Gybing

For years, we have taught our students that in gybing, the traveler should be let out all the way. Then it is a more comfortable transition as the stern of the Hobie passes through the axis of the wind. Or, we are being too conservative - remember, for most of our students, this is their first year of cat sailing.

Yesterday, a returning member wanted a check out before going off on his own, and he relayed his experiences last winter in the BVI as he was earning his Bare Boat I on a Lagoon 4400. The 'big boys' way of doing a gybe is to lock the traveler on centre, principally because if a big boom starts flying around, it can (and has) kill(ed) people.

Personally, my gybes tend to be fairly efficient, so while I do uncleat the traveler, we never need more than about 1/3 of one side as we do our best to 'keep up the speed'.

Any thoughts from all you wonderful sailors out there? How do the racing crowd handle things? The more I learn, the more I know there is more to learn.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

I sail on two completely different kinds of boats, a 36' J-109 racing sloop, which has a sprit spinnaker rig, and my H18. I'll talk about both boats. For lighter winds under 10 knots, on both boats we grab the mainsail sheet tackle as the gybe begins and pull the sail to the center and then over as the turn continues. Sort of like 'pre-feeding' the main around. In winds over 10 and under 15, we haul the sheet in and then out again once around. In winds over 20 knots, we pull the sheet and traveler in at the start of the turn and then release the traveler as the main goes around, easing the main sheet as well.
In heavier winds, we try to pause a moment when dead downwind during the turn, throwing the sail over (if we can), so we don't hurt ourselves or the boat.

Once blew the clew of a J-105 mainsail clean off the outhaul on the boom during a gybe in 25+ knots. BAM!

_________________
Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

First of all, the traveller line should have a knot in it to prevent the traveller from slamming into the corner casting. (Knot hits the cleat before the traveller hits the end.)

The standard "racing jibe" starts with the traveller all the way out. I'll start the turn, move to the center of the boat, kneeling and facing aft. Flip the tiller over to the new tack (on a 16, there's just enough room on the corner casting to rest it there). Continue to turn using the tiller crossbar. As the stern passes through the wind, grab the mainsheet purchase and throw the main over to the new tack, moving your other arm out of the way as the main goes past. While that happens, you spin around, end up on your butt on the rear corner casting when the main hits the other side with your aft hand now picking up the tiller; forward hand gets the sheet. Pop the rudder up and slide forward.

Whatever you do, do not allow the main to blow over on its own.

In heavy air, I don't mess with the rudders and I'll sheet in (but not travel in) before I start the turn. When the main sheet hits the other side, I let it run out so it acts kind of like a shock absorber.

I think the term is rounding up, when the sail flys over hard in a gibe. I don't play the traveler as it is one more area I must trim later. In most cases I want the traveler in the same basic position on the opposite side. I prefer to release the cam on the main sheet and sheet harder as I approach dead downwind then release sheet as I transfer across, this limits the mast and sail rounding up and almost eliminates any slamming across of the rig.
Its important to remember that I am gibing a spin at the same time so my sail is much more centered downwind than it would be without the spin. Without the spin I typically throw the blocks across by hand still without releasing the traveler. I feel upwind or down, once the traveler is set its set. Maybe a tweak here or there because of shifts, but not during jibes or tacks

I know this may not apply to your beginning sailors but you wanted to know about other's gybing procedures. On a spinnaker catamaran we are sailing faster than the wind. The traveller is all the way in and the sheet is pretty tight while sailing downwind. As I turn down to gybe there is no wind in the sails as we are still going faster than the wind. I barely notice the sail goes to the other side. I will travel down about 3 inches so I can be powered up on the next gybe as we will be going less than windspeed coming out of the maneuver. With moderate wind I wait for my crew to get out on the wire and say ready before powering up to full on the new tack. A gybe will take about 5 seconds wire to wire.

Dan

Love it when the best sailors in North America share their knowledge.

Thanks guys, and good winds.

Tomorrow we head up to Mont Ste Marie, where I hope to sail a friend's H16 on Lac Ste Marie - then Saturday down to the Brockville Yacht Club on the St Lawrence so our 14 year old can complete his Bronze V certification on a 420, with spinaker.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

ahhh....Mont. St.Marie,my old stomping ground when I was on the ski patrol.Lot's of good memories,but now I'd rather be in a climate where I could sail my H16 12 months of the year!!

Sheet in a bit, and as it's coming around (you have to feel it), then yank the main in to initiate the gybe, then sheet out a bit and trim. Kind of like a Laser. It's pretty fast and works for me. And it's not hard on the rig.

I very much like the idea of a knot in the sheet to insure traveler car does not slam into the casting. I always maintain cleating traveler sheet just shy of the stop but a very wise insurance knot it is. Through all my years I have never noticed anyone doing that but now I will! Thanks