cmedsailor
Well-known member
What technique do you use to jibe your boat while controlling the movement of the boom especially in strong winds?
Controllable jibe
- Thread starter cmedsailor
- Start date
colingr
Active member
I was taught to have someone on the boom sheet to tke up the slack as the boat came round, then pay out slack as the boat passed the wind.
Tricky with only one or two aboard though.
Or turn into the wind and tack right round. Thus avoiding a jibe altogether.
Tricky with only one or two aboard though.
Or turn into the wind and tack right round. Thus avoiding a jibe altogether.
flaming
Well-known member
Sail on a broad reach
Pull in mainsheet until boom nearly on centreline.
Gybe boat
surge mainsheet out to prevent boat rounding up. (Invest in a pair of sailing gloves)
Pull in mainsheet until boom nearly on centreline.
Gybe boat
surge mainsheet out to prevent boat rounding up. (Invest in a pair of sailing gloves)
michael_w
Well-known member
In big boats (anything with a keel) grind in the mainsheet as far as possible, steer through the gybe, remembering the touch of reverse helm at the moment the boom crosses the centerline, pay out the mainsheet, quickly but under control.
On little boats omit the hauling in on the mainsheet and just let the boom crash across. To do otherwise will invite capsize.
On little boats omit the hauling in on the mainsheet and just let the boom crash across. To do otherwise will invite capsize.
chabrenas
New member
"just let the boom crash across"
... OK for dinghies, with a few provisos:
- do it quickly and firmly. During the phase just before the boom comes across, the wind flow and resulting heeling moment change. If you hesitate, the boat will continue to bear off and will capsize to windward.
- keep the boat upright. That's the only way you can steer it, and if you don't you'll probably capsize slowly and inexorably to leeward on the new gybe as the boom catches the water and can't be freed off. The trick is to have a good crew who moves across in anticipation of the boom crashing across. In he old days, when Hornets had sliding seats instead of trapezes, the crew sat on the plank on the leeward side before the helmsman started the gybe.
- in boats with a mainsheet slider on the transom (the Laser is one of the few remaining boats with this problem), you must avoid letting the sheet get caught round the transom. Laser sailors are adept at pulling in a huge handful of sheet as the boom starts to cross, then letting it surge out again. New Freebooters
... OK for dinghies, with a few provisos:
- do it quickly and firmly. During the phase just before the boom comes across, the wind flow and resulting heeling moment change. If you hesitate, the boat will continue to bear off and will capsize to windward.
- keep the boat upright. That's the only way you can steer it, and if you don't you'll probably capsize slowly and inexorably to leeward on the new gybe as the boom catches the water and can't be freed off. The trick is to have a good crew who moves across in anticipation of the boom crashing across. In he old days, when Hornets had sliding seats instead of trapezes, the crew sat on the plank on the leeward side before the helmsman started the gybe.
- in boats with a mainsheet slider on the transom (the Laser is one of the few remaining boats with this problem), you must avoid letting the sheet get caught round the transom. Laser sailors are adept at pulling in a huge handful of sheet as the boom starts to cross, then letting it surge out again. New Freebooters
fireball
New member
[ QUOTE ]
just let the boom crash across
[/ QUOTE ]
No no no .... not in strong winds you don't!!
It's easier with a centre mainsheet, but what you do is you do the same as for keel boats, except instead of winching or hauling in the mainsheet you just grab it and pull it across as you steer through the gybe. You can feed it out fairly quickly that way....
If you're not strong enough to pull it across then prepare for a swim!
just let the boom crash across
[/ QUOTE ]
No no no .... not in strong winds you don't!!
It's easier with a centre mainsheet, but what you do is you do the same as for keel boats, except instead of winching or hauling in the mainsheet you just grab it and pull it across as you steer through the gybe. You can feed it out fairly quickly that way....
If you're not strong enough to pull it across then prepare for a swim!
michael_w
Well-known member
Oh yes you do! Sure you give it a tug to encourage it but you certainly don't pull the sheet in as per keel boats. That along with leaving the centerboard down is a recipe for a swim. Mind you with the 14 we never moved the daggerboard.
It also helps to be going as fast as possible, reduces the apparent wind.
It also helps to be going as fast as possible, reduces the apparent wind.
mikejames
New member
The sheet to centreline and then let it run out through gloved hand as the wind fills the main on the other side is effective....
