A jibe (US) or gybe (Britain) is a sailing maneuver whereby a
sailing vessel
A sailing ship is a sea-going vessel that uses sails mounted on masts to harness the power of wind and propel the vessel. There is a variety of sail plans that propel sailing ships, employing square-rigged or fore-and-aft sails. Some ships ...
reaching downwind
Windward () and leeward () are terms used to describe the direction of the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e. towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point of reference ...
turns its
stern
The stern is the back 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 the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...
through the wind, which then exerts its force from the opposite side of the vessel. Because the
mainsail
A mainsail is a sail rigged on the main mast of a sailing vessel.
* On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast.
* On a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, it is the sail rigged aft of the main mast. The sail's foot ...
boom
Boom may refer to:
Objects
* Boom (containment), a temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill
* Boom (navigational barrier), an obstacle used to control or block marine navigation
* Boom (sailing), a sailboat part
* Boom (windsurfi ...
can swing across the cockpit quickly, jibes are potentially
dangerous
Dangerous may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Dangerous'' (1935 film), an American film starring Bette Davis
* '' Dangerous: The Short Films'', a 1993 collection of music videos by Michael Jackson
* ''Dangerous'' (2021 film), a Canadian-Ameri ...
to person and rigging compared to
tacking. Therefore accidental jibes are to be avoided while the proper
technique
Technique or techniques may refer to:
Music
* The Techniques, a Jamaican rocksteady vocal group of the 1960s
*Technique (band), a British female synth pop band in the 1990s
* ''Technique'' (album), by New Order, 1989
* ''Techniques'' (album), by M ...
must be applied so as to control the maneuver. For
square-rig
Square rig is a generic type of sail and rigging arrangement in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or square, to the keel of the vessel and to the masts. These spars are called ''yards'' and ...
ged ships, this maneuver is called wearing ship.
In this maneuver, the mainsail will cross the center of the boat while the
jib
A jib is a triangular sail that sets ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bows, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast. Jibs and spinnakers are the two main types of headsail ...
is pulled to the other side of the boat. If a
spinnaker
A spinnaker is a sail designed specifically for sailing off the wind on courses between a reach (wind at 90° to the course) to downwind (course in the same direction as the wind). Spinnakers are constructed of lightweight fabric, usually n ...
is up, its pole will have to be manually moved to the other side, to remain opposite the mainsail. In a dinghy, raising the centerboard can increase the risk of capsizing during what can be a somewhat violent maneuver, although the opposite is true of a dinghy with a flat, planing hull profile: raising the centerboard reduces heeling moment during the maneuver and so reduces the risk of capsize.
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. Tacking more than 180° to avoid a jibe is sometimes referred to as a 'chicken jibe'.
Use
Many sailboats are significantly faster sailing on a
broad reach
A point of sail is a sailing craft's direction of travel under sail in relation to the true wind direction over the surface.
The principal points of sail roughly correspond to 45° segments of a circle, starting with 0° directly into the wind ...
than
running
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
(sailing straight downwind). Thus 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. Jibing is also common in racing, which often use a triangular course marked with buoys; the most direct way of rounding a buoy may be to jibe.
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 sail a zig-zag course at alternating angles into the wind. However, 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 whereas a tacking boat's
luffing
{{About, , the forward edge of a sail, Parts of a sail, other uses, Luff (disambiguation){{!Luff
In sailing, luffing refers to when a sailing vessel is steered far enough toward the direction of the wind ("windward"), or the sheet controlling a s ...
sails are un-powered while the bow crosses through or ''into'' the direction of the wind.
'Wearing ship' is the alternative maneuver for a square rigged ship that wishes to avoid the difficulties and hazards of tacking. Light winds, heavy seas, worn-out gear, and poor vessel or crew performance are all reasons a ship may choose to wear instead of tack. Compared to boats with a
fore-and-aft rig
A fore-and-aft rig is a sailing vessel rigged mainly with sails set along the line of the keel, rather than perpendicular to it as on a square rigged vessel.
Description
Fore-and-aft rigged sails include staysails, Bermuda rigged sails, gaff ...
