TRIMMING THE JIB

Telltales along the luff of the jib cannot be beaten as sensitive and effective indicators. These yarns or ticklers indicate the flow of wind across the sail.

Telltales are used for fine-tuning jib sheet trim and the course you steer. Telltales are only effective when the sail has wind flow across both sides (beating and beam reaching). When sailing lower than a beam reach, the sail is catching wind instead of working like an airfoil.

Telltales come in sets, one on each side of the jib. The most efficient setup is to have three pairs evenly spaced along the luff to indicate wind flow at different heights of the sail. Telltales should be from six inches to 18 inches aft of the luff, depending on the size of the sail. The bigger the sail, the further back the telltales should be. The farther forward they are, the more sensitive they are. Therefore, occasionally you will see two sets, one forward and one aft.

Telltales are typically sold in sets of green and red. Always put the starboard (green) telltale slightly higher than the port (red) telltale. This aids in indicating which telltale is which in lower light situations.

The most basic way to read telltales is to get the yarns on both sides of the sail streaming straight back. If the leeward telltale stops streaming, head up and sail closer to the wind. If the windward telltale stops streaming, fall off.

When the telltale streams straight back, it indicates there is attached flow over the sail at that particular point. If a telltale stops streaming and hangs limp, it indicates there is no flow and that side of the sail is stalled. Fluttering telltales indicate that the flow is turbulent.

The following are four different settings for telltales:

• Bow-down Speed-building: Leeward telltale dances and windward telltale streams straight back. This mode is used for building speed when coming out of a tack or when plowing chop.
• Max Speed: Both telltales streams straight aft.
• Pointing: Leeward telltale streams aft, and windward telltale dances between straight back and 45° above the horizontal. This mode is used sailing to windward in flat water and winds over 10 knots.
• Pinching: Leeward telltale streams aft, and windward telltale stands straight up. Used when trying to get over another boat or make it around a mark.

When sailing upwind, the degree of course change between Bow-down Speed-building Mode; and the Pinching Mode; should be about 5 to 7 degrees. If the telltales go from one extreme to the other after a two-degree course change, put a bit more tension on the luff. The rounder entry angle will broaden the gap between stalled from sailing too high and stalled from sailing too low.

Do not sail with the telltales in the pointing or pinching mode in light winds or in wavy conditions. The boat will lose a great deal of speed. In heavy winds when the boat is overpowered, you can reduce heeling by heading up into the pointing mode.

You can also use telltales to fine-tune jib lead position. Use three sets of telltales along the luff. On a beat, the jib lead is correct when the lower two sets stream straight back and the inside upper telltale dances about 45 degrees above horizontal.