How did they do this Gybe set?

[fobos8]

Hi guys

I was watching this video in amazement at some of the foredeck skills. At 39:40 you see Stars and Stripes going into a Gybe set.

When we do a gybe set on our 8-metre we put the pole up right after the Genoa has gybed and then hoist the spi. These guys gybe with the inboard end up of the pole up, and hoist the spi just before the gybe, so it fills on the gybe.

Anyone tried it this way. I'm curious about how they stopped the outboard end of the pole swinging into the sea whilst going around the mark. On our boat its lightly bungeed to a cup near the forestay and we remove the bungee just before pole up. But on this boat the inboard end is already up meaning the bungee would precariously holding the outboard end in position.

I'd love to give this a try on our boat and would welcome any tips.

Cheers, Andrew

 

[TernVI]

I'd guess it's a matter of keeping good control of the foreguy as the outboard end of the pole is hoisted and the inboard end brought down. Once there is air in the kite, it will take the weight of the pole.

Maybe some systems are linked, so that bringing the inboard end of the pole down automatically eases the foreguy the right amount or something?
Having top flight crew practising a lot will help of course!
They have a lot of bodies on board, gybe-set two up can be kind of hectic at the pointy end.

 

[kof]

Pretty standard stuff. Hoist first but you're dead downwind and the genoa is stopping the spinnaker from filling. You've also taken the tack around the forestay to be as close to the pole as possible. As you gybe and bring the genoa across the outer end of the pole is raised and the foreguy pulls it forward as the guy is taken in. As some point the pole and tack meet and off you go.

 

[fobos8]

yes but....

For the gybe set the pole is on the leeward side of the forestay coming into the mark. The boat is heeled over and its choppy. What stops the pole from swinging to leeward and off the boat? The shackle on the guy/sheet won't stop of from doing that.

 

[kof]

We used to have it connected to the mast slide low down and then (in this case) on the port side under the genoa and sitting on the deck between the pulpit and the forestay. Also the foreguy was tight so it stopped the forward end of the pole from moving. As you gybe the bow crew push the pole out to port and the (in our case) cockpit crew crank up the inboard end and then the outboard (topping lift?). Otherwise the mast crew can take care of the inboard end.

Takes co-ordination but we used it a lot at the windward mark.

yes but....

For the gybe set the pole is on the leeward side of the forestay coming into the mark. The boat is heeled over and its choppy. What stops the pole from swinging to leeward and off the boat? The shackle on the guy/sheet won't stop of from doing that.

 

[fobos8]

The meter boat have no guard rail or pull pit. The is nothing to stop a pole swinging off the boat if its on the leeward side and not fixed in place. A tight guy will do nothing to stop the pole swinging off the boat as there's no "stop" on the guy.

 

[TernVI]

The foreguy/pole downhaul will pull the end of the pole to the centre line of the foredeck.
It will need to be eased as the pole is set.

 

[fobos8]

Thanks for you input. Tightening the pole downhaul makes great sense. On our boat the downhaul is fixed on the deck mid way between the mast and the forestay so I'm sure how effectively it will keep the pole to the centre of the boat but ill give it a go.
Thanks again Andrew

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I think that US55 Stars and Stripes may have been one of the 12s with a foredeck trench in which the pole lay. If it did, and it's like the ones I've seen in the flesh, then the pole could be left in it and its vertical sides would have restrained it in most conditions.

I can't find a decent shot of S&S, but here's Enterprise's.

(I'd assumed the trench was there for pseudo aero reasons, and had also thought that the extra weight in making it could never have been offset by drag).

 

[flaming]

I think that US55 Stars and Stripes may have been one of the 12s with a foredeck trench in which the pole lay. If it did, and it's like the ones I've seen in the flesh, then the pole could be left in it and its vertical sides would have restrained it in most conditions.

I can't find a decent shot of S&S, but here's Enterprise's.

(I'd assumed the trench was there for pseudo aero reasons, and had also thought that the extra weight in making it could never have been offset by drag).

Wouldn't surprise me if it was there in part for stiffness to help distribute the forestay load.

On the main subject, on more normal boats the quickest way to do a gybe set is to hoist on the sheets and fly it poleless until the pole can be set. Needs a good trimmer and a driver who isn't a muppet.