Tack

The tactician dictates where to go. And when he wants to tack he makes the following calls.
- Prepare to tack - Ready to tack ? (No answer means yes!) - Three - Two - One - GO
Those calls are made for good reasons. When tacking everybody wants to contribute and starts walking around. However only those crewmembers should move who are on their way to their task. Depending on your role you move at the rythm as dictated by the tactician.

• "Prepare to tack."
  The mainsheet trimmer releases the babystay and the bowman removes the babystay.
• "Ready to tack."
  When no answer is given everybody knows we are ready to tack.
• "Three."
  At three the old genua trimmer gets to her winch and prepares the tensioned sheet to release.
• "Two."
  At two the new genua trimmer gets to her winch and prepares the lazy sheet. Lazy refers to a sheet currently not in use.
• "One."
  And at one the grinders get into position. None of the other crewmembers moved till sofar. This is both to keep the boat upright and not sending the message accross the fleet that we are about to tack.
• "Tack."
  The driver starts to turn. In the first half of the turn it is important to get the boat as quick as possible into the wind without losing speed.
  At the same time the trimmer releases the sheet about 10 to 15 centimeters. She keeps the sail inside the stanchions and guard rail. The sheet is totally released when the wind starts to come in the sail from the other, outside, side.
  The boat keeps on turning till it's on the other tack. Now it is the trick to be up to target speed again without losing to much height.
  The sheet is grinded in as quick as possible and the sheet corner should be inside the stanchions and guard rail again.
  The grinders follow the instructions of their trimmer. The two words the trimmer should use are trim and hold. Unlike to tactician the trimmer does not have to reach the whole boat but just her grinders. The last part of trimming the sheet goes more slowly and is directly dependant on the speed of the boat. The sheet is trimmed in when the boat is less than half a knot below target speed
  About this time the bowman can attach the babystay again.

keypoints to remember

• prepare to tack
• babystay removed
• ready to tack
• three
• trimmer in position
• two
• new trimmer in position
• one
• grinders in position
• TACK
• turn boat and release sheet 10 to 15 centimeters
• as the boat moves the head sail is moved to the other side, preferably the clew stays within the boat.
• trim
• the new sheet gets grinded in, in close coördination with the boat speed.
• back to target speed
• babystay re-attached