Except when you forget to cleat off the traveller and it slams across , the sudden extra tension on the sheet cleats it and you go into a very rapid broach with the main just outboard of the cockpit coaming - I managed to flick a crew member from the windward rail under the leeward guardwire in my GK24 back in February this year .... he sort of bounced and slid across the coachroof ...
Fortunately he didnt go fully overboard and was fortunately unhurt, but did end up despite protestations of super-human ability as a mild case of hypothermia.
Cured with the use of the Webasto heater and the suggestion - please go below and help sort out the bits that got kicked off the boat in another earlier messed up gybe.
Except when you forget to cleat off the traveller and it slams across , the sudden extra tension on the sheet cleats it and you go into a very rapid broach with the main just outboard of the cockpit coaming - I managed to flick a crew member from the windward rail under the leeward guardwire in my GK24 back in February this year .... he sort of bounced and slid across the coachroof ...
Fortunately he didnt go fully overboard and was fortunately unhurt, but did end up despite protestations of super-human ability as a mild case of hypothermia.
Cured with the use of the Webasto heater and the suggestion - please go below and help sort out the bits that got kicked off the boat in another earlier messed up gybe.
johnalison
Well-known member
The crash-gybe was described by St Uffa before the war. I don't remember which boat, but I think it was a medium-sized cruiser and he found himself forced to gybe in a gale. His solution was to leave the sheet full out and turn the boat steadily. At the point when the main started to come over he threw the helm hard across, continuing the turn as fast as possible so that when the main completed the gybe the boat was heading towards the wind and there was nothing for the boom to crash into. Like all Uffa stories he ended up triumphant.
meldrum
New member
Also before attempting the gybe make sure the mainsheet is clear of tangles and snags and free to run out.
chabrenas
New member
Talking of Uffa - is anyone likely to reprint any of his books? I'd love to get hold of them again. New Freebooters
Adamastor
Member
Centre the traveller as you go dead downwind, making sure the new lee side control is loose.
(If you've got a BEEEEEG main with a huge track, and very little purchase, a la the last of the IMS boats, or a German rig, the ratio of forces in the traveller and the mainsheet may be opposite to an older rig.)
As soon as you're in a dead downwind position, the boom should be fore n aft with the main strapped down and a little kicker on. The headsail leads the boat thru the gybe: as it goes across, the main can be nudged across- the top of the roach flicks thru first, and as the rest of the leach goes thru, the mainsheet gets surged, with the traveller following as soon as possible.
If you've got a powerful tackle on your sheet, dump the main and the traveller together: on smaller boats the friction should brake the run of the sheet.
(If you've got a BEEEEEG main with a huge track, and very little purchase, a la the last of the IMS boats, or a German rig, the ratio of forces in the traveller and the mainsheet may be opposite to an older rig.)
As soon as you're in a dead downwind position, the boom should be fore n aft with the main strapped down and a little kicker on. The headsail leads the boat thru the gybe: as it goes across, the main can be nudged across- the top of the roach flicks thru first, and as the rest of the leach goes thru, the mainsheet gets surged, with the traveller following as soon as possible.
If you've got a powerful tackle on your sheet, dump the main and the traveller together: on smaller boats the friction should brake the run of the sheet.
Tomkat17
New member
If too windy and crew inexperienced, just tack round for safety
fireball
New member
[ QUOTE ]
Oh yes you do! Sure you give it a tug to encourage it but you certainly don't pull the sheet in as per keel boats. That along with leaving the centerboard down is a recipe for a swim. Mind you with the 14 we never moved the daggerboard.
It also helps to be going as fast as possible, reduces the apparent wind.
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh no you don't .... you give it a tug until the wind backs it - which is not sheeting in like you do in a keel boat - but you don't let it crash back into the shroud - not unless you want to loose your rig ....
Board up or down depends on the hull and the rig - since the ISO we haven't lifted the board during a gybe - thats ISO, RS800 and RS400, also including Laser2000 and RS Vareo - mostly because these are all Asymetrics so you use the kite to keep the speed going and help pointing the boat down wind ... and if you don't and it all goes tits up then you have nothing to stand on to get the boat back upright .... not forgetting that if you raise a daggerboard then the crew doesn't find it easy to get across ....
Oh yes you do! Sure you give it a tug to encourage it but you certainly don't pull the sheet in as per keel boats. That along with leaving the centerboard down is a recipe for a swim. Mind you with the 14 we never moved the daggerboard.
