doing a tack and then falling off again. Admittedly it involves turning the boat 270 degrees instead of 90 degrees but it does avoid a jibe and is safe. I would recommend doing this when the winds get over 20 to 25 knots. Obviously this varies a bit by boat and the skills of the crew. I have done jibes in 30 knot winds and they are scary. I have also seen skilled people hurt doing a jibe in this kind of wind; honestly it is best to avoid them.
These next techniques describe
how to safely do a jibe in different wind conditions. Please note that these winds speeds, while listed precisely, are approximate. You will need to try these techniques on your own boat to see where the transitions should set.
Very Light Air
(0 to 5 knots of wind) Under light air conditions jibing
may require help from a crew member. You may have to literally go up and manually push the boom from one side of the boat to the other. Another way to do this is to grab the main sheet
between the blocks and just pull the boom over. And the jib will probably need to be pulled by hand around the mast. There is no danger of hurting equipment in these light conditions, just let it flop. Do make sure all heads and crew members are clear.
Light Wind (6-10 knot of wind) In this kind of wind the sails will
easily move themselves but there is again little danger of hurting the equipment. At the upper end of this range I might shorten the main sheet a little or center the traveler just to decrease the swing of the boom. The boom will be moving with some speed so be sure the crew is ready.
Medium Wind (11-20 knots of wind) With a medium wind the forces
are becoming powerful enough to be respected. In these conditions it is necessary to center the main by sheeting in and centering the traveler before jibing. This will de-power the sail and shorten the swing. The
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stronger the wind gets the closer the sail should be to center before initiating the jibe. Once the sail swings over, and it will do so very quickly, start to let it out immediately. The quickest and easiest way to do this is to just cut the traveler loose and let it slide over to the lee side, then start to ease the sheet. In these conditions it is imperative that all crew members are clear as the boom can be deadly.
Strong wind (21 knots or higher) Just to reiterate what was stated
above, I do not recommend jibing in these conditions without knowing your boat and having an experienced crew. Instead, use the Chicken jibe.
I hope this information is helpful.
Jibing is a useful maneuver; it just needs a little respect in the stronger winds.
Mike Huston teaches sailing for San
Juan Sailing in Bellingham, WA. He sails “Illumine,” a Jeanneau 43 DS.
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www.canalboatyard.com 48° NORTH, JUNE 2011 PAGE 53
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