Gybing
To gybe the gennaker, bear off while continually easing the gennaker. Put the
gennaker sheet in your tiller hand and reach in to uncleat the mainsheet. The quicker
you do this the better, as the boat will have slowed down and the mainsheet will
have loaded up – you’ll get to know this feeling and react to it faster each time!
While sailing on a broad reach, pick up the windward gennaker sheet with your
front hand and pull it in and take up the tension – even gently pulling the clew
of the gennaker to windward. You are now holding both sheets in one hand.
The gennaker should still be filling normally and helping to speed the boat into the
gybe. As you initiate the gybe, step across the boat, pulling the new gennaker sheet
in as far as you can to ensure that some wind remains in the gennaker throughout
the manoeuvre, and avoiding a collapsing gennaker. Once you are on the new
gybe, with the kite having stayed full you might even need to ease the new
sheet again to trim properly. (You will be amazed at how little you need to pull
the kite with practice). You can now head up again as required – adjusting the
mainsheet again as before.
You should remember to keep maximum speed on into the gybe – it reduces
the load in the mainsail – ensuring the long boom comes across with the
minimum of drama!
Dropping the Gennaker
To drop the gennaker, bear off and ease the mainsheet exactly as you would when
hoisting the gennaker. Pick up the gennaker downhaul and pull in the slack. Keeping
hold of the downhaul – holding it low down - reach over to release the gennaker
halyard from the cleat and then pull the gennaker down as fast as you can, using the
same system as you have got used to for the hoist. Tidy the gennaker sheets, by
pulling on the sheets to take slack out.
Warning: if you pause, and the gennaker goes in the water, it will be much
harder, and may result in a capsize. Once the gennaker is largely in the chute
you are safe!
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