We gave our trainer a specific brief for 2009 – No technical racing speak, just basic sailing: we want to sail safely and efficiently. Over the winter the committee had pondered that most members new to boating just need basic advice - ‘But it’s the same thing exactly’ said Andy Whitelock of Dynamic Adventures explaining patiently to me over the phone one night.  ‘OK, we won’t do racing starts, but all sailing involves getting the basics right so it doesn’t matter if your competing in the National Championships, or beating out of a creek against an incoming tide and a dying wind, when all you want to do is get home after a day’s cruising. ‘

Well he should know: Andy is a professional trainer, past Wanderer racing secretary and a past Wanderer National Champion (and on more than one occasion as well).  So on a beautiful summer’s day on the shores of South Cerney Sailing Club, twenty six people got the full Whitelock workout. Previous Wanderer training events have coincided with some dreadful weather that had kept us off the water, but this year was very different. After a good briefing on how to set up and make best use of the Wanderer controls, we were soon on the water, in a warm force 2-3 southerly breeze. We did go around the cans and do a figure of eight with tacks and gybes, but definitely no racing starts. What we did get was ample time to potter about and get used to the boat and try to remember some of what Andy had explained.

Andy’s Top Tips:-

 1. Sail setting:

      Sow, or stick telltales onto the luff of the jib and main and onto the leach of the main, to show the flow over the sails. Basically if the telltales are all streaming near horizontal you’ve got it right.

      You know when the sails are set correctly that when eased slightly the front edge of the sail (luff) just starts to flap.

2. Balance:

      The Wanderer sails fastest when upright, but in light winds allow the boat to heal away from the wind slightly and use gravity to help retain the sail shape.

3. Fore and aft trim:

      When sailing upwind get the weight forward; in light winds it reduces the drag caused by the Wanderers flat aft section, while in heavy winds it stops the bow being blown off to leeward.

      When sailing down wind, move the weight back to stop he bow digging in. The stronger the wind, the further you move back.

4. The Rig:

      If the mast is rattling around side to side, then you may need to pack out the cheeks of the mast gate to keep it secure. In addition, mast chocks at deck level stop the mast from bending lower down and losing power, but allow you to pull on the kicker and bend the mast near the head to reduce the healing force and keep the boat upright

      The standard mainsail halyard, fitted to most of the Wanderers, stretch and allow the sail to slowly lower itself after a while on the water. Either keep an eye on this and keep tensioning the halyard, or change to a low stretch substitute.

      Rig tension has to be correct for efficient sailing.  Buy a rig tension gauge and check the set-up using the guide on the Wanderer Website or the technical articles in the previous magazine issues.

A new idea was introduced into the 2009 training programme. Some on the committee thought that capsize training would enable people to get experience of righting the Wanderer in a safe and controlled environment.  On the day, we were fortunate to have several variations of the Wanderer in one place and even more fortunate in having crews game enough to demonstrate capsizing and righting their boats.

There was quite a difference in the way in which the boats behaved after being capsized. You may ask how this can be in a one-design boat?  Basically, the one-design principle is mainly aimed at the hull shape, sail plan, foils and rigging. This ensures all Wanderers have the same sailing characteristics and do not gain an advantage through changes in design over time.   What the one-design principle doesn’t represent is that they will all look the same or behave the same way when capsized.

The earlier Wanderers, with full buoyancy, floated high on their side, nose slightly downwards and with the centre board a good 18 inches above the water level. Some found this quite a struggle to get onto the board to right the boat. Then when righted, the scooped water was above the floor boards, but the boat looked stable and could have continued sailing without too much bother.

Later versions had some of the buoyancy removed and this became known as the MD version after Margaret Dye who suggested this modification to designer Ian Proctor. The reduced buoyancy enabled the MD to float lower in the water, at about 12 inches, making it easer to get onto the centre board, but the effect of this was the apparent need for more effort to bring the boat up to vertical; in addition, a larger volume of water was scooped up compared to the earlier models.   With the MD, it pays to keep a large bucket to hand to get rid of some of the excess before pulling in the crew.

Lastly Clive and Caroline Nunnerley demonstrated capsizing and righting their new Wanderer number 1600 manufactured by Hartley Laminates.  The Wanderer HL took up the same floating position as the MD with the centre board about 12 inches of the water line, but what was surprising was the apparent ease that Chris managed to scooped up Caroline, RYA style,  by just sitting on the centre board.  W1600 was then able to sail off straight away with the surplus water gushing from the transom flaps.

I am sure all those who watched or demonstrated leaned valuable lessons that day. Thank you to all who took part especially those that got wet.

The WCOA strongly recommends that all those new to dinghy sailing attend an RYA approved course

My tips for capsize procedure – At last, something I feel qualified to write about! Expert even?

Tip 1- First of all don’t:  if you’re out for a cruise, take into account the conditions and reef early. It’s not a race, so match your sail plan to the conditions. Practise reefing on the water. The standard Wanderer Genoa Jib is big enough to capsize the Wanderer on its own, so make sure that you can release the Genoa sheets quickly and easily. If you need to reef the main, then part furl the jib to compensate. It may not sail very efficiently with the large roll at the front of the sail disturbing the air flow, but it will get you where you want to go. Alternatively fit a smaller jib to balance the reduced main.

Tip 2 - Use masthead buoyancy. Like most dinghies, the Wanderer will invert if you are not quick enough to get your weight in the right place to stop it. Masthead buoyancy will ensure that the mast floats just under the water and not vertically downwards.

TIP 3 -  Tie everything in that you don’t want to see floating away, because it will if you don’t

TIP 4  - Use the classic RYA recovery method: it really works

TIP 5 - Have a big bucket to hand - tied on of course - to get rid of some of the water

TIP 6 -  If the conditions are such that after getting the boat up it gets knocked down again, it may be wise to take the sail down before trying again. You can always hoist again after sorting yourself out.

TIP 7 - Always wear a buoyancy aid or a life jacket.

Those who took part in the weekend:-

About the trainer: Andy has been an association member for many years and is a past National Champion. He now runs his own company Dynamic Adventures.

Andy Whitelock

Director - Dynamic Adventures Ltd

www.dynamicadventures.co.uk

Tel / Fax No. 01293 863002   Mobile 07802 355075

Email from member

Hi Mike,

Many thanks again to yourself and your wife for organising such a successful and rewarding day; James and I really appreciated the advice available from yourself and Andy,  and thanks must go to other members for their generous support during the day and of course to South Cerney SC for their patience and hospitality.

Best wishes,

Michael & James McMaster.

Report and Photos by Mike Hamilton.