subject: How to Jib the spinnaker ? [print this page] How to Jib the spinnaker ? How to Jib the spinnaker ?
Any maneuver with a spinnaker can be a trial, but thanks to the cruising set (and the cruising takedown, which we outline in the next section), the most difficult maneuver is, without question, the jibe. You know you've jibed successfully when
The sail fills cleanly on the new jibe with the pole set properly.
The sail stays full during the entire jibe.
Nothing (and no one) falls in the water.
The crew member on the bow comes back into the cockpit with a big smile on his face.
Here are the steps to a successful jibe:
Make sure the crew is ready and in position.
Turn the boat down to a very broad reach (so that the turn during the jibe isn't very sharp) and retrim the chute accordingly. Work hard to keep the spinnaker full throughout the jibe.
Announce the turn into the jibe by saying "Jibe-ho," "Jibing," "Here we go," or anything else that makes sense.
As the boat turns, keep trimming the guy back and easing the sheet forward so that the spinnaker stays trimmed perfectly. Because the boat's angle to the wind is changing, this step is crucial throughout the maneuver. In a good jibe, you must continue to rotate the spinnaker so that it stays full.
Turn the boat through the jibe while shifting the pole from the old windward side to the new windward side by tripping (detaching) the pole ends from the mast and old guy and then reattaching the pole on the new side. This step is often the hardest part of the jibe, because it requires fancy footwork on the foredeck and coordination on the part of the foredeck team, trimmers, and helmsman to facilitate the switch. And during this step, the mainsail must be jibed too. Stop the turn when you're on a very broad reach on the new jibe.
When the pole is attached on the new windward side, the spinnaker is properly trimmed on the new jibe, and the crew is ready, you can turn up to a sharper reach (requiring further trimming of the spinnaker) if you desire.
Think rotation! One of the most common errors in spinnaker jibes is not rotating the spinnaker around as the boat is turned through the jibe. The result is a tangled mess, with the spinnaker often blowing between the forestay and the mast. Practice jibing the spinnaker without the pole to get the feel of rotating the sail with the sheets. In light air, pull the mainsheet in tight (overtrimmed) or even drop the mainsail completely to facilitate this drill.
Whether you have a spinnaker up or not, a jibe can be a pretty wild maneuver in windy conditions. The force of the mainsail swinging across and filling with a BANG on the new side can generate a major turning force that can lead to a capsize on a dinghy and a broach (rapid, out-of-control turn up toward the wind) in a keelboat.
