The Five Essentials

The Five Essentials are the key elements in controlling the boat to make it sail quickly and efficiently. They are all things which you can adjust to change the way the boat is sailing. This goes through each element and how to make use of it best.

Balance

If the boat is not balanced it will attempt to steer away from the straight line course due to the shape of the boat. This is slow as rudder intervention is required. Aim to keep the boat as flat as possible.

Trim

The aim is to get the boat sitting most efficiently in the water. When sailing upwind, sitting forwards helps to lift the stern out of the water. Meanwhile, reaching and running requires movement sternwards to keep the bow from digging in the water.

Daggerboard or Centreboard

The correct setting gives the best balance of reducing sideslip with reducing unnecessary drag. A close hauled course requires full centreboard while downwind requires minimal (although leave a little down for stability).

If rigging the boat afloat, always put the centreboard down first to give you stability.

Sail Setting

To obtain the maximum power from the sails and to have the greatest control of the boat the sails need to be set correctly for the point of sail. As a general rule of thumb:

  • Close hauled - sail in as tight as possible

  • Running - Sail out as far as possible

  • Reaching - Somewhere in between, about halfway

Trim the sails correctly by pulling the sail in only when the front edge is starting to flap.

Course Made Good

Making sure you're selecting the best course to get you from A to B. This is usually the shortest route, but you may consider outside effects such as tide or obstructions which will inhibit your journey.