It also helps to be going as fast as possible, reduces the apparent wind.
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh no you don't .... you give it a tug until the wind backs it - which is not sheeting in like you do in a keel boat - but you don't let it crash back into the shroud - not unless you want to loose your rig ....
Board up or down depends on the hull and the rig - since the ISO we haven't lifted the board during a gybe - thats ISO, RS800 and RS400, also including Laser2000 and RS Vareo - mostly because these are all Asymetrics so you use the kite to keep the speed going and help pointing the boat down wind ... and if you don't and it all goes tits up then you have nothing to stand on to get the boat back upright .... not forgetting that if you raise a daggerboard then the crew doesn't find it easy to get across ....
Nig
New member
If you have rigged a preventer to the shoud plates (see Scuttlebutt) just ease it out round a winch or cleat as the boom goes across. No need to touch the mainsheet.
chabrenas
New member
Oh, yes. Forgot to mention dagger boards. Apart from getting in the way of the crew, they also tend to catch the kicker and stop the boom going across. Very embarrassing.
Running with the plate fully down can be exciting, too. The most spectacular capsize I ever saw was performed by a Merlin-Rocket called Branestawm at Gorleston a good 40 years ago.
That shallow sandy shore can produce interesting waves in a strong easterly, and Branestawm planed right over the crest of a big roller. From a short distance in front, I saw the top third of her plate as she climbed out of the water and then pitchpoled.
Running with the plate fully down can be exciting, too. The most spectacular capsize I ever saw was performed by a Merlin-Rocket called Branestawm at Gorleston a good 40 years ago.
That shallow sandy shore can produce interesting waves in a strong easterly, and Branestawm planed right over the crest of a big roller. From a short distance in front, I saw the top third of her plate as she climbed out of the water and then pitchpoled.
tangomoon
New member
Controlled gybes are not a problem - there is more in the fear others instill from bad experiences. We do it fairly regularly, mostly single-handed to keep our hand in.
Haul in as wind comes behind sail - let out at appropriate time - quickly - don't be afraid of taking boat's nose round further to avoid bangs and crunches. Come back on course
Practice and practice...............
Triple check above first!
Nevr let it crash round even in a dinghy - there's no need.
Haul in as wind comes behind sail - let out at appropriate time - quickly - don't be afraid of taking boat's nose round further to avoid bangs and crunches. Come back on course
Practice and practice...............
Triple check above first!
Nevr let it crash round even in a dinghy - there's no need.
William_H
Well-known member
cmedsailor doesn't say what sort of boat he is concerned with.
I sail a bit ona Farr40 with huge main. The gybe is done by having the sheet hand pull in the main sheet (6to1) as it starts to swing then pay it out as it gets over the other side. I confess I don't have the strength or speed to do it like a young person. (so avoid mainsheet hand)
On my light weight 21fter I move myself to the leeward side for helming and warn the crew to be ready for a quick move to keep the boat level. The swinging across of the boom is not a concern but if the boat heels too much after gybing, the round up especially with spin up (it usually is) will lay the mast in the water. Of course the faster the boat is going the easier the gybe. But helmsman must control the boat hence move to the leeward side before gybe and be ready to pull that tiller. olewill
I sail a bit ona Farr40 with huge main. The gybe is done by having the sheet hand pull in the main sheet (6to1) as it starts to swing then pay it out as it gets over the other side. I confess I don't have the strength or speed to do it like a young person. (so avoid mainsheet hand)
On my light weight 21fter I move myself to the leeward side for helming and warn the crew to be ready for a quick move to keep the boat level. The swinging across of the boom is not a concern but if the boat heels too much after gybing, the round up especially with spin up (it usually is) will lay the mast in the water. Of course the faster the boat is going the easier the gybe. But helmsman must control the boat hence move to the leeward side before gybe and be ready to pull that tiller. olewill
cmedsailor
Well-known member
Sorry I didn't mentioned it in the beginning. 36 feet, 6 tonnes, sloop.
michael_w
Well-known member
I never mentioned hitting the shrouds....
I assume everyone has a stopper knot on the mainsheet to prevent such an occurance.
I think we're talking about the same series of actions anyway.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I assume everyone has a stopper knot on the mainsheet to prevent such an occurance.
I think we're talking about the same series of actions anyway.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
