If I'm sailing short handed (single or double handed) what is the correct way to gybe an asymmetric spinnaker? Also, do I run the sheets outside or inside?
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Short Handed Asymmetric Gybe Question
- Thread starter Ducati
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Your sheets can be run either way, personally I prefer inside. If you run them outside you have to guard against sailing over the lazy sheet. Inside gybes prevent that possibility.
As you start to turn down allow the sheet to pay out. As you approach DDW overhaul the new sheet then continue the gybe. Practice in moderate wind for best results. Too light wind is difficult to keep the sail drawing and too heavy wind becomes a handful. Moderate breeze of 8 to 10 is perfect.
As you start to turn down allow the sheet to pay out. As you approach DDW overhaul the new sheet then continue the gybe. Practice in moderate wind for best results. Too light wind is difficult to keep the sail drawing and too heavy wind becomes a handful. Moderate breeze of 8 to 10 is perfect.
I do inside gybes with my asymmetrics.
I have a short 'prod' that projects the tackline out a foot
in front of the headstay. I have managed single handed gybes,
steering with the tiller between my legs and controlling both sheets
with my hands. When double handing, I like to have the other
person at the bow to help drag the clew through and aft.
If you are tacking the kite close to the stem fitting,
an outside gybe may be easier. Then you can, theoretically
just let the sheet go, turn the boat and then sheet in the new
sheet. The problem with the outside set up is that the lazy
sheet can fall down under the bow and get drawn under the
boat.
I have a short 'prod' that projects the tackline out a foot
in front of the headstay. I have managed single handed gybes,
steering with the tiller between my legs and controlling both sheets
with my hands. When double handing, I like to have the other
person at the bow to help drag the clew through and aft.
If you are tacking the kite close to the stem fitting,
an outside gybe may be easier. Then you can, theoretically
just let the sheet go, turn the boat and then sheet in the new
sheet. The problem with the outside set up is that the lazy
sheet can fall down under the bow and get drawn under the
boat.
When single handing I use the third option. Snuff the the sail, gybe the main, then redeploy the chute on the new gybe. No big fuss or panic, but you are bareheaded for a period.
Alway a disenting view....
Previously, I sailed 2 very fast catamarans. We jibed inside for the simple reason that the apparent wind never moved aft; we ould alway go faster than the wind and so a jibe was like a tack. Also, we had a bow sprit, so there was room between the chute and the forestay, as COOL noted. That is an important factor, though I've heard Buddy Melges lecture on the benifits off an outside jibe in certain conditions on his fast boats!
Now I have a slower cat and I nearly ALWAYS jibe outside. Normally I am single-handed or I have crew that doesn't want to go forward, or they are doing something else.
I think jibing inside is popular on monohulls because there is little room to stand at the bow and pull the clew across. On a cat, outside is easy in light air also. You probably want to jibe inside in very light air, any time when the sail won't blow out in front easily.
I have a cat; because of the beam forward, running over a lazy sheet is nearly impossible. However, I know pleanty of folks that always jibe outside, because the odds of wrapping the chute around the forestay is less. Simply keep the lazy sheet under control (perhaps 1 turn on a winch, depending on the wind) and watch it. Don't spend too much time straight down wind; get a bit through 180 and perhaps 20 degrees past that quickly; this will get the lazy sheet back over the deck. If you have 2 on board, this should be easy; one steers, the other hauls rope. Single handed, I hope you have an auto pilot.
Snuffing the sail is safe too.
Previously, I sailed 2 very fast catamarans. We jibed inside for the simple reason that the apparent wind never moved aft; we ould alway go faster than the wind and so a jibe was like a tack. Also, we had a bow sprit, so there was room between the chute and the forestay, as COOL noted. That is an important factor, though I've heard Buddy Melges lecture on the benifits off an outside jibe in certain conditions on his fast boats!
Now I have a slower cat and I nearly ALWAYS jibe outside. Normally I am single-handed or I have crew that doesn't want to go forward, or they are doing something else.
I think jibing inside is popular on monohulls because there is little room to stand at the bow and pull the clew across. On a cat, outside is easy in light air also. You probably want to jibe inside in very light air, any time when the sail won't blow out in front easily.
I have a cat; because of the beam forward, running over a lazy sheet is nearly impossible. However, I know pleanty of folks that always jibe outside, because the odds of wrapping the chute around the forestay is less. Simply keep the lazy sheet under control (perhaps 1 turn on a winch, depending on the wind) and watch it. Don't spend too much time straight down wind; get a bit through 180 and perhaps 20 degrees past that quickly; this will get the lazy sheet back over the deck. If you have 2 on board, this should be easy; one steers, the other hauls rope. Single handed, I hope you have an auto pilot.
