These notes are written as a basic introduction to some of the techniques of sailing small gaff schooners. They represent my opinion, which was developed sailing several kinds of rigs, mostly small, gaff-rigged schooners. I wrote them becuase I remember how much learning I had to do when I got my first schooner (I'd sailed schooners and brigantines before that, but had mostly sailed sloops for the many years directly prior), and how much I wanted instructions then.
These notes are intended for people who know how to sail, but are not that familiar with schooners. This is not an introduction to gaff rigs (Tom Cunliffe's book, Hand, Reef & Steer is highly recommended for those unfamiliar with gaffers).
Not everyone who sails schooners will agree with all these points. Different vessels have different characteristics. Different experiences will influence opinions, and what I've written is what works for me on the vessels I've sailed.
Comments and suggestions are welcomed (email address at bottom of page). This is still a work in progress.
Objective of this order of setting sails is to begin sailing on the desired course as soon as possible, not primarily to use the least amount of physical effort to raise the sails.
Turning into the wind to raise or lower sail is fine in calm seas, but not what you want to be doing if you are in a small vessel in moderate (or higher) seas, or if you are sailing without an engine.
The foresail is generally the first sail up and the last sail down, because the boat is pretty much balanced with foresail alone, on any point of sail. Generally, to reduce sail, you want to douse the highest sails first, then the ones at the ends of the boat (which end depends on the point of sail you are on), lastly the lower sails amidships. With a long, drawn-out sailplan like gaff schooners have, the sails at the ends of the boat have a big influence on the direction the boat will want to go.
These comments apply to a small gaff-rigged schooner, with a jib and forestaysail (jumbo), a fisherman and main topsail, no fore topsail. Similar procedures apply if there is no forestaysail (just a jib), or if using a gollywobbler instead of a fisherman.
If the desired course is on the wind, you want some sail aft to keep the boat pointing, and this is the order to set sails in (douse them in the reverse order):
Off the wind, where you want to maximize sail area forward, to keep the boat from heading up into the wind, the order would be (douse them in the reverse order):
A larger schooner may want to raise the main first, because raising it will head the boat towards the wind and it is easier to raise the closer to the wind it is (the larger the sail, or the more problems it has with friction, the more you care about the force involved to raise or lower it), and to keep the boat head-to-wind to make the other sails easier to raise.
The above method has worked well for me, on the vessels I've sailed on. I received an interesting note from Thomas Church, who has been sailing an Alden 'Nor'wester' schooner extensively for many years. Thomas describes sailing a schooner that balances much differently than what I am used to:
I presently own a 1926 alden schooner "nor'wester" which is basically the same as built. The nor'wester sails very poorly with only the for'sle and only down wind which makes it almost impossible to raise the main in any kind of wind.
In any wind the first sail up and last sail down is always the main. In high winds the main is reefed as needed and forc'l dropped first, then the jib, and finally the main. The main is raised first then the jib and finally the forc'le. She sails very well under reefed main alone but only goes down wind without at least some of the main up.
So I have to qualify the instructions I've written by emphasizing that they are for a schooner that balances on all points of sail under foresail alone. I am not used to schooners that can sail well under main alone...I am used to schooners that have lots of weather helm under main alone.
Very useful sail in light winds, because it puts sail area up high, where there is more wind. Not as difficult to handle as a spinnaker, but requires planning ahead if set solo or shorthanded.
Most schooners cannot tack the fisherman while it is set. This is because of spring stays, or other stays between the masts preventing tacking the fisherman while it is set. To tack, they need to drop the fisherman, tack the boat, then bend the sail on the other side and set it again.
Those schooners that have no spring (or other) stays between the masts interfering with tacking, tend to use the fisherman more in coastal and harbor sailing, since it is much easier to tack. Two sheets are used if the sail is to be tacked while set.
