Basics on Celtic Song

This is the first class you will take when becoming crew on the Celtic Song. You will meet the Captain and some of the Crew, tour Celtic Song's systems and capabilities, work through the DaySail Checklist, and take your first sail aboard Celtic Song.

Skills to Learn

Basic Class - A
  • Able to perform all duties on DaySail Set Up Sheet.
  • Able to perform all duties on DaySail Close Up Sheet.
  • Name the cockpit lines.
  • Tie a proper cleat hitch.
  • Tie a clove hitch.
  • Tie a slippery hitch.
  • Tie a fender off with a round turn and two half hitches.
  • Tie a fender to the stern with a rolling hitch.
  • Tie a Bowline.
  • Tie a sheet-bend and understand its function.
  • Coil a line.
  • Heave a line.
  • Ease a line on a winch and off. 
Basic Class - B
  • Undergo preparations to leave dock.
  • Raise the MainSail.
  • Unfurl the jib.
  • Tack.
  • Gybe with boom brake.
  • Heave To.
  • Furl the jib.
  • Drop the MainSail.
  • Prepare to return to dock.

Skills in Brief

Set Up and Close Up Checklists
Checklists can be found here.
Name the Cockpit Lines
Port Side Clutch. 
  1. Staysail Sheet
  2. Topping Lift for Genoa Pole
  3. 1st Reef Clew
  4. 1st Reef Tack
Cam Cleat: Traveller Port Side.

Starboard Side Clutches.
​Clutch 1
  1. Boom Vang
  2. Topping Lift
  3. Main Halyard
  4. Empty
​Clutch 2
  1. 2nd Reef Tack
  2. 2nd Reef Clue
  3. Staysail Sheet
Cam Cleat: Traveller Starboard Side.
Cleat Hitch, Clove Hitch, Slippery Hitch, Round Turn, Rolling Htich
Cleat Hitch: Used to secure lines to a horn cleat at dock or on the boat.

Clove Hitch: Used to secure throwable to stern rail.

Slippery Hitch: Used on sail ties along the port side of the sail.

Round Turn & Two Half Hitches: Used to tie off fenders on the stanchions.

Rolling Hitch​: Used to secure fenders off the stern of the boat. Used to tie anchor snubber.
Bowline & Sheet-Bend
Bowline: Strong, fixed loop. Used for everything.

Sheet Bend: Used to tie two lengths of line with different diameters
Coil a Line, Heave a Line, Ease A line
Coiling a Rope: There are many resources online for this skill. Practice and keep it neat. When stowing free line wrap an end bight around the top. When hanging off a cleat or stanchion feed the working end through end bight and tie off.

Heaving a line: Find secure footing with proper leverage agains the line to be heaved. Keep your the back of your hands facing the winch or clutch you are heaving against. Some precautions:
  • DO NOT PUT A LOOP AROUND YOUR HAND FOR GRIP. If the line is under load you will be unable to remove your hand in time and will likely be injured or worse.
  • When pulling a line around a winch by hand have only 1 -2 wraps. Anymore wraps and you're working against yourself, fill the winch up and put in a winch handle.
  • When using a winch and winch handle: DO NOT PUT THE LINE OVER THE WINCH HANDLE. Place the line over the winch until it is fully loaded (3-4 wraps), then around the tooth and into the lips of the self tailer, now put in the winch handle and grind.

Easing a Line Not on a Winch: Keep the back of your hands facing the loaded end of the line. Release the line hand over hand without letting it slide through your hands.

Easing a Line Around a Winch: Remove the line from the self tailer while keeping a firm grasp of the line. Place one hand on the side of the wrapped line on the winch and turn it around the winch while easing pressure with the line in your other hand.

​
Leaving the Dock
Checklist for leaving the dock found here.
Raising the Main
Brief Crew on Roles in the maneuver.

Center Traveller if not already centered.
Tighten the Main Sheet.

Open all red labelled clutches (Open all clutches that hold down the boom).
  • BoomVang
  • Reef Lines 1 and 2

Head into the wind. Have Crew on the port side of the sail removing sail ties from the mast to the back.

Have Crew heave Halyard line with one wrap around Halyard Winch as SailTies are removed.

When all sail ties are removed and Crew is back in Cockpit, take the Main Sheet off the Winch. Place Halyard in self tailer and use electric winch to bring the sail within 2 feet of the top.

Hand Grind the Main Sail until luff has no crinkles or bends. Close Halyard Clutch and remove the halyard from the winch. 

​Sheet in the Main.
Unfurling the Jib
Brief Crew on roles.

Prep Jib Sheets by flaking Port and Starboard lines and removing them off their winches. Put 1-2 wraps around the winch to be loaded.

Unfurl roller furling line, open roller furling clutch on the Port Midship.

Crew holding roller furling line eases line as other Crew sheets in the Jib until first furl is out.

Crew eases roller furling line until Jib is fully out.

​Crew Sheets in Jib Sheet.
Tack & Gybe
Brief Crew on Roles

Helm calls "Prepare to Tack", Crew stations themselves at Jib Winches.

Crew on Windward Side places a wrap around their winch, Crew on Leeward side removes Jib Sheet from Self Tailer, respond "Port/Starboard Ready."

Helm calls "Tacking", puts helm into and past the wind.

Crew on the Jib Sheet to be eased holds line with full wraps around winch until the Jib passes through the forward triangle of the standing rigging. Crew then twirls line off the winch and releases line.

Crew on the Jib Sheet to be tightened pulls slack of sheet until jib passes through forward triangle. Crew sheets in Jib by hand, then puts full wraps around winch and the line in the self tailer, grinds the sheet in.

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Gybe Differences.

Tighten boom brake and tie boom brake line to staysail winch. If not using boom break, sheet in the main before the maneuver.
Heave To
Helm Tacks the boat without changing any lines. Once the Jib fully backwinds turn the wheel all the way to windward and lock the steering wheel.
Furl the Jib
Brief Crew on Roles.

Helm falls off the wind into a Beam Reach.

Crew eases loaded Jib sheet while other Crew pulls in on the roller furling.

Close Roller Furling Clutch.
Drop the Main
Brief Crew on Roles.

Tighten Lazy Jacks on Port and Starboard Side. Take Coiled Halyard off winch.

Helm Turns into the wind.

With Crew in Cockpit, open the Halyard Clutch.

Tie off the sail with slippery Hitches.
Return to Dock
Checklist for returning to dock can be found here.