ease the sheet to depower the sail and haul down the snuffing line on the side where it attaches to the "funnel"
• As the snuffer approaches the foot of the sail, ease the tack pendant to allow the foot and the snuffer "funnel" to be brought inboard of the lifeline
• Detach the tack pendant, reroute it to the other side of the headstay, and reattach it
• Move the snuffed sail through the foretriangle to the other side of the foredeck
• Unsnuff and fly the sail per the normal setting procedure

Engine

Starting

• Transmission must be in neutral (port lever horizontal)
• Starter battery switch in starboard lazarette switched on (12 o'clock); buzzer will sound
• Throttle (starboard lever) up slightly
• Press black starter button (with rubber boot starboard of the binnacle)
• Throttle down to idle after engine starts
• Check oil pressure gauge to ensure pressure rises after start
• Check exhaust to ensure cooling water is being expelled.

Shifting

• Throttle must be at idle before shifting (starboard lever down)
• Transmission settings (port side lever): ahead propulsion(lever down), astern propulsion (lever up), neutral (lever horizontal)

NOTE: FAILURE TO SET THROTTLE AT IDLE BEFORE SHIFTING WILL DAMAGE PROPELLER FEATHERING MECHANISM

Stopping Engine While Under Sail (to feather propeller)

• Transmission must be in ahead propulsion (port lever down)
• Boat speed must be at least 5 knots through the water so that prop feathers when engine stops (use throttle as necessary to supplement sails)
• Keeping transmission in ahead propulsion, pull engine stop line (located in starboard lazarette) until engine stops; buzzer will sound
• Starter battery switch in starboard lazarette switched 'off' (9 o'clock); buzzer will silence
• Move transmission lever to neutral (port lever horizontal) to prepare for next start
• Visually check prop shaft (can be viewed easily from starboard lazarette opening); if rotating quickly, then prop has not feathered and process must be repeated at a higher boat speed. If rotating slowly, place transmission in astern propulsion to stop rotation.

NOTE: If engine is stopped while in astern propulsion, the propeller will not feather.

Stopping Engine

• Transmission in neutral(port lever horizontal)
• Throttle at idle (starboard lever horizontal)
• If engine has been running hard and is hot, allow to idle for a few minutes to cool before stopping engine
• Pull engine stop line (located in starboard lazarette)until engine stops; buzzer will sound
• Starter battery switch in starboard lazarette switched 'off' (9 o'clock); buzzer will silence

Galley

Lighting Galley Stove

• Open valve at top of propane tank (located in Port Lazarette)
• Switch on electrical panel above galley sink to 'on'
• Switch on bulkhead above galley stove to 'on' (Note: pilot light on switch inoperative)
• Light butane lighter or strike match
• Press in control knob for desired burner on stove and turn to light position
• Light burner
• Hold in knob for about 20-30 seconds then release

NOTE: Turn off both electrical switches and close valve at top of propane tank after each use