Access Dinghy Sailing Systems Pty Ltd

2/7 Bungaleen Court

Dandenong South Victoria 3175

Australia

Phone: 61 3 9768 3101

Fax: 61 3 9768 3103

Email: [email protected]

www.accessdinghy.org

USA Fax: 520 563 8203

303 Single Specifications

Length 3.03 metres

Beam 1.35 metres

Draft 1 metre

Boat Weight 71 kg

Centreboard Weight 35 kg

Sail Plan Main & Jib

Sail Area 5.8 sq. m

Mast 4.85 metre

Access Dinghies

OPERATIONS &

SAFETY MANUAL

Important Note:

Whilst Access Dinghies have inherent design features ensuring maximum stability thereby reducing the chance of capsize, it should be remembered that these are small sailing dinghies and under certain weather, water and sailing conditions sensible precautions should be taken :

• Always reef the sails according to the weather conditions.

• Always have a manned safety boat in the sailing area.

• Always cancel sailing activities if inclement weather conditions dictate.

The safety of the sailors should come first under all circumstances.

Access 303 Single Seater

Items included with your Access 303S Sailing Dinghy.

1. Sailing Dinghy 11. Mainsail

2. Mast 12. Foresail (Jib)

3. Fors’l Mast 13. Bobbin

4. Boom 14. Mainsheet

5. Centreboard 15. Main Outhaul

6. Rudder Blade 16. Jib sheet

7. Rubber Box 17. Jib Claw

8. Rudder Box Pin 18. Jib Strut

9. Traveller 19. Jib Downhaul

10. Painter.. 20. Installed reefing system,

both masts.

General Safety Sailing Precautions

GENERAL

• Take into account the actual and forecast weather conditions.

• Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) must be worn by all persons when afloat.

• The sailing area should be clearly defined and known to all afloat. The safety boat should be able to view the entire sailing area at all times.

• There should be a simple signal for all boats to return to shore, which is known by all afloat.

• The safety of sailors and volunteers must be considered at all time. If weather conditions alter, sails are to be reefed accordingly, or if necessary activities cancelled should conditions prove unsafe.

SAFETY BOAT

• When Access Dinghies are sailed a safety boat should be on the water at all times, with at least two crew on board. Generally a safety boat should provide cover for no more than eight dinghies, but prevailing conditions must be taken into account.

• Safety boats should carry a first aid kit and should be equipped with radio communication to the shore.

• In all planing powerboats, a kill cord should be fitted and used .

• All persons in the safety boat must wear an approved buoyancy aid.

• All safety boat personnel should be instructed on how to reef sails.

• If an Access Dinghy needs to be towed, it is safer and easier to tie the dinghy close alongside and remove the rudder blade so that the dinghy cannot be “steered” in the wrong direction.

Design Features of Access Dinghies

Access Dinghies are designed with a hull form and other features which combine to give considerable stability. There needs to be a set of rules which we must follow to continue our excellent safety record and prevent any accidents. The stability of Access 2.3 and 303 Dinghies is reliant upon the following factors.

• SEATING - Because the placement of sailor’s weight affects stability it is important that people remain seated low in the boat. We therefore, have to look at using quick release velcro straps to hold them in place, provided the keel is locked fully down.

• CENTREBOARDS - It is most important that the keel be fully down when sailing. The hole 1/3 down the keel is there purely to facilitate sailing off a beach, and under no circumstances should people with disabilities be allowed to sail around with the keel held in this position . There is provision to lock the keel fully down so as even in a

“knock down” it remains in place. It is imperative that the locking pin be inserted whenever the boat is used. Invariably people sailing the electric boat need to be strapped into it. Never strap someone into a boat unless the centreboard locking pin is inserted through the c/b handle.

Locking the keel— Insert the long aluminium pin through the c/b handle and into the drilled hole in the console. Push the pin right in so that only the knot at the end of the rope is visible.

• REEFING - Being a displacement type hull extra sail area in strong winds does not mean more speed, all it does is bury the boat in the water and make it more difficult to handle. In a breeze it is always better to reef to suit the stronger gusts.

If an Access Dinghy needs to be towed, it is safer and easier to tie the dinghy close alongside and remove the rudder blade so that the dinghy cannot be “steered” in the wrong direction.

A pontoon system which will take care of the off the beach keel handling and transferring problems is available from Access Dinghies.

People with disabilities need the keel down and because many are unable to raise and lower the keel to improve sailing performance and also unable to adjust the size of the sail by reefing it is discriminatory to allow abler bods to make these adjustments during a race.

REEFING THE MAINSAIL: shortening sail area

1. Pull on the port reefing line to reduce sail area

2. Pull the Starboard line to increase sail area.

3. Never pull on both at once.

4. Use the white “clamcleats” on the left (port) side of the console to cleat the reefing line or the sail will unroll.

5. You can put one complete turn of sail around the mast without adjusting the outhaul.

6. To reef further the outhaul needs to be released to allow the sail to travel forward along the boom.

7. Conversely, when unreefing, you need to pull on the outhaul.

8. Always recleat the outhaul after adjusting.

9. The idea is not to flatten the sail along the boom as it should have enough slack to form a gentle curve.

REEFING AND FURLING THE JIB.