, a square rigger can jibe without any difficulty or risk of accident. However, since these craft cannot point close to the wind, they may find it difficult to maintain turning and forward momentum as the bow passes through the large
no-go zone. If the ship loses steering way, it can be 'taken aback,' with the wind pressing on the forward surface of the sails and caught
in irons. By driving the vessel backwards through the water, this puts excessive strain on the ship's masts, spars and rigging, could break the rudder, and in severe weather could
dismast the ship. In some situations it was considered quicker and safer to take a square rigged ship to
windward
Windward () and leeward () are terms used to describe the direction of the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e. towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point of reference ...
by executing a series of jibes, turning the vessel across the wind through 270 degrees rather than the 90 degrees of a tack. This, however, would result in considerable ground lost to leeward with each jibe. Wearing has been judged to be unseamanlike except in heavy weather.
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
A spinnaker pole is a spar used in sailboats (both dinghys and yachts) 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 ...
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 dangerous in a fore-and-aft rigged boat because the sails are always completely filled by wind during the maneuver. As the direction of the wind crosses the boat's centerline and the
leeward
Windward () and leeward () are terms used to describe the direction of the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e. towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point of reference ...
side of the mainsail and
boom
Boom may refer to:
Objects
* Boom (containment), a temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill
* Boom (navigational barrier), an obstacle used to control or block marine navigation
* Boom (sailing), a sailboat part
* Boom (windsurfi ...
suddenly become the new windward side the load on the sail and mainsheet remain high; if uncontrolled, they can swing across the deck at high speed, striking and seriously injuring anyone standing in the path of the boom or its tackle. An uncontrolled boom slamming to the limit of its range may also put excessive stress on the rigging, can break the boom or standing rigging, or cause dismasting. A jibe can also result in a sudden change in the direction of
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
, and can cause unexpected course changes due to the mainsail force changing from one side of the boat to the other.
Technique
A safe jibe can be aided by tensioning the
boom vang (kicking strap) to prevent the boom from lifting. In high winds, sailing nearly directly downwind briefly before and after the jibe and making only small direction changes will produce less heeling force and reduce the tendency to round-up. In heavier gusts, the crew or skipper can sheet the boom in and force the boom across the boat by hand, holding the boom in position by locking the traveler or using a
preventer
A gybe preventer, preventer, or jibe-guard, is a mechanical device on a sailing vessel which limits the boom's ability to swing unexpectedly across the boat due to an unplanned accidental jibe.
During an unplanned accidental jibe (or ''gybe'') ...
. After the jibe has been completed, the course can then be changed to higher points of sail.
Because of the inherent dangers in jibing, communication among the crew is key. Typically three commands are issued by the helmsman: "Prepare to jibe" (or "ready to jibe") warns everyone to remain clear of the boom and alerts crew to be in position to handle sheets and boom for all sails. "Bearing away" or "jibing" (similar to saying "helm's a-lee" during a tack) indicates the helmsman is turning the boat (away from the wind) to start the jibe. "Jibe-ho" accompanies the start of the boom swing across the centerline.
Accidental jibes may occur when running dead downwind and 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
The BROACH warhead is a Tandem-charge, multi-stage warhead developed by Team BROACH; BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions, Thales Missile Electronics and QinetiQ. BROACH stands for ''Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented CHarge''.
Development of ...
,
Chinese gybe A Chinese gybe on a sailing vessel is a type of gybe where the upper section of the main sail moves cross 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 no ...
and
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-jibe of the boom and mainsail, which sweep across the deck and plunge down into the water. The death roll often result ...
.
When sailing in high winds, a small boat or dinghy can
capsize
Capsizing or keeling over occurs when a boat or ship is rolled on its side or further by wave action, instability or wind force beyond the angle of positive static stability or it is upside down in the water. The act of recovering a vessel fro ...
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 increasing winds and faster maneuvers gradually.
For various sailing craft
The method of jibing sailing craft differs, depending on whether they are
fore-and aft, square-rigged, a
windsurfer
Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...
, or a
kitesurfer
Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wak ...
.
