Jibe

This article is about the sailing maneuver. The term has other [[Wiktionary:jibe|definitions]].

A jibe (also spelled gybe) is when a sailing boat (yacht) turns its stern through the wind, such that the direction of the wind changes from one side of the boat to the other. The term wearing ship is used in tall ships for jibing.

Contents

1 Use of jibing
2 Dangers inherent in jibing
3 Alternatives to jibing
4 See also

Use of jibing

Jibing is a less common technique than tacking, as a sailboat can sail straight downwind, whereas they generally cannot sail straight into the wind (only indirect systems, such as those using a windmill geared to a propellor, are able to sail stright into the wind). However, many sailboats are significantly faster sailing on a broad reach than sailing straight downwind, so the increased speed of a zig-zag course of alternating broad reaches can make up for the extra distance it takes over a stright downwind course. 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 a jibe. A jibe can generally be completed more quickly than a tack because the boat never turns into the wind, where the sails provide no forward force, and thus a jibing boat is always powered where a tacking boat must drift as the bow crosses the wind.

When sailing directly downwind, one may use a jibe to place the mainsail on the opposite reach from the foresail. This keeps both sails fully exposed, and allows wind to spill from the mainsail to the foresail, resulting in more efficient use of wind. This technique is sometimes referred to as "running wing and wing".

Dangers inherent in jibing

A jibe can be a dangerous operation in a fore-and-aft rigged boat because, as the boat turns, the leeward side of the sail and boom suddenly catches the wind from the opposite side. This can cause the boom to swing across the deck with a great deal of force. The sudden movement of the boom can cause of severe injury to anyone standing in the path of the boom as it sweeps across the boat, and may also put excessive stress on the rigging of the boat. A jibe also results in a sudden change in the direction of heeling, which can cause unwary passengers to loose their balance or even go overboard.

To reduce the dangers of jibing on a small boat, the boom is often guided across the boat by hand as the stern of the boat crosses the direction of the wind. On a larger boat the mainsheet is tightened during the turn to limit the range of movement of the boom (see preventer). Once on the new course the mainsheet is released and the mainsail trimmed. These techniques prevent the boom from swinging unexpectedly. Accidental jibes may occur when on a course that is running almost completely downwind if the wind catches the leeward side of the sail. See broach.

Alternatives to jibing

The term chicken jibe refers to the process of turning upwind and tacking through more than 180 degrees to avoid having to jibe on a downwind course. While much slower, this technique avoids the dangers of passing the boom across the boat under load.

Jibe

Use of jibing

Dangers inherent in jibing

Alternatives to jibing

See also