FJORD MS 33 as a steadying and stabilizing sail in a
seaway. Whenever a breeze is blowing, and
whenever a sea is running, your main should be
hoisted unless you are in really restricted waters.
You may reef it down as much as you would like,
but the presence of some cloth on your spars will
always have a remarkable effect on your comfort, in
that rolling will be drastically reduced. (Of course,
should you be hit by a hurricane your bare poles
would do for the stabilizing, and all sails should be
left under deck. This would be, however, extreme
conditions.)
We would also like to stress the value of MOTOR-
SAILING, which ought to be practiced whenever
you are in a hurry with the wind abeam or ahead.
Unless you already are sailing at maximum hull
speed, the combined use of both engine and sails
may be most beneficial. Normally only moderate
power from your propeller will increase the speed of
the hull through the water. This again will increase
the relative wind speed striking the sails, which
results in more power from the sails! Thus,
a small, additional push from the propeller may
result in a relatively large increase in boat speed
which might be worthwhile. Motorsailing can be
most comfortable way to transport oneself from
point A to point B, and is much to recommend when
time is a limiting factor.
We recommend, of course, that due attention be paid
to the checking list (paragraph 3.2) before any
motoring is initiated.
16) Handling the boat with sails
Unless you are a very experienced yachtsman
familiar with handling sails and sailing yachts,
always make use of your engine alone when going to
and from the quay or your mooring. When out of the
harbour, head up into the wind moving ahead at slow
speed, and hoist your main-sail. Give off the
downhaul at the goose-neck, hoist the main until the
headboard is just at the black band in the mast-top,
have the winch locked (if a reel winch or have the
halliard fixed to the cleat (if drum-winch) before
setting the down-haul.
The engine can be shut down as soon as your main
pulls but, as the boat is perfectly balanced first when
you also have added a foresail, you will not get the
proper response to your rudder unless a jib or Genoa
is up on the headstay.
When returning to your mooring, let the foresail
down and start the engine while still in open water.
If any breeze is blowing, head up into the wind before
lowering the main. Have the main bent to the boom
and all other sails stowed below before you pick up
your mooring.
A clean deck is a must for proper manoeuvring.
17) Safety at sea
Never forget the safety precautions! Whenever you are
going offshore for any duration, be sure you have your
emergency equipment on board! Tools, rope, flares,
lifebuoys, anchors, the first aid kit etc. should all have
their fixed location on board.
It is, however, at least as important that the personal
effects like life belts and safety harnesses are aboard
for all of the crew.
In this connection, it may be worth mentioning that the
lifelines of the FJORD MS 33 are tightened by means
of rope instead of by means of bottle-screws. This is a
consequence of the accepted safety rules for offshore
racing, which are based on experience gained the hard
way. Lives have been lost at sea in that an exhausted
crew
were unable to haul aboard a man lost overboard
because of the high lifelines! The rope at the ends of
the wires can easily be cut with a knife, and the
lifelines are slackened off to deck level.
Because safety and ruggedness have been keywords as
far as the development of the FJORD MS 33 is
concerned, we want you to pay attention to what we
are stressing in the following:
If you are planning to cross big oceans with your
FJORD MS 33, and you are expecting really rough
going, it may be necessary to provide special
arrangements to protect the dog-house against the
damaging forces of the green seas. We recommend
that detachable wire straps be fitted at each of the four
corners of the dog-house-top to
make it possible to tie down the dog-house to the
decks. We recommend that heavy gauge aluminium or
plywood panels be stowed onboard, which can be
fitted to protect the windows from the outside
(deadlights).
We also recommend that a high (up to seat-level),
heavily constructed bridge or threshold be provided in
the cockpit where the companionway leads down to
the dog-house to protect the teak doors if pooped by a
following sea, and we recommend a bar be provided
on the inside of the dog-house doors to keep the doors
closed if a pooping sea should strike.
With these modifications carried out, you should be
well prepared for a round the world cruise in a safe,
sturdy and seaworthy vessel.
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