![Windsurf_-_Trasluchada_-_Jibe_-_4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Windsurf_-_Trasluchada_-_Jibe_-_4.JPG)
* ''Fore-and-aft rig'' – A fore-and-aft sail is set for the wind on one side for a given tack. As the wind changes across the stern and reaches the other side of the sail, the sail may be blown to the other side suddenly—unless it is shielded by other sails to windward. If the sail is supported with a boom, gaff or sprit the change may be violent—unless the sheets are tight—as the sail is blown to the other side. For a jib, the old leeward sheet is loosened as the stern turns through the wind and the old windward sheet is tightened as the new leeward sheet to allow the sail to draw wind. A jib is usually shielded by the mainsail in this process. The mainsail sheet is tightened to limit the sudden movement from one side to the other and then eased out, once the boat is safely on the opposite tack. On smaller craft, the boom may be controlled by hand.
* ''Spinnaker'' – Some sailboats use a ''symmetrical''
spinnaker
A spinnaker is a sail designed specifically for sailing off the wind on courses between a reach (wind at 90° to the course) to downwind (course in the same direction as the wind). Spinnakers are constructed of lightweight fabric, usually n ...
—a three-sided, parachute-like sail—off the wind. The windward lower corner of a spinnaker is attached to a horizontal pole, coming from the mast to the lower corner of the sail—controlled by a line, called a ''guy''—and the other lower corner is attached to a line that acts as a sheet. When jibing, the pole is disconnected from the mast and attached to the opposite lower corner. Upon establishment on the new tack, the end of the pole that was on the sail is connected to the mast as the former guy becomes the new sheet and the former sheet becomes the new guy.
For high-performance craft with an ''asymmetrical'' spinnaker attached to a bow sprit, the sail is jibed in a manner similar to a jib.
* ''Square rig'' – As with any downwind change of course, the sails on a square rigger are adjusted with the vessel's running rigging, using braces sheets.
Only the jibs, staysails and the spanker need to be jibed, as on a fore-and-aft rig.
The maneuver of changing tack with the wind passing across the stern of a square-rigged vessel is called ''wearing ship''.
* ''Windsurfer rig'' – When sailors of
windsurfers
Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...
jibe, they use techniques like the ''carve jibe'' and the ''duck jibe'' or sail back winded then push the leech through the eye of the wind as in an upwind 360 or after ducking the sail to back winded. The carve jibe allows the sail to pivot away from the wind as the board is turned with the wind passing over the stern. A duck jibe is initiated on a beam reach and the sailor presses the sail towards the wind and passes the back end of the boom over to the other side, "ducking" under it.
* ''Kitesurfer rig'' – When changing tack while on a broad reach, a
kitesurfer
Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wak ...
again rotates the
kite
A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. ...
to align with the new apparent wind as the board changes course with the stern through the eye of the wind while planing.
See also
*
Tack
TACK is a group of archaea acronym for Thaumarchaeota (now Nitrososphaerota), Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota (now Thermoproteota), and Korarchaeota, the first groups discovered. They are found in different environments ranging from acidophilic the ...
*
Preventer
A gybe preventer, preventer, or jibe-guard, is a mechanical device on a sailing vessel which limits the boom's ability to swing unexpectedly across the boat due to an unplanned accidental jibe.
During an unplanned accidental jibe (or ''gybe'') ...
*
Points of sail
A point of sail is a sailing craft's direction of travel under sail in relation to the true wind direction over the surface.
The principal points of sail roughly correspond to 45° segments of a circle, starting with 0° directly into the wind. ...
References
* Rousmaniere, John, ''The Annapolis Book of Seamanship'', Simon & Schuster, 1999, pp. 54–55, 101-102, 106-107, & 331
* ''Chapman Book of Piloting'' (various contributors), Hearst Corporation, 1999, pp. 231 – 233
* Herreshoff, Halsey (consulting editor), ''The Sailor's Handbook'', Little Brown and Company, 1983, pp. 34–37, & 160
* Seidman, David, ''The Complete Sailor'', International Marine, 1995, pp. 47–49,53, & 110
* Jobson, Gary, ''Sailing Fundamentals'', Simon & Schuster, 1987, pp. 41–45, 71, 77-78, 95, & 186
{{Sailing manoeuvres
Sailing manoeuvres