Whether the fisherman should be set to windward or leeward of the foresail depends. I usually set the fisherman to leeward of the foresail, but since my current boat allows tacking the fisherman, it varies. Generally I find the fisherman sets better to leeward of the foresail, though this does depend on where the tack downhaul is made down. The amount of control over foresail peak sag also matters, as you do not want the foresail peak to chafe the fisherman (at least not if you are making long voyages).
Dousing the fisherman is easier if it is done to windward of the foresail. That way, the wind blows it into the foresail, instead of out beside the boat, and it is much easier to gather in and keep it out of the water.
Fisherman sheeting points vary. Off the wind, I usually sheet the fisherman through a block on the main boom bail. If there is a lot of gybing to be done, I usually don't bother with running the sheet to the boom, and just make if down to an aft cleat. On the wind, I make the sheet down to an aft cleat.
Once set, the fisherman is trimmed by a combination of both the sheet (mostly) and the peak halyard. Sometimes you may need to adjust the luff tension with the tack downhaul. The objective is to have no creases in the sail, no chafe against the foresail gaff (or anywhere else), and a smooth flow of air over the sail. Like other sails, it helps to have telltales attached to help see how it is setting.
Gollywobblers (at least the only kind I've used) are just used like large fisherman sails.
Mark (magic marker will last a while, a whipping is better) the sheet(s) and tack downhaul at the approximate place where they should be when the sail is set.
If you can't make down the sheet and tack downhaul before raising the sail, a one-person task can become a three-person task (on a small schooner, one person can set and douse the fisherman).
Heaving to can be done with the foresail (reefed or not), or with a storm trysail on the mainmast, in moderate or heavy winds.
Heaving to in light winds may not be as simple as it is on a sloop--tack the boat while leaving the jib sheet cleated and the now-backed jib counteracts the main. On a schooner, the foresail and mainsail may overpower the backed jib and keep moving the boat forward. The main or foresail may need to be eased, scandalized or doused to heave to in light winds.
Another great light-air sail. Usefulness depends on how large it is (or they are) relative to the lower sails. To simplify setting it, mark the tack downhaul at the approximate position where it will be made down so you can make it down first, then raise the halyard, then sheet the sail in.
In light air, with a full-length keel, it is often necessary to back the jib (or staysail) to complete a tack. In really light winds, you may also need to back the main to get close to the wind at the start of the tack.
On a boat with a jib which is tacked manually (not self-tending), backing the jib is simple -- leave the sheet made down until the other sails are filling on the new tack.
On boats with self-tending jibs, a tail rope can be used. This is a (relatively) light line attached to the jib (or staysail) boom, and run aft. Before tacking, take up the slack in the tail rope and make it down. After the other sails are across, release the tail rope and sheet in the jib (or staysail) on the new tack.
With a full-length keel and a schooner rig, you probably can't bear off much without easing the main. A gybe may require easing the main to get onto a very broad reach or run, then sheeting it in tight (to reduce the force it has when coming across) to gybe.
Anchoring under sail is a maneuver that is easy with a schooner (though not in a crowded anchorage). I will only describe one way of doing it, there are other ways.
This way assumes that the boat will lie to the wind, not the current, and that you intend to roughly stop where you want to place the hook, then back down on it.
Approaching the desired area, consider dropping the foresail (definitely get the fisherman down) to reduce speed.
When ready to head into the wind, sheet the main in tight and drop the jib (possibly the staysail as well). The big main will keep the boat heading into the wind, and you can calmly lower the anchor when the boat stops making headway over the ground.
After the anchor seems set, overhaul the main sheets and use the preventer to back the main so you can sail down (backwards) and confirm the anchor is set.
Not specific to schooners, but a leadline on the bottom, made down with a lot of slack, is a useful drag indicator. If the line pulls forward, you've dragged. Most of the time, it will pull to one side or the other, as the boat swings, and sometimes it is hard to determine whether it is just going to one side under the boat or going forward. Just don't forget it is there if you start the engine.