Learn To Sail A Schooner No.4

Sailing Away From A Quay – Wind Ahead

About SchoonerSails Learning To Sail A Schooner Articles

John, Trinovante’s skipper started writing these articles after some Trinovante Crew asked for more information on the fundamentals of schooner handling. These articles are not imagined theory. John has written about specific situations that have arisen. This article was written after sailing off Halfpenny Pier in Harwich, Suffolk.

Seafaring is an ongoing learning process and John cautions against set piece manoeuvers. You need a plan but it needs to be flexible because things don’t always go according to plan.

Sail Training involves learning how to safely handle ropes, tying basic knots and using winches, among other things. The crew need these skills is to be able to carry out manoeuvres under sail or power.

Full in-depth knowledge of exactly what is going on is not essential, so dip into these Learning To Sail articles only if you want to

Print Learn To Sail A Schooner No.4

Sailing Away From A Quay With The Wind Ahead

Preparing To Sail

We always manoeuvre under sail if we can. Sailing off a quay requires careful timing. It is an advanced manoeuvre.
All the crew need to know exactly what their specific role is going to be and are well briefed beforehand so they understand what is about to happen. Once the operation is started it will all happen quite quickly and there is no room for mistakes.

The object is to sail off the quay and immediately turn 180° to sail south. We need to avoid driving the stern into the quay so we use the staysail, which is the smallest sail, for backing.

The other sails do need to be driving the boat forward as we leave the quay side, so all lower sails, except the jib, are set well before we start. The jib is hoisted at the last moment to avoid flailing sheets. Smart line handling is necessary and the crew need to be alert.

Image 1

We are now singled up to bow and stern slip lines that can be let go from onboard.

Image 2

The wind fills the backed staysail and the bowline is slipped. Almost immediately the jib is hoisted and sheeted home.

The staysail is let fly and sheeted to starboard as soon as the swing of the bows is firmly established.

Image 3

The sails are now drawing As the ship pulls away from the quay the stern line is slipped and and the fender is taken in.

The helm is kept amidships until Trinovante has gathered way

Image 4

Trinovante is gaining speed fast now.

The rudder is put to starboard, the mizzen and main sail, the two aftermost sails, are eased off. This allows the 3 forward sails (jib, staysail and foresail) to turn the boat more.

Leaving the mizzen and main sheeted would tend to hold the bows up into the wind.

As we bear away from the wind and complete the turn all the sheets will be eased and we are away!

More ‘Learn To Sail A Schooner’ Articles

Learn To Sail Article No 1, Sailing Off Anchor Image 2

SchoonerSail Limited

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.1

April 19, 2018

Sail off anchor, wind & tide together.

Learning To Sail A Schooner, Anchoring Under Sail On The Run image 4

SchoonerSail Limited

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.2

April 19, 2018

Anchoring under sail on the run.

Learn To Sail A Schooner, Docking And Undocking Using A Spring image No.3

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.3

April 19, 2018

Dock & undock using springs

SchoonerSail Limited

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.4

April 19, 2018

Sailing off a quay, wind ahead.

SchoonerSail Limited

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.5

April 19, 2018

Sailing off a quay, wind aft.

SchoonerSail Limited

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.6

April 19, 2018

Short turning off a quay

SchoonerSail Limited

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.7

April 19, 2018

Tacking a 3 masted schooner.

Learn To Sail A Schooner No.8

April 12, 2018

Sailing into harbour.

The Difference Between A Ketch And A Schooner

December 14, 2015

Enough Sitting On Your Computer Reading About it?

Go Sailing On A Schooner For Real
Voyages In Date Order

SchoonerSail

UK Sailing Weekends

October 31, 2019

Fri 6th to Mon 9th May 2022
3 nights FULL
Two sailing weekends to get out on the water in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

The Waverly paddle steamer ship heading under Tower Bridge London

SchoonerSail

Harwich To London

October 30, 2019

Sat 14th May to Thurs 19th May 2022
FULL
5 Nights £795
Sail the rural rivers of the Thames Estuary to finish at Tower Bridge in London.

View of waves sailing offshore to Norway.

SchoonerSail

Harwich To Kirkwall, Orkney

October 31, 2021

Sat 28th May to Sat 11th June
14 nights £1960
A voyage to Orkney lasting several days with time to sail and explore ashore in Orkney.

SchoonerSail Limited

Sailing In Orkney

October 31, 2021

Thurs 16th to Thurs 23rd June 2022
FULL
High summer sailing and exploring in the Orkney Islands

SchoonerSail

Orkney to Shetland & Shetland to Orkney

October 31, 2021

Wed 29th June to Wed 6th July 2022
FULL
A voyage from Shetland To Orkney Or Orkney To Shetland

https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/puffins-on-fair-isle.jpg 1500 1500 ken https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/schoonersail-sailing-holidays-logo.png ken2021-10-31 14:04:352022-02-02 11:45:03Orkney to Shetland & Shetland to Orkney

Sailing In Shetland
November 2, 2021
Wed 29th June to Wed 6th July
FULL
A sailing holiday in Shetland with time to explore ashore.

https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/wild-places.jpg 1500 1500 ken https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/schoonersail-sailing-holidays-logo.png ken2021-11-02 20:07:102022-02-02 11:46:41Sailing In Shetland

SchoonerSail Limited
Kirkwall, Orkney To Whitby
May 1, 2018
9th Aug To 13th Aug 2022
8 nights £1280
Sail south along the Scottish coast across the Moray Firth and past Bass Rock.
https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/orkney.jpg 1500 1500 ken https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/schoonersail-sailing-holidays-logo.png ken2018-05-01 10:02:282021-11-08 11:10:19Kirkwall, Orkney To Whitby

SchoonerSail Limited
Whitby To Harwich
May 1, 2018
18th Aug to 24th Aug 2022
6 Nights £895
Set sail on the old collier route. Offshore and Coastal Sailing
https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/porthole.jpg 1500 1500 ken https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/schoonersail-sailing-holidays-logo.png ken2018-05-01 10:01:452021-12-08 13:41:09Whitby To Harwich

SchoonerSail
Ipswich To London
November 3, 2021
Sun 28th Aug To Thurs 1st Sept
4 Nights £640
Sail on the East Coast rivers and up to the centre of London.
https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/southend-pier-sunset.jpg 1500 1500 ken https://www.schoonersail.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/schoonersail-sailing-holidays-logo.png ken2021-11-03 21:16:162022-02-22 11:58:49Ipswich To London

SchoonerSail Limited
16A Stafford Mill
London Road
Thrupp
Stroud
Gloucestershire
GL5 2A
Ships phone +44 (0)7977 594 649
info@schoonersail.com

Company No 06133553

SchoonerSail1.5k+ likes
Open facebook page now
Join our Facebook community

© Copyright - SchoonerSail