Jibe - Technique

Technique

A safe jibe can be accomplished by making sure the yacht has a boom vang that is tensioned to stop the boom lifting during gybing. In fresh winds, by: A. sailing nearly directly downwind briefly before and after the jibe and to make a small boat direction change when jibing, so that there is less heeling force and rounding up tendency during a jibe. This will allow the crew to deal only with attending to the sail changes for this time, while the helmsman focuses on sailing direction. B. In the heaviest gust the crew or skipper can sheet the boom in somewhat and force the boom across the boat by hand, and hold the boom in position (see "preventer"), as the direction of the wind crosses the centerline of the boat; then the mainsail can be eased out to its new sailing course.

After the jibe has been performed the course can be changed to higher points of sail (e.g. broad or beam reach) when the crew is relocated, and the helmsman can better control course changes.

Because of the inherent dangers in jibing (uncontrolled, the boom can travel almost 180° with great speed and lethal force), communication with the crew is important. The skipper typically uses three commands when jibing: “Prepare to jibe” (or "ready to jibe") indicates that everyone should remain clear of the potential boom travel and assigned crew should be in position to handle the sails (actually the sheets and boom). “Bearing away” (similar to saying “helm's a-lee” during a tack) is used when the rudder action is applied to change course. At this stage sail and boom handling should be performed and repositioning of the remaining crew should occur, both coordinated with the boats heading. Finally, “jibe-ho” is called when the boom is starting to come across (this is a reminder analogous to "duck" or "take cover"). (In small maneuverable boats "bearing away" and "jibe ho" can be, in effect, one command.) If the helmsman maintains control and good communication with the crew and takes responsibility for the evolution and exactly when the boom jibes, the whole jibe will go more smoothly, safely and under control. If the helmsman is in control, it is possible to slow or even stop the jibe if anything is going too slowly or wrong.

Accidental jibes may occur when sailing on a course that is running dead downwind if the wind catches the leeward side of the sail. When the wind direction crosses the centerline of the boat, without jibing, the point of sail is referred to as "by the lee" When sailing "by the lee" the outer edge of the mainsail is facing slightly into the wind. Rolling motion, slight changes in the boat heading or wind direction can cause an unexpected and surprising jibe, suddenly and forcefully flipping the mainsail to the opposite side of the boat. Do not sail "by the lee" except for brief durations (such as to avoid an obstacle), and only when keeping all crew clear of the boom swing and the arc of the mainsheet sweep. A crew member can be used to help hold the boom in place in smaller boats. When sailing directly downwind, unintentional jibes can also occur; diligent helmsmanship is required to prevent "by the lee" conditions and keeping clear of the boom sweep is advised. In larger stable boats, a preventer can help by keeping the boom held forward, preventing the boom motion of a jibe, especially in light winds. However, in high winds, the "sheeting in action" of a preventer can cause severe rounding up on the other tack. Smaller boats may find that a backwinded sail is more heel inducing than allowing a jibe. See broach, Chinese gybe and death roll.

When sailing in high winds, a small boat or dinghy can capsize shortly after a jibe due to helmsman error (loss of direction control, or suddenly rounding into the wind too far) or tripping over the centerboard. It is partly for this second reason that centerboards are often lifted while sailing downwind even in non-planing hulls, the main reason being that a centreboard/keel is not needed for sailing downwind and simply adds to the drag of the hull. Raising the centreboard reduces drag and increases the boat's speed.

As with most sailing training, it is particularly important to learn this maneuver in lighter winds, and practice in increase wind and faster maneuvers gradually.