BACKING THE JIB


There are times when a sailor intentionally backwinds or “backs” the jib. This means that the jib is intentionally sheeted on the “wrong” side of the sailboat, the windward side. This causes the bow to be pushed to leeward.


There are multiple situations in which you may


want to backwind the jib: E As you have seen, it can be useful when sailing off a dock.


E You can also backwind the jib to help push the bow through a tack on a light-wind day, by not immediately releasing the jib sheets as the boat passes through the no-sail zone.


E When a boat is caught in irons, backwinding the jib can force the bow to turn in the direction you want it to, getting you out of irons and sailing in a safe direction.


E It is also used when heaving-to, as described on this page.


Backed jib HEAVING-TO


If you want or need to stop sailing, for instance to check a chart, or relax for lunch the best way is to heave-to. Heaving-to holds your position with the sails and rudder countering each other as the boat drifts forward and to leeward. Always check that you have plenty of room to drift downwind before heaving-to.


1 To heave-to, sail closehauled and sheet the jib in so that it is as flat as possible.


2 Head up into the No Sail (No-Go) zone as if you were going to tack, until the jib becomes backwinded. Do not release the jib sheet.


3 Hold this straight into the wind course with the jib backwinded and the mainsail luffing. As the boat slows, it will take more and more tiller angle to maintain this head-to-wind course. Eventually, the sailboat will stop, the backwinded jib will complete the tack for you, and the tiller will be hard over on the new lee side.


4 Secure the tiller and trim the mainsail so the boat lies on a close reach.


77 WIND


This sailboat is hove-to with the wind coming over the port side. The jib is sheeted to the port (windward) side, while the mainsail remains on the starboard (leeward) side, and the tiller is held hard to leeward.


Tiller to leeward


HEAVING-TO TIP


E Be patient! Allow the sailboat to come to a complete stop while you are head to wind.


E Adjust mainsail trim so the sailboat maintains a close reach. Experiment to find out what works for your sailboat.


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