I recently received an email from a friend asking for a bit of sailing advice.\u00a0 The email read “What is the best way to manage the jib during a jibe?\u00a0 It embarrasses me that I probably have been taught how to best do this, but I can’t recall and on several occasions I’ve managed to wrap my jib around the front side of my forestay … creating a real mess of things.”<\/p>\n
I have a feeling that if you asked this question of six sailors in a bar you would probably get seven different answers.\u00a0 Part of the problem being that differing conditions require different solutions.\u00a0 Here are some techniques that work for me.<\/p>\n
The first thing to recognize is that the main is your primary concern.\u00a0 Get it right, then worry about the jib.\u00a0 As far as the jib is concerned, timing is important.\u00a0 Release the jib sheet too soon and the jib blows around the front of the forestay, potentially getting tangled into the mess my friend described.\u00a0 Wait too long and you end up with a back-winded jib.\u00a0 Wait too long and forget to straighten the rudder and you end up hove-to.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the right timing may involve more “art than science.”<\/p>\n
Before going further in discussing the jib, lets walk through the steps of jibing the main.\u00a0 While not an absolute requirement, often a jibe is completed from a broad reach on one tack to a broad reach on the opposite tack.\u00a0 Assuming that’s the case, the helmsperson starts the process by asking the question “Ready to Jibe?”\u00a0 This should be a question and a request to get ready.\u00a0 It is never a statement that the jibe is commencing!\u00a0 After everyone acknowledges readiness, comes the command “Jibe Ho!”\u00a0 In other words, start hauling in the main boom.\u00a0 Two things to keep in mind at this point.\u00a0 First, the boat can turn much faster than the main can be trimmed!\u00a0 Second, the harder the wind is blowing the more difficult it will be to trim the main while on a broad reach.\u00a0 To handle both of these concerns, the helmsperson should begin a SLOW turn away from the wind and then stop turning when the boat is on a run.\u00a0 Do not turn too far.\u00a0 A good way to judge the point to stop turning is when the jib begins to hang limply in the shadow of the main.\u00a0 The main sheet trimmer should now be able to bring the boom to the centerline of the boat for completion of the jibe.\u00a0 Once the boom is centered, the helmsperson can continue the turn, allowing the main to “come across”.\u00a0 Once across, it’s critical the main be allowed to run smoothly and freely.\u00a0 Three wraps on a winch will not allow freedom.\u00a0 Ge the sheet ready to run free.\u00a0 Not allowing the main to run freely may result in the turning force on the sail overcoming the ability of the rudder to stop the turn, forcing the boat to spin quickly into the wind (broaching)\u00a0even to the point of laying the mast horizontally on the water while its happening.<\/p>\n
How about the jib … what do we do and when?\u00a0 Much of the answer\u00a0depends on how many crew are available and what point of sail you want to end up on.<\/p>\n
Practice those last two methods in safe conditions (read mild wind and wave conditions) and when you need to jibe, you will be ready.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I recently received an email from a friend asking for a bit of sailing advice.\u00a0 The email read “What is the best way to manage the jib during a jibe?\u00a0 It embarrasses me that I probably have been taught how … Continue reading