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Gybing a cruising chute

Mindscape

Member III
I've got a cruising chute that I fly with no pole. On my previous boat (a 25 footer) we gybed by letting the sail fly out in front of the boat as we gybed. Our other opton was to use the snuffer, snuff the sail, gybe and relaunch. We are always sailing short handed. Any suggestios on how to best gybe a cruising chute??

We use the sail all the way to a broad reach, I don't think we could tack with the sail, so we've always snuffed it and relaunched in this case as well.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Gybe Ho!

Frank,

Long time no talk!

The safest way to gybe these things (without snuffing) is the way you describe (the long way around).

With 2 sheets attached, just ease the old sheet all the way out as you swing the stern through the wind. Just as the sail is almost pointing downwind, start hauling on the new sheet! The key advantage of doing it this way instead of between the headstay and the luff of the sail is that you don't need as much strength to horse it through and around, and you don't have to worry ab out it being trimmed in too far when it re-fills-which can cause a round up or excessive heeling.

If very shorthanded (or lazy), snuff it first, then walk it around in front of the headstay-and remember to walk the double ended snuffer "halyard" to the other side as well. Either re-lead the sheet (if you only have one), or make sure the new sheet is loaded around a winch and ready to go, and hoist away.

A word of caution for some boats: If you are using a true spinnaker halyard which exits above the headsail halyards this is no big deal and you can snuff it on the "new" side with no worries. On the other hand, if you were using a halyard which exits from the same height as your primary halyard (for the furler), then you will want to run the snuffed sail back around the headstay to the side you launched from before lowering. This is to avoid either wrapping the spin halyard around the sail, headstay, or both-this can be a mess-so look aloft and keep track of where you are.

The reason you don't tack with sails like these is that they are not "upwind" sails. Most of them will sail up to maybe 65-75 degrees to the true wind (apparent angle will vary, but is not as relevant), so your windward progress will be similar to the Clipper Ships of days gobe by. If you are really going uphill, use a headsail or the iron genny!

Ladies and Gentlemen, "let's be careful out there"

S
 
Last edited:

Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
Yep... But-

Hi Frank,
Just to add a couple of things we find...
I'm a spin trimmer on a race boat with an asymetrical spinnaker that works much similar to yours, except that we use a bowsprit. I cannot imagine doing an "inside gybe" (between the tack and the forestay) without the extra space of the bowsprit, plus short handed an outside is easier. When gybing it outside, make sure to float it WAY out to help it around. Also, having someone up on the foredeck or near the shrouds helping pull and pulling the clew down as well as back will help get it around cleanly if you have the extra body on board. Otherwise, just pull like crazy.
Best,
Chris

Also, make darn sure you keep track of the lazy sheet on the gybe... otherwise you'll be diving to get it out of the prop and replacing one or both of those items :eek:
 
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