How to Gybe Single Handedly
Without damage or wrapping the jib around the forstay
Gybing can be a challenge if you are doing it by yourself. Here is how to do it easily and if needed, single-handedly. Play the animation below and learn how.
When gybing, typically you are going from 120 degrees apparent wind (from your aft quarter) on one side to 120 degrees apparent wind on the other side. Due to the nature of angles between apparent and true wind, this equates to about a 90-degree turn overall. So, pick a point on land (or a cloud) that is 90 degrees away. This is your target new heading.
If you’re doing a gybe single-handedly, first lock the wheel or set the autopilot so you can leave the helm station.
Next, pull in the lazy jib sheet tighter than you think. The idea here is to pull it in enough so that when the lazy jib sheet turns into the working sheet, you won’t have to adjust it very much – if any at all, once you get good at knowing how much to bring in. Don’t worry about sail trim on your jib sail at this point – it looks ugly.
The lazy jibsheet is the one on the windward side of the boat and is typically loose, so-called because it is not doing any work. The working jibsheet is the one on the leeward side with all the tension.
Now bring in your mainsheet/boom so that the boom does not slam across fully during the gybe. Set any clutches or jam-cleats to open and have the mainsheet wrapped on the winch – you’ll need to let it out fast once the boom comes over and so you don’t want the clutch/jam-cleat slowing you down on that task.
Perform your turn for the gybe slowly and have your working jibsheet wrapped around the winch with the clutch/jam-cleat open ready to release. As the jibsail starts to fold, release the working jib sheet completely. The lazy sheet will catch it so don’t worry. What is also good about hauling in the lazy sheet first is that it prevents the jib sail from flowing forward and wrapping around the forestay during the gybe. That sucks! After releasing the working jibsheet, you can forget about the jibsail, as it will already be closely set for what you want. Focus instead now on the mainsail.
Continue turning slowly until the boom swings over. Quickly – very quickly now let out the mainsheet in a controlled manner so that the boom goes out – this is important to do quickly so that the boat is not rounded up into the wind. By letting the boom out fast, the center of effort of the sail is moved forward, holding the boat squarely on the new gybed heading. If you don’t do this fast, the boat will quite violently heel over (depending on the wind strength) and round up into the wind which is not a good feeling.
Make minor adjustments to your jibsail trim – storing into memory about how much you pulled in the lazy jibsheet prior to the gybe. This helps you adjust for next time.
Enjoy your new single-handed gybing skill!
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