Tacking and gybing

Tacking

When tacking, the bow passes through the wind. You use it on upwind courses, for example when beating to windward.

1. Helm: "Ready about?"
2. Crew on the jib sheets: "Ready!"
3. Helm: "Lee-ho!" and puts the helm slowly to leeward.
4. When the headsail backs, release the old sheet and quickly pull in the new one.
5. Settle on the new tack and trim the sails.

Gybing

When gybing, the stern passes through the wind. The boom swings across, so the gybe must be controlled.

1. Helm: "Ready to gybe?"
2. Crew: "Ready!"
3. Haul in the mainsheet until the boom is almost amidships.
4. Helm: "Gybe-ho!" and steers the stern through the wind.
5. The boom crosses; ease the mainsheet quickly but under control. Sheet in the headsail on the new side.

Avoiding an accidental gybe

An unplanned gybe, with the boom crashing across, can injure people and damage the rig. On downwind courses therefore:

• don't sail too deep, rather sail on a broad reach;
• rig a preventer: a line from the boom forward that holds it on its side;
• keep heads out of the boom's path.

Chicken gybe instead

In strong wind you can avoid the gybe with a chicken gybe: luff up, tack and bear away again on the new tack. It costs distance but is much safer.