Cat rigged ketch questions

[Boo2]

Hi,

I've seen some pix of cat rigged ketches and schooners and wondered how you go about sailing them downwind ? Obviously you will want to sail them goose-winged but how do you go about making that happen ? Does one sail in a twin masted yacht want to go across before the other anyway when you gybe ? Or do you haul one sail across the boat and prevent it from flying back ? Or what ?

When gybing do you just change direction and leave the sails un gybed or do you gybe in the normal way and haul one of the sails back across the boat in the opposite direction ?

Boo2

 

[wilkinsonsails]

We just ease the main out so it's beyond a right angle ,it's easier with wishbones and freestanding spars.
Its also very stable down wind.To gybe I sheet in about 30 % of the sheet and put the helm over .Treating the main as a Genoa it comes across with a quick adjustment and then ease out again so the main clew is at least broadside or forward of the mast .For the mizzen it's sheet in , adjust course and ease again .Sometimes a bit of a thwack as it's going across .
Cindy