1. Uncleat the jib sheet and downhaul before attempting to reef.

2. Use the port reefing line to reef, the starboard to unreef.

3. Remember to cleat the reefing line (use the “clamcleat on the console port side) or the sail will unroll.

4. Adjust the downhaul to suit.

THE STEERING

1. Make sure the steering lines pass under the joystick correctly.

2. Fit the rudders making sure the rope traveller is above the tillers.

3. Remove the spring clips and pass the clevis pins up through the holes at the end of the tillers. Re-insert the clips.

4. Fit the alloy joystick extension.

LAUNCHING

1. Pass the bow line (called a painter) through the guide ring at the bow and fasten it to one of the fittings at the end of the traveller using a bowline (a knot which is always easy to untie)

2. Use the short alloy tube to pin the centreboard up when moving the boat around onshore.

3. Pin the centreboard in the half way position if you need to move the boat around in shallow water.

4. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO SAIL WITHOUT THE CENTREBOARD

FULLY DOWN OR THEY MAY CAPSIZE.

5. Use the long alloy pin to lock the centreboard down.

6. NEVER USE SEAT BELTS OR HARNESSES UNLESS THE CENTRE-

Maximum Weight for Access 303 Single

Sailor = 120KG / 264Lbs

Luggage = 20Kg / 44Lbs

Parts of an Access 303 Dinghy

Boom

Centreboard

Mainsheet

Mast

Foremast

Reefing Drum

Foremast

Bobbin

Headsail Sheets

Rudder

Traveller

Joystick Reefing Line

General info on Personal Floatation Devices

There are many types and variety of buoyancy aids available, manufactured to different sets of standards. The PFD is a personal item of safety equipment, designed specifically to assist in preserving a person’s life when in the water.

Some PFD’s provides buoyancy to help you float with your head above the water. All sailors and volunteers should wear a PFD at all times whilst on, or near water . PFD’s are subject to normal wear and tear. Each one should be checked regularly and if in doubt about its serviceability it should be replaced. If they become wet from salt water they should be hosed down with fresh water and allowed to dry.

PFDs and Children

A properly designed PFD of the correct size will keep a child’s mouth and nose clear of the water. A child should be taught how to put on a device and should be allowed to try it out in the water. It is important that the child feels comfortable and knows what the PFD is for and how it functions.

How to Rig an Access 303 Single

¾ SPECIAL FEATURES

• The 303S has 2 rudders which give directional control at extreme angles of heel.

• It has the option of fitting a boom with a 3 part manual mainsheet, rigged as per the 303W, or a 2 part double ended mainsheet, one end going to a servo assist sheet winch and the other through a conventional swivel/deadeye/ camcleat for manual operation. Both these pass through a double block attached to the boom about 300mm back from the mast.

• The main outhaul cleats at a camcleat on the console and passes through a block under the plastic rowlock close to the mast.

• The jib is self tacking with a diagonal strut between the clew and a claw at the mast which prevents twisting as the sheet is eased.

• The jib sheet is 2 part which gives the option of one end going to a servo assist winch and the other down to a camcleat on the console for manual operation.

• The following description is for the 2 part mainsheet with servo assist mainsheet winch fitted.

¾ STEPPING THE MAIN MAST & FITTING THE BOOM

With the sail rolled and tied up, carefully step the mainmast making sure the foot is firmly in the step.

1. Take the boom, free its outhaul and sheet and push the rowlock at the front end of the boom onto the bobbin.

2. Pull the outhaul shackle as far forward as it will go, untie the sail, unroll 5 or

6 turns and shackle on the outhaul, then pull the sail out tight with the outhaul.

3. Run the outhaul through the block on the console at the base of the mast, then through the camcleat on the port side of the console,and cleat it.

4. Rotate the mast to fully unroll the sail, haul in on the outhaul and cleat it, pull the starboard reefing line till its knot is as far as it will go on the port side, then tighten the reefing drum clamp.

5. Unravel the mainsheet which comes up through the console from the sheet winch then: a) pass its end through the right side of the double block on the boom, b) then through the plastic guide ring half way along the boom, c) then through the first of the blocks towards the end of the boom, d) then down and through the block on the traveller, e) then back up and through the block at the end of the boom, f) then again through the plastic guide ring, and then through the right side of the double block, g) and then down through the fairlead and cam cleat on the centre of the console. h) Tie a stopper knot in its end. If there was not enough rope for this operation set up the servo assist electrics and feed out sufficient rope.

¾ STEPPING THE FOREMAST.

1. Unroll the sail, fit the claw and strut (fig 1), then and attach the strut to the claw with the plastic hook as per fig 2.

2. At the bow, pull the port side jib reefing line till its knot is at its stop hard up on the port side.

3. Unhook the jib reefing line tension shock cord hook and set up the reefing line in a loop to complete a full turn around the foremast reefing drum.

4. Step the mast, fit the reefing line and re-tension the shockcord.

5. Shackle on the jib sheet block, and pass the downhaul around the port side of the mast and attach it to the lug on the front of the claw.

6. Pull in on the downhaul (located on the left side of the console) and cleat it on the black clamcleat.

7. Check the manual operation of the jib sheet located at the cam cleat on the right side of the console.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2