Snuffing the sail is safe too.
While jybing my Asym just after the start of the Single-Handed Race, I learned that it IS possible to wrap an Asym around the headstay... 
That said, I prefer inside jybes. It should be noted that inside or outside is dictated by where your halyard block is: if it's above or outside the headstay, you should jybe outside - if it's below or inside the headstay, inside jybes.
For an inside jybe, I tighten the off-sheet, then head directly downwind so the main blankets the chute. Then pull it over with the off-sheet, sometimes using the other sheet to make sure it doesn't go too far forward. Once across, the chute will fill and you're wing-wing until you jybe the main over. I think the "trick" is to tighten up on the off-sheet before the jybe so the chute's clew doesn't go ahead of the headstay.
Oh, and make SURE you're not just hanging onto the sheet bare-handed: when the chute fills it'll rip the rope through your hand causing a BAD rope-burn! (Don't ask me how I know...)
druid
That said, I prefer inside jybes. It should be noted that inside or outside is dictated by where your halyard block is: if it's above or outside the headstay, you should jybe outside - if it's below or inside the headstay, inside jybes.
For an inside jybe, I tighten the off-sheet, then head directly downwind so the main blankets the chute. Then pull it over with the off-sheet, sometimes using the other sheet to make sure it doesn't go too far forward. Once across, the chute will fill and you're wing-wing until you jybe the main over. I think the "trick" is to tighten up on the off-sheet before the jybe so the chute's clew doesn't go ahead of the headstay.
Oh, and make SURE you're not just hanging onto the sheet bare-handed: when the chute fills it'll rip the rope through your hand causing a BAD rope-burn! (Don't ask me how I know...)
druid
I am usually sailing with just two of us. I prefer to douse the sail with the sock, then redeploy once on the other tack. For me when trying either inside or outside I seem to foul the sock on the furling gear of the jib. once this gave me a 6 inch tear on my sock. fortunately one I could repair. I find I am more comfortable with dousing and redeploying. It is in-fact more work, but my equipment stays in good shape.
Am I mistaken in assuming that your spin halyard might actually be a 2nd jib halyard? A true spin halyard block would never be below the headstay. Clearly, if flying a reacher or chute from a jib halyard, it needs to jibe inside the forestay.While jybing my Asym just after the start of the Single-Handed Race, I learned that it IS possible to wrap an Asym around the headstay...
That said, I prefer inside jybes. It should be noted that inside or outside is dictated by where your halyard block is: if it's above or outside the headstay, you should jybe outside - if it's below or inside the headstay, inside jybes.
For an inside jybe, I tighten the off-sheet, then head directly downwind so the main blankets the chute. Then pull it over with the off-sheet, sometimes using the other sheet to make sure it doesn't go too far forward. Once across, the chute will fill and you're wing-wing until you jybe the main over. I think the "trick" is to tighten up on the off-sheet before the jybe so the chute's clew doesn't go ahead of the headstay.
Oh, and make SURE you're not just hanging onto the sheet bare-handed: when the chute fills it'll rip the rope through your hand causing a BAD rope-burn! (Don't ask me how I know...)
druid
Mounted above, inside jibe refers to the clew passing inside the tack but forward of the forestay. Outside jibe, the clew passes in front of the tack.
Really, the sheets need 1 or 2 turns on the winches at all times.
Practice is always the thing, and not just once a day. Jibe, access what you saw happen, then jibe again, and repeat, correcting what you saw. Like school.
catsailor is correct about the halyards. Spinnaker halyards exit above the headstay, jib halyards below. If you insist upon using a jib halyard for your spinnaker be prepared to replace it regularly. The chafe on the jib halyard at the forestay will soon part it.
I too have fouled my asymmetric around the headstay. It cost us a race, drats!
Unless you have a sprit, IMHO, gybing outside is much easier.
Unless you have a sprit, IMHO, gybing outside is much easier.
A good fast way to 'unwrap'/un-foul is to quickly put a preventer (lock the boom brake) on the main boom and go deeper and onto the lee. Then (slowly) scallop back and forth with the rudder using the wind from the 'opposite' side to 'unwind' the kite from the stay. The wind caused the wrap and this uses the wind to 'unwrap'. If you 'pull down' on the leach or luff the wrap only gets 'tighter'.
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