Jibe
Encyclopedia
A jibe or gybe is a sailing maneuver where a sailing vessel
(which is sailing in the same direction as the wind) turns its stern
through the wind, such that the wind direction changes from one side of the boat to the other. For square-rigged ships, this maneuver is called wearing ship.
In this maneuver, the mainsail will cross the center of the boat while the jib
is pulled to the other side of the boat. If the spinnaker
is up, the pole will have to be manually moved to the other side, to remain opposite the mainsail. In a dinghy, raising the centerboard can reduce the risk of capsizing during what can be a somewhat violent maneuver.
The other way to change the side of the boat that faces the wind is turning the bow
of the boat into, and then through, the direction of the wind. This operation is known as tacking
or coming about.
and jibe in American English
.
(sailing straight downwind), so the increased speed of a zig-zag course of alternating broad reaches can more than make up for the extra distance it takes over a straight downwind course. The sailboat will execute a jibe maneuver when it changes course as it zig-zags downwind. Jibing is also used commonly in races, which often use a triangular course marked with buoys; the most direct way of rounding a buoy may be to jibe. A jibe can generally be completed more quickly than a tack because the boat never turns into the wind, and thus a jibing boat's sails are always powered where a tacking boat's luffing
sails are un-powered as the bow crosses into the direction of the wind.
When running (sailing nearly directly downwind) in a sloop, one may 'jibe' only the mainsail to the opposite side of the boat. This keeps both the main and jib exposed to the wind resulting in a more efficient use of wind. Setting the mainsail and the jib on opposite sides of the boat is often referred to as running "goose-winged", "gull-winged", or "wing-and-wing". When running wing-and-wing, a light spinnaker pole
or whisker pole is often used to hold the clew of the foresail out to the windward side of the boat.
suddenly becomes the new windward side, and the sails are always fully filled by the wind. The load on the sail and mainsheet can remain high throughout the maneuver, and if uncontrolled, the boom and mainsail can swing across the deck with high speed, striking and injuring anyone standing in the path of the boom or its tackle, as they sweep across the boat. An uncontrolled boom slamming to the limit of its range may also put excessive stress on the rigging, and can break the boom or standing rigging, perhaps even bringing the mast down. A jibe can also result in a sudden change in the direction of heeling, and can cause unexpected course changes due to the change in mainsail force changing from one side of the boat to the other.
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 analgous 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.
Sailing vessel
Sailing vessel can refer to:*Sailing ship*Sailboat*Ice boat*Land yacht...
(which is sailing in the same direction as the wind) turns its stern
Stern
The stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...
through the wind, such that the wind direction changes from one side of the boat to the other. For square-rigged ships, this maneuver is called wearing ship.
In this maneuver, the mainsail will cross the center of the boat while the jib
Jib
A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast...
is pulled to the other side of the boat. If the spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
is up, the pole will have to be manually moved to the other side, to remain opposite the mainsail. In a dinghy, raising the centerboard can reduce the risk of capsizing during what can be a somewhat violent maneuver.
The other way to change the side of the boat that faces the wind is turning the bow
Bow (ship)
The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...
of the boat into, and then through, the direction of the wind. This operation is known as tacking
Tacking (sailing)
Tacking or coming about is a sailing maneuver by which a sailing vessel turns its bow through the wind so that the direction from which the wind blows changes from one side to the other...
or coming about.
Spelling
While jibe and gybe are both acceptable spellings of the term, gybe is more common in British EnglishBritish English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
and jibe in American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
.
Use
Jibing is a less common technique than tacking, since a sailboat can sail straight downwind, whereas it cannot sail directly into the wind and has to tack (or sail a zig-zag course at alternating angles into the wind). However, many sailboats are significantly faster sailing on a broad reach than runningPoints of sail
Points of sail describes a sailing boat's course in relation to the wind direction.There is a distinction between the port tack and the starboard tack. If the wind is coming from anywhere on the port side, the boat is on port tack. Likewise if the wind is coming from the starboard side, the boat...
(sailing straight downwind), so the increased speed of a zig-zag course of alternating broad reaches can more than make up for the extra distance it takes over a straight downwind course. The sailboat will execute a jibe maneuver when it changes course as it zig-zags downwind. Jibing is also used commonly in races, which often use a triangular course marked with buoys; the most direct way of rounding a buoy may be to jibe. A jibe can generally be completed more quickly than a tack because the boat never turns into the wind, and thus a jibing boat's sails are always powered where a tacking boat's luffing
Luffing
In sailing, luffing refers to when a sailing vessel is steered far enough toward the direction of the wind , or the sheet controlling a sail is eased so far past optimal trim, that airflow over the surfaces of the sail is disrupted and the sail begins to "flap" or "luff"...
sails are un-powered as the bow crosses into the direction of the wind.
When running (sailing nearly directly downwind) in a sloop, one may 'jibe' only the mainsail to the opposite side of the boat. This keeps both the main and jib exposed to the wind resulting in a more efficient use of wind. Setting the mainsail and the jib on opposite sides of the boat is often referred to as running "goose-winged", "gull-winged", or "wing-and-wing". When running wing-and-wing, a light spinnaker pole
Spinnaker pole
A spinnaker pole is a spar used in sailboats to help support and control a variety of headsails, particularly the spinnaker. However, it is also used with other sails, such as genoas and jibs, when sailing downwind with no spinnaker hoisted...
or whisker pole is often used to hold the clew of the foresail out to the windward side of the boat.
Dangers
A jibe can be a dangerous maneuver in a fore-and-aft rigged boat because, as the direction of the wind crosses the boat's centerline, the "old" leeward side of the mainsail and boomBoom (sailing)
In sailing, a boom is a spar , along the foot of a fore and aft rigged sail, that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail. The primary action of the boom is to keep the foot of the sail flatter when the sail angle is away from the centerline of the boat. The boom also serves...
suddenly becomes the new windward side, and the sails are always fully filled by the wind. The load on the sail and mainsheet can remain high throughout the maneuver, and if uncontrolled, the boom and mainsail can swing across the deck with high speed, striking and injuring anyone standing in the path of the boom or its tackle, as they sweep across the boat. An uncontrolled boom slamming to the limit of its range may also put excessive stress on the rigging, and can break the boom or standing rigging, perhaps even bringing the mast down. A jibe can also result in a sudden change in the direction of heeling, and can cause unexpected course changes due to the change in mainsail force changing from one side of the boat to the other.
Technique
A safe jibe can be accomplished, even 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 winds the crew 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 analgous 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
Broach (sailing)
A sailboat broaches when its heading suddenly changes towards the wind due to wind/sail interactions for which the rudder cannot compensate. This causes the boat to roll dangerously and if not controlled may lead to a capsize...
, Chinese gybe
Chinese gybe
A Chinese gybe on a sailing vessel is a type of gybe where the upper section of the main sail moves across the boat, filling from the opposite side, whilst the lower section and boom remain on the original side of the vessel. It contrasts with a normal gybe, where the whole sail moves across the...
and death roll
Death roll
In a keel boat, a death roll is the act of broaching to windward, putting the spinnaker pole into the water and causing a crash-gybe of the boom and mainsail, which sweep across the deck and plunge down into the water. The Death Roll often results in destruction of the spinnaker pole and sometimes...
.
When sailing in high winds, a small boat or dinghy can capsize
Capsize
Capsizing is an act of tipping over a boat or ship to disable it. The act of reversing a capsized vessel is called righting.If a capsized vessel has sufficient flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on its own if the stability is such that it is not stable inverted...
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.