| RACING TIPS FROM THE
'ANCIENT MARINER'
[very ancient! Ed]
Friday June 14, 2002 "TO GYBE OR NOT TO GYBE"? - THAT IS THE QUESTION… |
Nervous? Sweaty palms? A sudden desire for a hot shower rather than an early bath? You are suffering from gybeophobia. However! Help is at hand! Here’s how to actually look forward to gybing instead of shying away from it. • Warn the crew “Stand by to gybe”. • Make sure the centreboard is partly raised (say to 45 degrees). • Approach the mark or point of gybe wide. Allow plenty of time. Don’t rush it. • Release some kicker to put more curve into the back edge (leech) of the mainsail. This will prevent the boom “barging across” too violently. At the same time sheet in the main a little to bring it off the shroud. Otherwise in heavy air the boom could break a shroud after gybing. N.B it is also good to have a thumb knot in the mainsheet to stop the boom before it reaches the shroud. • Bear away steadily and firmly until the boat is on a broad reach. • As you do this, the crew should release the old jib sheet and cleat the new jib sheet so that the bottom back corner of the sail (clew) is pulled to the mast. • Hold your tiller extension near its base and without moving the tiller, flick the tiller extension over so that it is pointing away from you as you sit on the windward side of the boat. • Keeping the boat FLAT stand up facing aft with feet planted wide. • Change hands with tiller extension and sheet before gybing. • Say “Gybing”, or “Gybe ho” and push the tiller away smoothly and firmly, but not all the way. • The crew can grab the kicker and when the boom is on the point of gybe to help it across, but don’t force it. As he or she feels the boom go the crew can say “going” or some other warning. • As the boom crosses duck! • As soon as the boom is past you, helm and crew go for the windward rail to balance the boat. • Sit out and immediately reverse the tiller to steer the boat back downwind “under the rig”. This will steady the boat and prevent a tendency to broach. When in control head up to your new course. Effectively you will have carved a W in the water. • Sheet main and jib to the correct point, and re-set the kicker. Then blast off for the next mark! The Ancient Mariner. June 2002 |